Promotion/relegation play-off: Grange 4, Grove Menzieshill 0 (at Peffermill, Edinburgh)
Grange regained their place in the elite of Scottish women’s hockey with a comfortable 4-0 victory over Grove Menzieshill at Peffermill thanks to goals by Alex Dugan, Heather Croll, Kayleigh Justice and Liss Deans.
The victory was sweet for the Edinburgh side who finished runners-up to Capital rivals Inverleith in the National League but the capitulation by the Dundee combine, who finished second bottom of the Premiership with only three wins in 21 league games, completes a spectacular fall after winning the Premiership on ten occasions between 2001 and 2013.
Grange coach, Sean Hadfield, a former Scottish international goalkeeper, said: “The girls targeted promotion at the start of the season and they have now lost a game since September.
“Ending in the play-offs was magic and we set a target which we have achieved.
“Only five or six girls have played previously for the first team and we recruited two experienced players so this is nearly a new team and everything has come together brilliantly this season.”
It took until the second quarter to break the deadlock from a penalty corner and the scoreline remained that way until the break, despite the Tayside team pressing hard high up the pitch.
The killer goal came midway through the third quarter which opened up a two-goal cushion and Grange upped the tempo going into the final quarter, scoring twice, the final goal coming 19 seconds from time.
PICTURE: The Grange girls celebrate after the final whistle. Picture by Nigel Duncan
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