Grove Menzieshill and Dundee Wanderers win Grand Finals at indoor GALA Day

GALA Day hippo

It was a magnificent indoor hockey GALA Day at Bells Sports Centre, Perth, that saw Dundee Wanderers crowned women’s champions, and Grove Menzieshill men’s champions.

Match 1 Hillhead 2s v Grove Menzieshill 3s

The first game of the day was a cracker, and it was Grove Menzieshill 3s who came out on top against Hillhead 2s.

The game got off to a flying start with Grove Menzieshill 3s quickly taking the initiative. They also quickly took the lead, a penalty corner was teed up nicely for Nathan Soutar to slot the ball home into the bottom left corner to make it 1-0. Grove Menzieshill 3s continued to press the game, zipping the ball around the court

They added a second goal when Gavin Cruickshanks scored to make it 2-0, then nine minutes later Chris Anderson slammed home their third to make it 3-0. Just before half time Anderson was on hand again to score and make it 4-0.

Hillhead stepped up the pace as the second half moved on and had an explosive spell where they seemed unstoppable. Euan Cochrane bagged a double within a minute, clawing the game back to 4-2.

Grove Menzieshill 3s soon put any prospect of a comeback into perspective when they bagged a fifth to make it 5-2; Anderson completing his hat trick.

Grove Menzieshill 3s added a sixth right on the hooter from a Nathan Soutar penalty corner to seal the victory, and gain promotion to National league 3.

FT – Hillhead 2s 2-6 Grove Menzieshill 3s

GALA Day Hillhead w

Match 2 – Inverleith v Hillhead

It took sudden death penalties to separate Inverleith and Hillhead women in the second game of the day – it was a great game full of drama and exciting hockey.

An early goal for Inverleith got them off to a great start, Sarah McKay bagged the opener.

Then Hillhead showed some clinical finishing, first Zoe Irvine scored their equaliser before Carla Macniven finished off a penalty corner to give her side a 2-1 lead at half time.

The second half was end-to-end, McKay equalised for Inverleith – her second of the game, then she bagged her hat trick when she made it 3-2 to Inverleith. With two minutes remaining Amber Macfarlane scored for Hillhead to take it to a shootout.

The goalkeepers were on form, saving every penalty until Hillhead’s Macniven found the net, giving her side the victory and promotion.

FT – Inverleith 3-3 Hillhead

(Hillhead win after sudden death penalties)

 

Match 3 – Watsonians v Edinburgh University

Edinburgh University men won the right to play Western Wildcats later in the day as they aimed to gain promotion to men’s indoor National League 1. First, they had to get past Watsonians and it was a fantastic game of hockey.

The game was played at a blistering pace, end-to-end, but it was Edinburgh University who took the early lead.

Callum White made a quick surge into the D and scored a low finish slamming against the back board. 1-0. A minute later, and White scored again, this time for a penalty flick to make it 2-0.

White secured his hat trick in the fifth minute of the game, and then his fourth just two minutes later through another surge into the box and slamming low into the net to make it 4-0.

Watsonians pulled one back with ten minutes of the first half to play, a sweet move off the training ground to make it 4-1, finished off by Mark Mundell.

Mundell then scored again, a penalty corner high into the net to make it 4-2.

Some good work by Edinburgh’s George Adams down the left opened up the opportunity for Gordon Amore so finish and make it 5-2.

Jamie Wong was having a great game for Edinburgh, the pace of the game suited him. But it was Watsonians who hit the net next, Lyam Hollis the scorer. 5-3. It was Wong who completed the scoring with four minutes remaining to make it 6-3.

FT- Watsonian 3-6 Edinburgh University

GALA Day Edin m

Match 4 – Grove Menzieshill 2s v MJV Dundee Wanderers

Next up was a feisty encounter between Grove Menzieshill 2s and MJV Dundee Wanderers that lived up to the grudge match it was billed to be.

Grove Menzieshill 2s opened the scoring through Jamie Golden in the fourth minute, which was followed up by a Wanderers equaliser by Fergus Sandison. Grove Menzieshill 2s took the lead again on 13 minutes when Ciaran Crawford finished from open play. The lead lasted just a minute when Bobby Ralph equalised, and the score remained 2-2 until half time.

