Scots on cloud nine in Lousada

FIH WORLD LEAGUE – LOUSADA

SCOTLAND  9  ITALY  0

Derek Forsyth achieved a fantastic coaching debut in the
first round of the World League in Lousada, yesterday the Scots
thrashed Italy 9-0 to finish top of the pool and qualified with
ease for the next round of the competition in the new
year.   The statistics are awesome, Forsyth`s squad won
every game handsomely, scored 30 goals in their four games, and
kept a clean sheet throughout.

It took Forsyth`s charges 15 minutes to open their account, a
cross by Kenny Bain was diverted home by Gareth Hall, a fitting way
for the Glynhill Kelburne player to celebrate his 100th Scotland
cap – only the 12th player to achieve such an accolade.  
Ten minutes later it was captain Iain Scholefield`s turn to find
the net, he drove into the circle and beat the Italian goalkeeper
with a low shot.    Just before the interval the
lethal Kenny Bain – Alan Forsyth combination provided the third
when Forsyth found the net.

The second half was a procession of goals, a good reverse stick
shot by Fergus Dunn may or may not have been bound for the net, but
Ian Moodie pushed the ball home to make sure.   Then up
stepped Dan Coultas to add two more in as many minutes with carbon
copy low drag flicks past the keeper.   Brilliant 
play from Niall Stott set up the seventh, he slipped the ball to
Chris Grassick and found the net from an acute angle.

The Bain-Forsyth combination was responsible for the eighth goal
with the latter left with a simple tap in.   In the final
minute the ball seemed to behave like a bagatelle in the circle and
Scholefield pounced on it and jabbed it into the net at the back
post.

A euphoric manager Eugene Connolly said: “We looked like a
hockey team in this tournament, we played with confidence, moved
the ball around well, and supported each other.   This
was a brilliant achievement for the coach, we came as favourites
and played as favourites, Derek has certainly put his stamp on the
squad.”

PRESIDENTS CUP

Meanwhile on the domestic scene Inverleith marched into
the final of the Presidents Cup with a comfortable 3-0 win over
Grove Menzieshill yesterday.

Phil Hall and new German recruit Fabien Wolski from a penalty
corner put the Edinburgh side two goals up at the interval, and the
result was sealed when Paul Ritchie made it three in the second
half.    Inverleith kept their perfect record in the
pool with a 3-1 victory over Western Wildcats on Saturday, Hall
again and Lewis Gibson (2) were the scorers.

Edinburgh University missed out on the chance of joining
Inverleith in the final when they could only draw 1-1 with AMN
Hillhead, and consequently Grange make the final with a single
point advantage.

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