Inverleith still in the driving seat of men’s indoor National League 1

Inverleith are still very much in the driving seat in indoor Men’s National League 1 with back-to-back victories over Dunfermline Carnegie and Dundee Wanderers, but both Western Wildcats and Grange have both moved up the table with unbeaten records in their three match session.

Inverleith opened with a comfortable 6-3 victory over newcomers Dunfermline Carnegie, but it was not so clear-cut at the interval with the score tied at 1-1. But the champions ran away with the second half with a flurry of goals for a 6-1 lead going into the closing minutes; David Ogden and Stephen Dick got two each while Craig Sinclair and Alex Wilson both scored.

Michael Ross had opened for Dunfermline and in the final three minutes Martin Daw and Sam Goldie notched consolations for the Fifers.

Inverleith`s second outing against Dundee Wanderers was a cracker, it was touch and go before the Edinburgh side emerged 5-4 winners in the end.

The first half was a close affair, Patrick Christie and Stephen Dick were on target for Inverleith while 16-year-old Cameron Bell pulled one back for Wanderers.

Inverleith seemed to have the contest won when they moved into a 4-2 lead, Christie and Dick were again among the goals while Fergus Sandison got Wanderers goal. Inverleith then succumbed to a flurry of cards and while they were reduced to five players for a total of eight minutes, Bell and Sandison took advantage to bring the contest level at 4-4.

But Wanderers failed to take advantage of Inverleith keeper`s spell in the sin bin, and ironically it was the champions who scored the winner through Ewen Mackie, and that is how it finished.

Grange added to Wanderers` woes with a 3-1 victory earlier in the day. Although neither side created too many clear-cut chances in the first half, Grange`s Alan Johnston did put his side ahead just before the interval.

In the second half Grange doubled their total with a strike by Clemens Rusnjak but Sandison brought the Taysiders back into the fray at 2-1. But the result was finally sealed with a last minute strike from Duncan Riddell to give Grange the points.

However, Grange let it slide a little in their second encounter with Dunfermline which ended in a 5-5 draw. Grange were on the verge of losing the contest when they entered the final minute 5-4 down, but a late counter by Hamish Imrie saved the day.

Grove Menzieshill were back on winning form in their first game with a comfortable 5-0 win over Clydesdale. The Taysiders were only a goal to the good at the interval, courtesy of a penalty corner conversion by Cameron Golden.

But the second half belonged to the former champions with further strikes by Ben Cromar, Albert Rowling, Golden again and finally Paul Martin.

It was a good day at the office for Grove Menzieshill as they followed up with an 11-2 win over Kelburne, the highlight was a Golden hat-trick.

Kelburne were again on the wrong end of a heave defeat, this time 12-1 to Western Wildcats. In the carnage there were hat-tricks for Rhury Smith, Fraser Moran and Hamish Galt.

Wildcats followed this with a 6-2 win over Clydesdale, Andrew McConnell got two while the others came from Joe McConnell, Adam McKenzie, Moran and Galt.

In the final two games of the day Wildcats and Grange slipped into second and third in the table, but with one more game played over Grove Menzieshill.

Wildcats were restricted to a 2-2 scoreline at the interval against Dunfermline, Hamish Galt and Joe McConnell scored for the Auchenhowie outfit while Michael Ross and Andrew Doyle replied for the Fifers.

Wildcats ran away with the contest in the second half, Galt put them 3-2 up and in the final three minutes Andrew McConnell and Fraser Moran clinched the three points.

Grange also finished the day on a high with a 9-5 victory over Clydesdale for their third defeat of the day. For the Edinburgh side Duncan Riddell scored a hat-trick and Callum Milne got two while there was a double for Clydesdale`s Chris McFadden.

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