All change at the top of Men’s Indoor National league 1

It is all change at the top of the men`s indoor National League 1, a hat-trick of victories pushed Grove Menzieshill to the top of the table by three points, Wildcats are second on goal difference from champions Inverleith who drop down to third ahead of Grange.

Grove Menzieshill emerged 7-1 winners over traditional rivals Inverleith in the game of the day, a result that pushed the Taysiders into pole position on goal difference. The game itself had its fractious moments from time to time, in fact there were almost as many cards as there were goals during the fray.

The first half was a fairly even affair, Jamie Golden`s penalty corner opener for the Dundonians was matched by a set piece equaliser from Patrick Christie. A turning point emerged in the final minute of the half, a Gavin Tomlinson shot seemed to have been stopped by the foot of the Inverleith keeper, but subsequently squirmed its way over the line for a 2-1 advantage.

The contest lapsed into indiscipline in 22 minutes when Inverleith were reduced to four players with Sean Stewart and Adam Czub in the sin bin, to be followed by Grove Menzieshill`s Cameron Golden.

Midway through the half the Taysiders added to their slender lead through Chris Wilson. Thereafter it was one-way traffic with further Grove Menzieshill goals through Tomlinson for his own second, Jamie Carnegie and a late double from Cameron Golden.

Grove Menzieshill were in ominous form in their opening match with a 10-2 victory over third placed Grange. The Taysiders strolled into a 6-0 lead just after the interval, Cameron Golden scored a hat-trick, there were two for Gavin Tomlinson while Paul Martin got the other. There followed a transient comeback from the Edinburgh side with strikes by Dan Coultas and Ali Irvine, but Grove Menzieshill retaliated with a further four, Golden got his fourth of the contest, Ross McPherson scored a brace while Tomlinson completed his own hat-trick with the final counter.

Grove Menzieshill completed their hat-trick of victories with a convincing 9-1 win over city rivals Dundee Wanderers in their final outing. Although Elliot Sandison opened for Wanderers in six minutes, that was the end of their threat.

By the interval Grove Menzieshill had advanced to 4-1 through Tomlinson, Ben Cromar, Albert Rowling and Camerson Golden. The procession of goals continued in the second half, Golden got his second of the game, brother Jamie got a couple while Martin and McPherson picked up one each.

Inverleith`s day was complete when they went down 6-3 to Wildcats in their second outing of the day. The champions led 3-1 at the interval, David Ogden converted twice from the spot while Alex Wilson got the other, Andrew McConnell replied for the Wildcats. Wildcats clawed their way back into the contest in the second half with five goals without reply, McConnell got another two for his hat-trick, while the other goals came from Fabien Goldie, Rob Harwood and Joe McConnell.

A last minute open play goal from James Nairn gave Grange a narrow 3-2 win over Western Wildcats, a result that effectively put paid to the latter`s aspirations to finish the league competition in pole position. But the Wildcats roared into a two goal lead by the interval, Adam McKenzie converted a penalty corner in only two minutes, then Fraser Moran doubled the tally just on half-time. Then the Wildcats went into second half hibernation, two goals from Callum Milne brought the scoreline level before Nairn`s late winner.

Dundee Wanderers` aspiration for a top four place took a turn for the worse when they were held to a 3-3 draw by Clydesdale, and that was only achieved with a last minute penalty corner strike from Elliot Sandison. Earlier in the contest the Dundonians went into a 2-0 lead through Sean Dowie and Bobby Ralph, but midway through the second half the Tiitwood-based side were 3-2 ahead with goals from Struan Walker, Chris McFadden and Gordon Amour. Although Clydesdale were the better side in the second half, they lost their cool in the closing minutes, Ciaran Crawford was sent to the sin bin, and they were subsequently punished with a belated Sandison equaliser.

Wanderers followed up with their second draw of the day, 4-4 against Kelburne. The first half produced no goals, but eight were evenly divided between the teams after the interval. Iain Scholefield, Chris Caldwell and two from Jonny Christie were on target for the Paisley side while Wanderers replied with doubles from Elliot Sandison and Sean Dowie. Wanderers can consider themselves unfortunate not to take full points, at an overtime penalty corner the shot looked goalbound only to be kept out by a spectacular goal-line save by Josh Cairns.

Earlier in the day Kelburne finally came to life with a 4-3 victory over Dunfermline Carnegie, their first points of the campaign but they still remain in bottom position. It was two each at the interval with a double from Kelburne`s Gary Maitles cancelled out by strikes from Andrew Doyle and Martin Daw. Doyle scored again in the second half for the Fifers but two goals from Jonny Christie on his first indoor appearance of the season secured the narrow win for Kelburne.

Clydesdale pushed themselves up two places to fifth spot with a 7-4 defeat of Dunfermline. The Glasgow side were 6-1 ahead at the interval, Ciaran Crawford and Struan Walker both scored twice while David Nairn and Dean Baber got the others, Mike Ross got the Fifers` consolation. The second half was a better affair for Dunfermline with Steven Glass and a couple of set piece conversions by Andrew Doyle reducing the deficit, although Chris McFadden added a seventh for Clydesdale.

 

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