Men’s Indoor GALA Day final confirmed

Traditional rivals over the last decade, Grove Menzieshill and Inverleith will contest next weekend`s final of this season`s indoor National League 1 championships, the former saw off Grange 6-2 while the latter beat Dundee Wanderers 7-3 in the semi-finals.

The first semi-final went Grove Menzieshill`s way with a 6-2 victory over Grange, Albert Rowling`s hat-trick the highlight.

The Dundonians were two up inside seven minutes through Rowling and Luke Cranney at a penalty corner switch – and that set the tone for the game. There was no further scoring in the first half.

Two minutes after the break a Dan Coultas penalty corner brought the score back to 2-1.

Thereafter Grove Menzieshill looked the stronger side, Rowling got his second at another set piece, Euan Cuthill and Rowling again for his third advanced the score to 5-2, Josh McRae got a consolation for the Edinburgh side in the interim.

Cammy Golden made it six for the Taysiders in the final minute to put the icing on the cake.

Inverleith also went into an early two goal lead through Jack Jamieson and Stephen Dick at a penalty corner. Elliott Sandison pulled one back for Wanderers but Patrick Christie from the spot gave the Edinburgh side a 3-1 advantage at the interval.

Inverleith set their seal on the tie with two further goals from Kyle Taylor and Ewan Mackie, both in the 25th minute.

Wanderers mounted a brief comeback through Sandison again and Sean Dowie, but further strikes by Dick and Jamieson finally settled the affair for Inverleith.

Western Wildcats claimed fifth spot after seeing off Uddingston 6-3. The contest was poised at 3-3 in the second half, two from Rob Harwood and another by Scott Menzies were on target for Wildcats while Jacky Tran, Chris Boyle and Blake Hinton replied for the Lanarkshire side.

Western Wildcats then put their paws on the pedal, Fabien Goldie, Hamish Galt and Harwood for his hat-trick secured the victory for the Auchenhowie pack.

The relegation play-off between Clydesdale and Dunfermline Carnegie was in many respects the game of the day – it produced 16 goals in total, Clydesdale`s Struan Walker scored a double hat-trick while Fifers` Gary Clark helped himself to three. At the end of all of this, it was Clydesdale who triumphed 9-7 to avoid the automatic drop.

It took Walker only five minutes to record a hat-trick of strikes that knocked the stuffing out of Dunfermline. Andrew Allan added another for the Titwood side by the interval, although replies from Andrew Doyle, Michael Ross and Rory Manson left the game poised at 4-3 by the interval.

The goal avalanche continued unabated in the second half, Walker added another hat-trick to his first, Ben Galloway and Allan again advanced the Clydesdale tally to nine while Clark`s three and another from Ryan McCurry kept the tie in contention to the end.

Wanderers finished this season`s campaign in third spot as Grange conceded the 3/4 play-off.

Pool A was a little complicated, and was even more so when Western Wildcats drew 2-2 with leaders Inverleith in the opening encounter. The single point gave the Wildcats a temporary lifeline as they moved into second spot on goal difference from Grange.

Western Wildcats looked like taking all three points when they clawed their way into a 2-1 lead at the interval, Fraser Moran got both their goals while Kyle Taylor had opened for Inverleith in the first minute.

The only goal of the second half came from Inverleith`s John Stephen with four minutes left to finish with a share of the points.

This meant that Grange had to take something from their clash with Clydesdale, and that they did with a 6-3 victory to retake second spot and the final place in the semi-finals.

Grange were only 2-1 up at the interval with Josh McRae and Jacob Tweedie scoring and Chris McFadden replying for the Dale.

In the second half Grange gradually increased their lead to 6-2 with further strikes from Tweedie (2), James Nairn and Callum Milne, Clydesdale`s single reply came from Ben Galloway. Aidan Black added another for the Titwood outfit but the game was lost by then, leaving Clydesdale bottom of the pool.

With the semi-final spots already decided in Pool B there was little tension in Grove Menzieshill`s 9-5 win over Dunfermline Carnegie.

The Pool leaders were 4-2 ahead at the interval, Albert Rowling (2), Gavin Tomlinson and Jamie Golden on target, Michael Ross and Robbie Wallis scoring for the Fifers.

The Taysiders added five more in the second half, Rowling got his hat-trick, Jamie Golden got his second, brother Cammy along with Keir Robb and Luke Cranney found the net. Dunfermline did manage to add another three to their tally through Andrew Doyle, Gary Clark and Rory Manson.

That result consigns Dunfermline to the bottom spot and a relegation play-off with Clydesdale.

The final pool match produced an eye-catching result as Uddingston inflicted a 5-4 defeat to Dundee Wanderers – perhaps the Taysiders were thinking more of their later semi-final against Inverleith.

However, it was a ding-dong affair. Uddingston marched into a two-goal lead through Andrew Lochrin and a penalty corner conversion by Blake Hinton.

Back came Wanderers and Elliott Sandison, Callum Ross and Sean Dowie gave them a 3-2 lead at the break.

It was then Uddingston`s turn to find the net with Campbell Coghlan, Hinton again and Jacky Tran for a 5-3 advantage. Ross scored again for Wanderers to pull the deficit back to one with two minutes left, but no further goals left the Lanarkshire side with the three points.

GALA Day 2020 | Bells Sports Centre | Sun 9 Feb

Find out more about GALA Day 2020 HERE

 

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