Wanderers took the lead for the first time when Ross Glashan scored to make it 3-2.

The majority of pressure in the second half was coming from Grove Menzieshill 2s and they finally made their pressure count when they equalised through Oliver James. It looked like it was going to penalties until Wanderers snatched it in the closing stages. Grove Menzieshill 2s struck the crossbar right at the death but Wanderers were able to hold on to claim the win, and earn promotion.

FT – Grove Menzieshill 2s 3-4 Dundee Wanderers

 

Match 5 – Edinburgh University v Clydesdale Western

Clydesdale Western women ended a fine indoor season by finishing in third place after beating Edinburgh University at Bells.

Clydesdale Western raced into a two goal lead. Laura Mann opened the scoring in the fifth minute, and Fiona Bruce added the second a minute later. 2-0.

Edinburgh University were not out of the game despite the two-goal deficit, they played good hockey and fashioned a few openings. Louise Campbell was influential and Sophie Maunder was full of running.

The third goal for Western came just after half time when Ali Eadie finished off a penalty corner to make it 3-0. Western were producing some real quality, a fast and precise blend of hockey that was causing the students many problems.

With seven minutes remaining the students pulled a well-earned goal back through Louise Campbell.

FT – Edinburgh University 1-3 Clydesdale Western

Match 6 – Perthshire v Inverleith 2s

An exceptional performance by Inverleith 2s men saw them defeat Perthshire 6-1 at the Gala Day in Perth.

Inverleith raced into a three goal lead, producing some top quality hockey. Paul Taylor opened the scoring from a penalty corner, Ewen Mackie added a second, and Taylor bagged his second and Inverleith 2s’ third in the ninth minute.

Perthshire’s Michal Czub pulled one back, slamming home low from a well-worked penalty corner to make it 3-1.

In the second half Inverleith 2s continued to play scintillating hockey and scored their fourth through Mackie just after the half hour mark. Alan Wall made it 5-1 from a penalty corner a couple of minutes later, then Mackie completed his hat trick, and the scoring, right at the death to make it 6-1.

FT – Perthshire 1-6 Inverleith 2s

GALA Day inverleith m

Match 7 – Kelburne v Grange

An exceptional performance by Bromac Kelburne saw them put 13 goals past Grange in the highest scoring match of the day.

Kelburne played with Josh Cairns at Kicking Back, a theme throughout their indoor campaign. Nick Finlayson opened the scoring with a near post flick to give Kelburne a 1-0 lead in four minutes. Finlayson scored his, and Kelburne’s second, a minute later.

Jonas Nommensen made it 3-0 as Kelburne continued to apply pressure, playing sharp long passes and looking clinical in front of goal.

Grange then scored through Ross Lunn, a quick break found him in the D waiting to knock it into the empty goal. 3-1. Moments later and Lunn finished off a carbon copy of his first to make it 3-2. Grange were right back in it.

Kelburne’s Michael Bremner prompted a quick break forward which eventually found Nommenson again at the far post to knock the ball home and make it 4-2. Nommenson was on hand again a short while later to claim a hat trick, scoring from close range.

Grange surged forward and bagged another goal themselves – Robert Nimmo applied the finish from the side of the D to make it 5-3. Kelburne continued to rain in the goals through a Finlayson double to make it 7-3 at half time.

A Kelburne penalty corner was slammed home by Cairns to make it 8-3 after the restart. John McClusky pulled one back for Grange to make it 8-4 before Bremner got on the scoresheet to make it 9-4. Cairns scored a penalty to take Kelburne’s tally to double figures before Grange scored their fifth through Ali Irvine. Jonny Christie scored immediately for Kelburne before Adam Bain and Cairns scored in the final two minutes to finish the game 13-5 to Kelburne.

FT – Bromac Kelburne 13-5 Grange

GALA Day kelburne

Match 8 – Western Wildcats v Edinburgh University

Edinburgh University won promotion, and arguably the game of the day, after a dramatic comeback against Western Wildcats.

