Western Stay Ahead of the Chasing Pack

Western`s back-to-back victories over Watsonians and Uddingston have kept the Auchenhowie side in pole position in the indoor division one table by the end of day two. Champions Inverleith kept up their challenge with two wins, but the Tayside pair of Grove Menzieshill and Dundee Wanderers lost some ground.

Grove Menzieshill slipped in their banana skin Tayside derby against Dundee Wanderers in the opening fixture of the day. They went down 2-1 and that propelled Wanderers into second spot in the table.

Wanderers opened the scoring in the second quarter with a penalty corner conversion by Bobby Ralph, and that is how the score stood at the interval.

Callum Ross doubled Wanderers` tally early in the second half, also from a penalty corner, and although Gavin Tomlinson pulled one back for Menzieshill with five minutes remaining, Wanderers held on to their slender advantage for the three points.

In an Edinburgh derby, Inverleith took advantage this time, to move level with Menzieshill on six points, with a 4-1 win over Grange. The foundation for Inverleith`s victory came in the first quarter with goals from Derek Salmond and Kyle Taylor, although a penalty corner strike by Grange`s Callum Lothian pulled the score back to 2-1 by the interval.

In the second half, penalty corner strikes from Keir Robb and Patrick Christie consolidated Inverleith`s dominance of the contest.

Meanwhile, free-scoring Western maintained their perfect record in some style with a convincing 7-0 win over Watsonians to keep pole position. Western`s scorers were the usual suspects, Rob Harwood topped with a hat-trick, Fraser Moran bagged a couple and there were singles each for Andrew McConnell and Adam McKenzie.

Uddingston moved up the table with a 5-0 win over Kelburne. The Lanarkshire side scored twice in the first quarter through Ben Wilson and Finn Halliday. Graeme Haxton, Wilson again and Louis Gardiner added three more in the second half for a clear victory.

Unfortunately, Wanderers failed to maintain the momentum gained from their earlier win over Menzieshill and went down by the odd goal in eleven to champions Inverleith in an ebb and flow encounter. With the score tied at 5-5 and less than five minutes left, it was the veteran Derek Salmond who restored Inverleith`s lead – and this time it was maintained to the end.

The first quarter saw Inverleith stroll into a two-goal lead through Patrick Christie from the spot and Keir Robb at a penalty corner. Bobby Ralph pulled it back to 2-1, Stuart Hatton restored Inverleith`s two goal margin and finally, just before the interval, Callum Ross made it 3-2.

Christie made it 4-2 for Inverleith but, by the start of the final quarter, Sean Dowie and Ralph brought Wanderers back to parity. Penalty corner strikes from Salmond and Dowie advanced the score to 5-5 before Salmond`s final winner for the champions in a thrilling affair.

Grove Menzieshill fell further from grace when they were held to a 3-3 draw by Grange – that was the Edinburgh side`s first point of the campaign!

Charlie Jack put the Edinburgh side ahead but, by the interval, a penalty corner from Ben Cromar and an open play strike by Ollie James gave the Taysiders a 2-1 lead.

By the start of the fourth quarter, Grange had moved into a 3-2 lead through Alan Johnston and Callum Lothian, but Chris McFadden finally levelled for the Dundonians for a share of the points – perhaps not what Menzieshill were looking for.

Watsonians broke their duck with a 5-3 win over Kelburne. Matthew Crompton and a double by Robbie Greenhaulgh gave the Edinburgh side a three-goal lead, but Kelburne replied through Iain Scholefield, Tommy Austin and Sam Hunt. Nonetheless, the points were secured by a second half double from Watsonians` Danny Cain.

Western`s hold at the top of the division was hardly troubled by Uddingston as the league leaders cruised into a 12-1 victory. Fraser Moran caught the eye with five, Andrew McConnell got four and there were singles of Joe McConnell, Rob Harwood and Euan Cowan.

Grove Menzieshill recovered some of their composure with a 6-3 win over Watsonians. The latter took the lead in the first quarter through Danny Cain at a penalty corner, Ollie James levelled four minutes later, but Matthew Crompton gave the Edinburgh side a 2-1 lead at the interval.

However, the Taysiders turned it on in the second half with another two from James for his hat-trick, and singles from Euan Cuthill, Chris McFadden and Sam Knight, for a comfortable victory.

Grange finished their day with a 5-1 win over Kelburne and moved up to sixth in the table. And it was a triumph for Charlie Jack, who scored four of Grange`s goals from set pieces and open play. Jack put his side two-up at the interval, and in the second half added two more, with Alan Johnston adding the other, before Iain Scholefield notched a consolation for the Paisley side.

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