Western Wildcats extended their lead at the top of the Premiership with a narrow 4-3 win over Watsonians at Auchenhowie.
It started poorly for the Wildcats, Jamie Golden missed from the spot and then Tommy Orr put the visitors ahead. But the Wildcats roared back into the contest, a well worked penalty corner left Cameron Moran with a tap in, then Rob Harwood put them ahead from open play for a 2-1 half-time lead.
The contest was poised at 3-3 with just two minutes remaining, Jamie Golden sent his penalty corner effort high into the net, but in the meantime Watsonians had scored twice through Orr again and Dan Coultas from a set piece. But as the second ticked away up stepped Golden to sent another penalty corner flick high into the Watsonians net for the winner.
Grange were in better humour with a 5-1 home win over Hillhead and they now move into second spot in the Premiership. Two penalty corner strikes from Robbie Croll gave the Edinburgh side a two goal half-time lead. The Premiership champions kept up the pressure with further goals from Matt Murphy and Livio Belotti for 4-0. Hillhead pulled one back with a penalty corner strike from Andrew Sinclair but it was Grange who completed the scoring with Murphy`s second.
A good weekend`s work for Edinburgh University striker Jonny Bradley, he scored another brace in the students 3-2 win over Uddingston at Peffermill, Iain McFadden was the other on target. The result very much keeps Edinburgh in touch with the top. Another single goal reversal against a top side must be hard to bare for an Uddingston side that are very competitive. The scorers were Finn Halliday and Amarul Hanif.
Grove Menzieshill`s unbeaten run has been extended to five games following their 5-5 draw with Inverleith – curiously their second such result in recent weeks. But the result takes the Taysiders further into the top six.
Also another draw is slowly dragging Inverleith up from the bottom, but captain Kyle Taylor remarked: “A very frustrating game that we should have won, conceding with a minute to go.”
Alternatively, this was Menzieshill coach Gav Byers take on the game: “Ding dong game…that nobody wanted to win.”
Menzieshill`s John Donald stood out with a hat-trick of penalty corners while Jamie Spratt and Connor Chapman got the others. In reply Charlie Jack scored twice for Inverleith with the other strikes coming from Thomas Barton, Hamish Norval and Stuart Hatton.
ESM Lions consolidated their top six status with a hard fought 4-3 win over Clydesdale. The match was tied at two each at the break, Tim Hoffmann and Paddy Crookshanks at a penalty corner were on target for ESM.
Clydesdale were 3-2 ahead going into the final quarter but the Lions roared back with goals from Jamie Hogarth. With two minutes left the ball fell to the stick of Will Kelly and he found the net with a first time strike for the winner.
Dunfermline Carnegie got their first point of the season after a 4-4 draw at Dundee Wanderers. The Fifers goals came from a Magnus Ferrier double, one from the spot the other open play, Theo Wood with a penalty spot volley and Ethan McQuade from the top of the circle. For the Taysiders there were doubles each for Callum Ross and Bobby Ralph.
