Grove Menzieshill and Western Wildcats to battle out men’s Gala Day final

This season`s Scottish men`s indoor National League 1 championship final will be an intriguing confrontation between the experienced Grove Menzieshill and first timers Western Wildcats.

In two close encounters which went down to the wire, Grove Menzieshill saw off champions Inverleith 4-3 while Western Wildcats scratched a 5-4 victory over Grange.

The first semi-final was a close encounter that drifted in both directions, first in favour of Grange then Western Wildcats clawed their way back. It stood poised at 4-4 with five minutes remaining, then a Hamish Galt strike settled the issue in Western`s favour. Apart from Galt`s late counter, the catalyst in the Western Wildcats victory was a hat-trick from Adam McKenzie.

McKenzie opened with a penalty corner conversion in three minutes, but only occasioned a Grange surge with Frank Ryan, James Nairn and Dan Coultas from the spot putting the Edinburgh side into a 3-1 lead. But just before the break McKenzie from the spot pulled the deficit back to one.

Western romped into a 4-3 lead in the first five minutes of the second half, McKenzie again for his hat-trick followed by Galt, but Grange were back level with a second strike from Ryan. But with a penalty shoot-out looming, Galt secured the winner for Western and a place in the final.

The other semi-final was equally tight, Grove Menzieshill emerging 4-3 winners over Inverleith to contest yet another indoor final.

Patrick Christie put Inverleith into an early lead but by the interval the Taysiders were 2-1 to the good, Albert Rowling levelled, then Ben Cromar converted a penalty corner on the stroke of half-time.

Two goals in as many minutes from Gavin Tomlinson at another set piece and Rowling again seemed to give Grove Menzieshill a comfortable 4-1 advantage, but the champions were not finished. Christie made it 4-2 and a late minute set piece strike by Stephen Dick brought the gap back to a single goal, but Bruce Cuthill`s charges held on to their winning scoreline.

The knife-edge Pool B became clearer when Western Wildcats saw off rivals Dundee Wanderers 5-3 in their crucial confrontation. The result put Western Wildcats into the semi-finals as group winners, and left the door open for Inverleith to leapfrog Wanderers into second spot if they could overcome Dunfermline Carnegie in their final match.

The first half finished level at 2-2, Adam McKenzie from the spot and Hamish Galt gave Western a two goal lead after eight minutes, but back came the Wanderers through Sean Dowie, also from the spot, and Cammie Bell.

Wanderers took the lead just after half-time with a penalty corner conversion by Fergus Sandison, but then Western Wildcats roared into action with a double by Rob Harwood and Galt again for a 5-3 win. Wanderers had an outside chance for a comeback with a last minute penalty, but Dowie pulled his effort wide of the target and the slim chance evaporated.

Inverleith took full advantage of their lifeline and beat Dunfermline 6-2 to claim that second spot and a semi-final place, a point ahead of Wanderers.

The contest was over by the interval as the champions romped into a four goal lead, penalty corner conversions from Patrick Christie, Stephen Dick and Alex Wilson was followed by an open play strike from Ewen Mackie. Aedan McCrossan and Sean Stewart added two more before Steven Glass and Michael Ross added a couple of consolations for the Fifers.

In contrast, Pool A finished with a whimper as Grove Menzieshill and Grange comfortably qualified for the semi-finals with victories over Clydesdale and Kelburne respectively

In the opening contest Grove Menzieshill were on the back foot in the first half as the Titwood-based side took a 5-4 lead into the interval. But the Taysiders came to life in the second half and fired in five goals for a 9-6 victory.  Again the Golden brothers were on target – Jamie with a hat-trick and a brace for Cameron – while the ever-reliable Gavin Tomlinson pitched in twice.

Clydesdale`s defeat meant that Grange would finish in second place whatever the outcome of their match against Kelburne, but the Edinburgh side won 7-1 in any case. The match was a personal triumph for Frank Ryan with five goals, the other two were scored by Clemens Rusnjak.

Dunfermline survived to fight again, their penalty shoot-out win over Kelburne relegated the latter to division two next season while the Fifers will still have to see off the second placed side in the lower division to ensure their ultimate survival in the top flight.

Normal time ended 3-3, Neil McIntyre and a double from Gary Maitles scored for the Paisley side while two goals from Andrew Doyle and a last minute penalty corner from Steven Glass sent the tie into an extra competition. Michael Ross and Glass held their nerve for Carnegie while only Iain Scholefield found the target for Kelburne, and so the penalty shoot-out ended in salvation for the Fifers.

Perhaps a rather poor consolation but Inverleith finally took third place after a 7-2 win over Edinburgh neighbours Grange.

Olympian Stephen Dick was the catalyst with five goals, the others came from Ewan Mackie and Stuart Hatton, and meanwhile Dan Coultas replied with a double for Grange.

Scottish Hockey Union media release