A glut of goals with Inverleith and Western men unbeaten on the opening day indoors

In the opening round of matches in Men’s Indoor National league 1 Grove Menzieshill showed their intent on the title with the inclusion of some old favourites: Ross McPherson, Olly James, Gavin Byers and Gavin Tomlinson, and an even older management of Bruce Cuthill in the coaching role, and Billy McPherson as manager… and they opened with a 9-2 win over Grange.

The Taysiders were two up in seven minutes through penalty corner strikes from Luke Cranney and Gavin Tomlinson. Alan Johnston replied for Grange from the spot but Cranney made it 3-1 for Grove Menzieshill just on the break.

A comeback looked a distinct possibility when Albert Rowling made it 3-2 four minutes into the second half, but that proved to be the end of Grange`s resistance. The Dundonians piled on the pressure and the goals with a hat-trick from Fraser Allen, Cranney got his own third, Olly James and finally Tomlinson again completed the scoring.

Other title contenders Inverleith, under the captaincy of Stephen Dick and coach Stuart Neave, also scored nine times with a comfortable win over Watsonians.

Inverleith`s Kyle Taylor scored the first of his tally of four in only two minutes but Henry Porter replied midway through the first half. Then Inverleith moved relentlessly ahead, Taylor got another, Stuart Hatton, Keir Robb and Derek Salmond made it 5-1 by the interval. Stuart Neave`s charges continued to add to their tally in the second half, Taylor with another two, Alex Wilson and Ewan Mackie were on target.

The third match produced a big result with Dunfermline Carnegie winning 5-3 against Dundee Wanderers who finished third in last season`s table.

Any ‘shock’ seemed unlikely when Wanderers motored into a three goal lead after 14 minutes, Bobby Ralph got two penalty corners while Callum Ross got the other. Then came the comeback, and by the interval the Fifers were only a goal behind with a double from Andrew Doyle at penalty corners.

Carnegie scored three without reply in the second half, penalty corners from Ryan McCurry and Michael Ross followed by an open play strike by Sam Eadie to complete the game of two segments.

In their second outing of the day Grove Menzieshill also showed little mercy to Watsonians with a 9-0 win. The contest was effectively over by the interval with a brace of penalty corner conversions by Luke Cranney, veteran Ross McPherson was also on target while Gavin Byers also pitched in for a four goal lead.

Cranney added two more in the second half, Fraser Allen also got a double and finally Sam Knight completed the scoring, and no reply from Watsonians.

Their second nine goal romp – this is like the Grove Menzieshill of old!!

It was also like the Inverleith of a few years ago as they ran up a 14-1 win over Edinburgh neighbours Grange. It was seven at the interval, Kyle Taylor notched a hat-trick and there were two each for Keir Robb and Ollie Wilson. Four minutes into the second half Grange`s Albert Rowling scored from a penalty corner, but that failed to halt the Inverleith goal spree with Robb getting another two, there was also a double for Alex Wilson and the others came from Stephen Dick, Derek Salmond and Stuart Hatton.

In between Western striker Andrew McConnell was showing off his own lethal talents, he started with a double hat-trick in his side`s 11-2 win over Uddingston – in fact it was a hat-trick in each half. After nine minutes it was only 3-2 to the champions, McConnell, Andrew McAllister and Fraser Moran were Western`s scorers while Luca Gardiner and Jedd Campbell replied for the Lanarkshire side. But thereafter a McConnell double gave the champions a 5-2 lead at the interval.

Six more goals followed in the second half, McConnell another three while Rob Harwood with two and Adam Mackenzie supplied the others.

Western followed up with a 13-3 win over Dunfermline Carnegie, this time McConnell only scored four to advance his tally for the day.to ten.

Again his first half hat-trick was the foundation of the substantial victory, while a double from Fraser Moran and others from Hamish Galt and Harwood gave Western a clear 7-2 margin at the interval, Paul Weston and Gary Clarke replied for the Fifers.

Ryan McCurry made it 7-3 five minutes into the second half, but thereafter it was all Western with a procession of goals from Adam Mackenzie, Andrew Lochrin, Andrew McAllister, McConnell and Harwood again and finally Fraser Moran.

Dundee Wanderers recovered some of their composure with a convincing 10-3 win over Uddingston to record their first points of the campaign. After four minutes it was 1-1 but thereafter the Taysiders took control with a hat-trick from Callum Ross and two by Bobby Ralph to move into a comfortable 7-1 lead at the interval.

The second half was more equal, Wanderers added three more while Uddingston replied through Finn Halliday and Luca Gardiner but there was never any doubt where the three points were going.

However, the best was left to the last in the game of the day between former champions Inverleith and Grove Menzieshill – both unbeaten at this point.

An exchange of goals between Inverleith`s Kyle Taylor and Grove Menzieshill`s Luke Cranney ended the first quarter. But it was Inverleith who then took the initiative with further strikes by Ollie Wilson, Taylor again and Stephen Dick for a commanding 4-1 lead at the interval.

In the second half Cranney pulled one back for the Taysiders, but the Edinburgh side were not discouraged and Keir Robb and Dick again put them 6-2 ahead. A possible Dundee revival could have occurred with goals from Sam Knight and Cranney for his hat-trick but Taylor again stepped in with another for Inverleith giving them a 7-4 lead with three minutes left. However, the end was sealed with a late strike by Ollie Wilson to advance Inverleith`s tally to eight and the three points were assured.

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