Tough day for Grove Menzieshill in Minsk

Grove Menzieshill require a win against HC Zelina from Croatia in tomorrow`s final game to ensure their survival in men’s EuroHockey Indoor Club Trophy 2018. It’s the result if a difficult day in Minsk that saw the Scots defeated in both matches.

Tough day for Grove Menzieshill in Minsk
17 December 2016 at Bells Sports Centre, Perth. – photo by Duncan Gray
Scottish Division 1 Indoor Hockey

Grove Menzieshill 4-6 Slagelse 

Aspirations of a medal and promotion were replaced by the battle against relegation following Grove Menzieshill`s 6-4 defeat at the hands of Danish champions Slagelse in the final pool match at the European Indoor Club Trophy in Minsk.

The result left the Taysiders in third place in Pool A and bound for the subsequent relegation dog-fight. On the bright side, Grove Menzieshill take five points along with them after their earlier 2-1 win over Italian side Bra.

The game stood poised at 2-2, but then came a frantic denouement which included a double from Cameron Golden for his hat-trick, four from the Danes and a yellow card to Slagelse`s Stephan Trzepacz – and all in the space of the last four minutes.

The contest started well enough for the Dundonians with a goal in the first minute from Gavin Tomlinson, the hat-trick hero of the Bra encounter. But Grove Menzieshill failed to hang on to their advantage and were 2-1 down at the interval with goals from Lasse Steinmetz Christensen and Mathias Due Tankmar.

Tayside hopes were raised when Golden levelled at a penalty corner just four minutes into the second half – and that is how it stood until the 36th minute.

After a time-out called by Grove Menzieshill coach Bruce Cuthill, it was the Danes who took moved into a 4-2 lead through a quick-fire brace from Mikkel Steinmetz Christensen. Cuthill also gambled by replacing his goalkeeper with an additional outfield player to attempt to rescue the game.

Golden pulled one back for 4-3 but almost immediately Lasse Christensen restored the Danish two goal advantage. Golden again struck back but so also did Christensen in the dying seconds – both players completing their hat-tricks – but the goal flurry left Slagelse 6-4 to the good.

The victory put Slagelse to the top of the pool and a chance of promotion.

 

Grove Menzieshill 2-3 Lille MHC

Grove Menzieshill still have a battle against relegation after going down 3-2 to French champions Lille MHC in the relegation pool in Minsk this afternoon.

However, their survival still lies in their own hands, but the Taysiders must beat HC Zelina from Croatia in tomorrow`s final game to ensure their survival. As it stands tonight the Croatians are on the same points as the Dundonians but with a superior goal difference.

Most of the first half failed to provide any goals until Ross McPherson opened for the Scots from open play. But just on the interval Francois-Xavier Laffineur levelled at a penalty corner.

The second half belonged to the French, Thomas Becuwe and then Benjamin Marque gave Lille a commanding 3-1 lead. Right at the death Michael Ross pulled one back for Grove Menzieshill at a set piece but it proved to be little more than a consolation in Minsk.

 

National League 1 (MEN)

Grange opened up a six point lead over Bromac Kelburne at the top of outdoor National League 1 after defeating Dundee Wanderers 6-2 in the opening game on Tayside after the winter shutdown.

The Taysiders opened the scoring with an early strike by Fergus Sandison, but that simply had the effect of stimulating Grange into action. Within six minutes Frank Ryan and Cammie Fraser had put the Edinburgh side into a 2-1 lead.

Grange continued to add to their tally, Luke Cranney got a third from a close range deflection, Fraser scored his second from a similar scenario while Ryan`s direct drag flick at a penalty corner put the league leaders into an unassailable 5-1 lead at the break.

Grange continued to dominate but failed to add to their score until Ryan diverted a cross from the left into the net for his own hat-trick with ten minutes remaining. Bobby Ralph converted a late penalty corner for Wanderers but it proved little more than a consolation in the end.

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