Western Wildcats got off to a great start scoring within the first minute of the match, Scott McCartney slammed the ball off the backboard to make it 1-0.

Jamie Wong hit the post for Edinburgh Uni, before winning a penalty. Callum White stepped up to strike it for the students but a fantastic save denied him.

Western Wildcats scored again when Joe McConnell struck across the goalkeeper to make it 2-0. Wildcats bagged a third when Andrew McConnell capitalised on an error to make it 3-0. McCartney then found the top corner from a penalty corner to make it 4-0. Wildcats struck their fifth with McCartney bagging his hat trick.

With half time approaching Edinburgh University pulled one through Callum White to make it 5-1.

The students came out flying for the second half. White slammed a penalty corner low into the bottom right corner to make it 5-2. White then scored again, his hat trick, to make it 5-3. The comeback was on.

George Adams made sure the comeback was well and truly on when he sunk a penalty corner into the bottom left corner to bring it back to 5-4 with eight minutes to play. Edinburgh were all out attack and they made it count when White equalised with four minutes on the clock – 5-5.

With just over a minute to play the students took the lead and Bells erupted. Ross Jamieson forced the ball over the line to make it 6-5 to Edinburgh University. Jamieson sealed it with seconds left to play when he scored to make it 7-5.

FT – Western Wildcats 5-7 Edinburgh University

 

Match 9 – Grove Menzieshill v Dundee Wanderers

The penultimate game of the day was the women’s indoor National League 1 Grand Final, and featured a Dundee derby between rivals Grove Menzieshill and Dundee Wanderers.

Less than a minute into the final and Wanderers took the lead when Emily Dark slammed home a penalty corner to make it 1-0.

Despite shipping the early goal it was Grove Menzieshill who started the game strong, playing a neat blend of hockey in the heat of the derby. They equalised in the fourth minute when Pauline Stott found the net to finish off an intense opening five minutes. Wanderers struck back almost immediately when Amy Snelle finished off a penalty corner to make it 2-1. A minute later and Grove Menzieshill equalised, this time Katie Robertson found the net from a penalty corner routine.

In the second half Wanderers found their groove and Vikki Bunce repeatedly attacked the Grove Menzieshill rear-guard on long mazy runs. Wanderers took the lead again through Julie Bryce to make it 3-2. Snelle then had a goal chopped off for Wanderers. Ten minutes later and the influential Bunce finally put daylight between the two when she netted a penalty corner to make it 4-2, and it was Wanderers who were crowned indoor champions once again.

FT – Grove Menzieshill 2-4 Dundee Wanderers

GALA Day Wanderers w

Match 10 – Grove Menzieshill v Inverleith

Grove Menzieshill and Inverleith battled out the final game of the day with Grove Menzieshill taking the men’s Indoor National League 1 title, in front of an enthusiastic crowd at Bells.

Grove Menzieshill surged into an early lead when Ross McPherson opened the scoring, followed by Gavin Tomlinson adding a second from a penalty corner. 2-0 in seven minutes. Inverleith then struck back when Stephen Dick hammered home a penalty corner to make it 2-1. As half time approached Grove Menzieshill restored their two-goal advantage when Gavin Byers produced a neat finish to make it 3-1.

An electric start to the second half saw Grove Menzieshill pull away from Inverleith. Chris Wilson nearly took the roof of Bells when the crowd went berserk at his strike to make it 4-1 just after half time. Ben Cromar added his name to the scoresheet, and the fans’ hymn sheet, a few minutes later when he struck the fifth.

Inverleith were not going to go away without a fight though, and Fabian Wolski powered home a penalty corner to make it 5-2. Ben Cogrove sent the crowd wild when he added Grove Menzieshill’s sixth before Inverleith again struck back through Derek Salmond. The scoring was completed in the final minute by Michael Ross who made it 7-3 to Grove Menzieshill, taking the men’s indoor title back to Tayside.

FT – Grove Menzieshill 7-3 Inverleith

GALA Day Grove m

Photos by Duncan Gray

 

Recent posts:

Back to all news
Back to top