Scots guaranteed a place in the final
07 January 2012
RICHARD DOCHERTY INDOOR CUP - NAPIER UNIVERSITY ENGAGE SPORTS CENTRE - SATURDAY 07 JANUARY.
INVERLEITH V GROVE MENZIESHILL
After a rather shaky first half Inverleith always had their noses in front against a plucky Grove Menzieshill outfit that lacked their Scotland players, with the Edinburgh side finally running out 7-5 winners in the opening encounter.
The opening ten minutes was goalless, the opener finally coming from the spot by Stephen Dick. The Taysiders were far from disconsolate and quickly equalised through a penalty corner strike by Chris Anderson. Dick again put Inverleith in front from a set piece, but again Menzieshill came back with a goal by Andrew Suttie that crawled over the line.
The crux of the contest came in the closing minutes of the first half, Chris Grassick put the Edinburgh side ahead for the third time from a penalty corner, and just on the hooter Derek Salmond scored from close range to give his side a 4-2 half-time lead.
The result was sealed when Grassick made it 5-2 with a high shot from a set piece, then John Harris added a sixth mid-way through the half. Suttie pulled one back for the Taysiders from the spot, but Thomas Cousins restored the four goal lead not long after. Inverleith then took their foot off the pedal and allowed Ben Cromar and veteran Kenny Stibbles to sneak a couple for the Taysiders and create a bit of unnecessary tension to the closing moments of the contest.
HIGHLAND JAGUARS V CELTIC PANTHERS
Scotland, under the guise of the Highland Jaguars, gave the Welsh side Celtic Panthers a lesson in goal scoring with a comfortable 9-1 victory.
There were no goals in the opening ten minutes, but the Scots went ahead through an Allan Law penalty corner that went in off a Welsh defender. Billy McPherson`s charges were 3-0 up at the break, Ross McPherson with a low shot and then Gavin Byers were the scorers.
The floodgates opened after the interval with a procession of goals, Chris Wilson was the man on target with a quick-fire hat-trick while the other goals emanated from Willie Marshall, Gareth Hall and Gary Cameron. A modicum of slackness appeared in the closing ten minutes, Lewis Prosser scored a consolation for the Welsh and Adam MacKenzie proceeded to miss from the spot to prevent double figures.
GROVE MENZIESHILL V GROSSFLOTTBERGER (GER)
Menzieshill were given a bit of a lesson on the arts of indoor hockey from the German outfit, but did well to keep the score to 6-0 in the end. Grossflottberger were four up at the interval, goals coming from Marius Muller, Felix Schuess, Ferdi Van Oetzen and their Scotland guest Kenny Bain.
The Germans were restricted to two goals only after the interval, both notched by Schuess for his hat-trick.
CELTIC PANTHERS V HC RDG (NED)
A nice touch from the Dutch visitors, the entire team played with shirt number 11 in memory of Richard Docherty, that was his normal number. Consequently, number 11 scored all six Dutch goals!!
But elder brother Laurence wrote his own script with a hat-trick as his Dutch select outfit HC RDG overcame the Welsh side Celtic Panthers 6-4. HC RDG were 3-1 up at the break, Docherty and Dutch legends Taco Van Der Honert and Jan Floris Bovelander getting the others, Lewis Prosser scored for Wales.
After the interval Docherty made it 5-1 with a quick double before guest Scottish import Andrew Kay notched the sixth from the spot. In a belated comeback Mark Whatling (2) and Joe Naughalty scored for Wales, but not enough to alter the destiny of the match.
Having lost both games Grove Menzieshill will play the Panthers in tomorrow`s 5/6 play-off.
GROSSFLOTTBECKER V INVERLEITH
Inverleith almost caused the upset by taking the crack German side Grossflottberger right to the wire, only to finally fall 7-6 in the end, but still qualify for today`s semi-final.
The Edinburgh side were caught on the hop by an early double from the Germans with strikes by Felix Schuess and Marius Muller from a penalty corner, but within a minute Stephen Dick had pulled one back from a set piece switch which went in off a defender`s foot. Grossflottberger went into a 3-1 lead through Philip Otte and that remained the score at the interval although Dick almost scored again from a penalty corner at the hooter but his effort was brilliantly saved by a defender on the line.
Dick took the second half by the scruff of the neck, and gave the much-fancied German defence a real run-a-round with four second half goals. The Germans took a 5-2 lead early in the second half but were then hit by four goals from Dick and another by Grassick as the Scots moved into a 6-5 lead. Unfortunately, Grossflottberger turned the screw at the end and a double from Ferdi van Oetzen saved the German blushes.
HC RDG V HIGHLAND JAGUARS
In the final match the Scottish Jaguars defeated the Dutch outfit HC RDG 10-8 in a high scoring affair, the game being a personal triumph for Glynhill Kelburne`s Gareth Hall who notched four goals.
In an end to end affair the Scots held a slender 5-4 lead at the interval, Hall scored a hat-trick while the other goals came from Chris Wilson from a penalty corner and Gary Cameron.
McPherson`s charges continued to put the Dutch all-stars under pressure, Hall got his fourth, Wilson got his second while Ross McPherson, Adam MacKenzie and Gavin Byers also pitched it.
Tomorrow`s semi-finals bring together two Scottish outfits as Billy McPherson`s charges take on Inverleith while the Dutch and German sides contest the other - a draw that guarantees a Scottish side in the final.
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