Menzieshill and VWS Dundee Wanderers were crowned champions as the Subway National Indoor League season came to an exciting conclusion at the Bell’s Sports Centre in Perth on Sunday. Three men’s teams were in contention at the start of play, however Inverleith’s opening  5-3 win over Western Wildcats all but finished their challenge. Goals from Dick (2), and single strikes from Harris, Grassick and Milne secured the points. Then it was up to Menzieshill to lay down their marker and this they did in style with a 6-1 mauling of VWS Dundee Wanderers with Thomson(2),Wilson(2), Tilston and Stibbles all on the impressive score sheet.

The game of the day and the one which ultimately would decide the final destination of the title was the clash between Inverleith and Menzieshill which was to prove to be a rather fraught affair with so much at stake for both teams. A blank half time score line did little to prepare the large crowd for the drama which would follow. Menzieshill build up a two goal lead through a double from Kris Homes only to be pegged back by two Stephen Dick goals. Then Inverleith went ahead through Adam MacKenzie with minutes remaining and appeared to be heading towards the title. However Menzieshill showed all their vast experience and with a Kicking Back now on forced a penalty corner with 10 SECONDS remaining. Amid high tension, up stepped Kerr Thomson to strike home the winner to take the title back to Dundee for an impressive seventh year in a row. Inverleith could barely believe that the title had been snatched from their grasp in such dramatic fashion.

Final Standings Menzieshill 32pts, Inverleith 27, Western Wildcats 24 and Dundee Wanderers 14.

 VWS Dundee Wanderers women created history when they secured the Subway National Indoor League Title for the first time in their history in Perth. It was a triumph for coach Iain Strachan and in particular the prolific Scottish Internationalist Vikki Bunce who netted an incredible 46 goals of the 80 scored by the Dundee side throughout their successful campaign.

The day did not start well for Strachan’s charges when they suffered a 4-2 reversal at the hands of their city rivals Grove Ladies, their first and what was to prove only defeat of the season. Bunce opened the scoring however Kleppang, Durham and Lyon struck back to give the defending champions a 3-1 half time advantage. In the second half Carroll and Bunce exchanged counters to leave Grove 4-2 victors.

Grove had to win their final game against old foes Milne Craig Western to keep the pressure on Wanderers, who had shown some nerves and tension in the opening game. A 3-2 victory ensured that the title would go down to the wire with Jamie Lyon scoring her second goal of the game in the dying minutes to keep hopes alive.

However Wanderers answered any doubters in fine style to thrash Grove A by an emphatic eight goals to one in the last game enable the celebrations to begin. Despite the presence of three former Olympians, Sue Fraser, Ali Ramsay and Pauline Stott in the Grove A ranks, the real star of the show was once again Vikki Bunce who completed her goal scoring feats by netting six in an 8-1 rout.

 Final standings Dundee Wanderers 32pts, Grove 31, Western 25 and Grove A 9.

An excellent day, enjoyed by a good crowd, was rounded off when Brent Deans, Scottish Hockey’s Chief Executive presented the trophies to the respective captains and in particular acknowledged the success of a Wanderers women’s team who were only formed in 1996.  Both teams will now represent Scotland in the next European indoor club tournaments.        

Source: Scottish Hockey