`Hill are top of the pile

GROVE MENZIESHILL INVITATIONAL TOURNAMENT SPONSORED BY INTERVENTION RENTALS LTD
DUNDEE INTERNATIONAL SPORT CENTRE  –  29-30 DECEMBER 2012

MEN

Menzieshill have booked their place in tomorrow`s final of the Grove Menzieshill indoor tournament in Dundee with a narrow 5-4 victory over rivals Inverleith, now the first division leaders have to beat Edinburgh rivals Grange to join the Taysiders.

Allan Law gave Menzieshill the best of starts in three minutes with a penalty corner conversion, but the lead lasted barely a minute when Chris Grassick replied also from a set piece.   Inverleith took the lead for the first time through Chris Bird, but this only spurred the Dundonians into action.   In a flurry of goals in the final three minutes of the half, Ross McPherson equalised with a cute dummy at a penalty corner, then within a minute Ross Stott fired a shot into the top left hand corner of the net for 3-2, but just on the interval Inverleith were back level through Derek Salmond.

The second half was end to end stuff but no further goals.  But with seven minutes left Gavin Byers put Menzieshill 4-3 in front, but that was quickly countered by an equaliser from Inverleith`s Aedan McCrossan.    Sam Tilston provided the winner for the Dundonians with two minutes left, and it could have been more had Stephen Dick not had a brilliant save on the line from a very late set piece.

Menzieshill had a whirlwind opening to their tournament with a convincing 12-2 victory over Grange.   The Taysiders were 3-1 ahead at the interval, Allan Law started the scoring with a penalty corner finish in only five minutes, Ross McPherson followed with a double, before teenager Hamish Imrie pulled one back for the Edinburgh side at the break.   The second half was virtually all Menzieshill, there were hat-tricks for Ross Stott and Chris Wilson, and the remaining goals came from Law again as well as Sam Tilston and Gavin Byers, Fraser Sands notched the only consolation for Grange.

Inverleith made a carbon copy start to the day, they beat the Scotland under 21 squad by the same score of 12-2.   Former Inverleith player Chris Grassick, now with English premier league side Surbiton, celebrated his return north of the border with six goals, Chris Bird scored three, Stephen Dick a couple and Derek Salmond got the other.  Corey Hastings and Peter Baldwin got the consolations for the Scots youngsters.

Grange recovered their composure to overcome the Scotland under 21 side 4-1 in their second outing of the day.  The Edinburgh side were three up at the interval, Stewart Laing scored the first two to be followed by Martin Kelly.    Dundee Wanderers` Ross Davies pulled one back for the Scots youngsters, but a strike by Fraser Sands sealed the victory for Grange.

WOMEN

In the big game of the women`s competition, Grove emerged 4-3 winners over Dundee Wanderers in the Tayside derby, perhaps some revenge for the 8-3 defeat in the league encounter last weekend.  With neither side fielding their international players, Olivia Ritchie gave Grove the lead in the first minute, but by the interval Wanderers were 2-1 ahead, courtesy of a double by teenager Charlotte Watson.

Grove retaliated in the second half and strolled into a 4-2 lead with strikes by Louise Baxter, Sue Roberts and Katie Robertson.   Heather Elder notched a late goal for Wanderers, but Grove held out for the three points.

Scotland`s under 21 side drew 6-6 with first division Granite City Wanderers, CALA Edinburgh striker Amber McNeill got two for the Scots youngsters while Granite`s Morven Duff and Linda Nixon also scored twice.  

Grove confirmed their place in tomorrow`s final with a 10-4 victory over Granite City Wanderers, and it could be a re-run of the Taysider derby if Wanderers can see off the Aberdonians in the final pool match.   

Wanderers put themselves in contention with a 6-3 win over the Scotland juniors, there was a hat-trick for Heather Elder, two for Sam Sangster and Jenny Gerrard got the opener.   The under 21 scorers were Laura Page, Jessica Ross, who ironically plays for Wanderers in the national league, and Kerry-Anne Hastings.

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