Western Wildcats win Men’s Indoor National League 1 in style

Western Wildcats won the indoor division one championship with a game to spare after a powerful 7-2 victory over rivals Inverleith in the opening game of the day at The Peak, Stirling.

There can be no doubting Western Wildcats` credentials for the title: played six and won 18 points, a perfect record while the chasing pack all dropped points along the way. The result left Western Wildcats still five points ahead of Grove Menzieshill and now nine in front of Inverleith.

And Andy McConnell was again the catalyst with four goals of his own along with some assists in the process.

29th January 2022 at the Peak, Stirling. Scottish Hockey Mens National 1 Indoors

A delighted coach Vishal Marwaha said: “Given our performances and results over the league campaign we thoroughly deserved to win the title. I`m very pleased for the squad, they all worked very hard in difficult circumstances for this success.”

The opener came from a run down the right by McConnell, he squared the ball to Rob Harwood to find the net at the far post. McConnell then followed up with a couple of his own, the first came from a direct shot at a penalty corner followed by a cute dink over the advancing keeper for 3-0 at the interval.

A glimmer of hope from Inverleith when Patrick Christie pulled one back at a penalty corner, but that only cajoled the Wildcats into further goals and two more came from set pieces by Fraser Moran and McConnell for his hat-trick.

Christie again scored for Inverleith to make it 5-2 but inside a minute McConnell had it cancelled out with a brilliant goal from open play. Harwood scored Wildcats` seventh but again McConnell was the provider with a perfect pass.

Grove Menzieshill opened up a four point lead in second spot with an 8-1 win over Kelburne, Luke Cranney was top scorer with a hat-trick.

Dundee Wanderers kept their top four status after seeing off Uddingston 5-1. The Lanarkshire took an early lead through Louis Gardiner, but by the interval the Taysiders were 3-1 in front through Sean Dowie from the spot, Robbie Alexander and Luke Sangster.

Dundee Wanderers confirmed their three points with second half strikes by Kennedy Gibb and Cammy Bell.

Seventh placed Watsonians doubled their points tally to six with a 4-2 win over Edinburgh rivals Grange. It was 2-2 at the interval, Callum Lothian and Albert Rowling were on target for Grange only to be cancelled pout by Paul Ritchie and Arnie van Megen. Grange failed to advance their tally but Pedro Garcia from the spot and Tom Swarbrick provided Watsonians with a winning score line.

Denied the title Inverleith took out their frustration on bottom side Kelburne with a 12-1 win. Patrick Christie was top scorer with four while Keir Robb notched a hat-trick. The result finally consigned the Paisley side to Division two next season, to be replaced by Dunfermline Carnegie.

Wildcats` coach Vishal Marwaha was determined to finish off the campaign with a perfect record and it was mission accomplished when Wildcats gave third placed Grove Menzieshill an 8-2 mauling. Again McConnell was in lethal form with another four goals, Harwood pitched in with a couple and the final strike of the competition came from youngster Scott Menzies.

Grange finally came good by seeing off Uddingston 9-6 in a 15 goal thriller to finish fifth in the table. Grange`s top scorer was Albert Rowling with five, Jacob Tweedie picked up a hat-trick with John McCluskey getting the other. Uddingston contributed to the goal feast with three by Finn Halliday while Ben Wilson, Joe Russell and Graeme Haxton were also on target.

Dundee Wanderers finally finished in third spot after a narrow 6-5 win over Watsonians. The Taysiders were 5-1 ahead at the interval but the Edinburgh side retaliated to finish the match just a goal short. Kennedy Gibb was top scorer for the Taysiders with a hat-trick while Sean Dowie, Cammy Bell and Luke Sangster got the others, Danny Cain was on target for Watsonians with three.

It was not a good day out for Uddingston, they finished their day`s programme with another reversal, this time going down 13-3 to Inverleith in the last outing of the day. Keir Robb topped the bill with a double hat-trick, Patrick Christie notched three, there was a double for Kyle Taylor while Gordon Amour got the other in the goal feast.

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