Hockey: Milne on scoresheet again as Grange stage fightback

CALLUM MILNE celebrated his third goal for Grange as the city club roared back from 3-0 down to tie 3-3 with Division One title-chasing Western.

Milne, who switched from Inverleith in the summer, scored Grange's second after the experienced Phil Sully had opened the Edinburgh side's account and ice-cool Robert Barr slotted a late penalty flick to level the match at 3-3.

Milne, who netted a double on his debut in a 3-2 win over Hillhead, said: "We were 2-0 down at half-time and they netted a third. Frankly, we were not playing well. Nobody was playing well but Phil's goal changed that.

"We started to come on to a game and we have to be happy with the point after being 3-0 down."

Player-coach Craig Harper said: "It was a great fightback from our guys.

"I think that our second-half performance and desire deserved a point from a game in which getting at least a point was vital. Any points you can get away to Western are very important as they are one of the teams we will be competing against at the top of the table, hopefully.

"To be two goals down at half time was disappointing as we had under-performed and are capable of producing better than we did and this was shown in the levels of commitment we showed in the second half."

Elsewhere, Inverleith's consolation goal in a 3-1 home defeat was claimed by Andrew Dane after great work down the right and a cutback by international forward John Harris.

That brought the scoreline back to 2-1 after Ben Peterson had opened the scoring after a minute in Clydesdale's first attack.

Former Waverley Inveresk Trinity player Michael Cockburn netted the visitors' second 20 minutes later and Ciaran Crawford settled the issue five minutes into the second half to take Clydesdale clear at the top and two points ahead of the chasing pack.

Gordon Shepherd, Clydesdale's coach, said: "We've won our first two games and we've scored 13 goals and lost two - we have to be happy with that."

In the other matches, Edinburgh University lost 6-2 at Dundee Wanderers and Hillhead whipped Aberdeen 5-1.

Edinburgh continued their 100 per cent record in Division Two with a 6-1 win at Greenock while Watsonians edged Falkirk 4-3 for a good away win with and Motherwell beat Waverley Inveresk Trinity 4-1 in Edinburgh.