Teenager Charlie Gates plays for keeps in Grange victory

TEENAGE goalkeeper Charlie Gates stood tall as Grange opened their defence of the Division One men's hockey title with an emphatic 6-1 win over newly-promoted Aberdeen Standard at Peffermill.

Grange proved too strong for Aberdeen Standard. Pic: Nigel Duncan

Gates, 15, a pupil at Knox Academy in Haddington, said: “I’ve been playing hockey since I was eight and felt I was good enough to play for Grange.

“I really enjoyed the experience and would like to do it again.”

Irish striker Frank Ryan opened the scoring for Grange after ten minutes and Austrian-born Clemens Rusnjak netted three minutes later.

Razor-sharp Ryan netted again after 20 and 25 minutes and Australian Dylan Bean completed the scoring in the first period after 31 minutes.

Adam Walker pulled one back for Aberdeen before Bean netted his second after 55 minutes to complete the scoring.

Newly-promoted Watsonians lost 4-2 at Uddingston while in Division Two, Inverleith slipped to their second straight defeat.

Chris Duncan, the club’s player/coach, netted the consolation strike in a 3-1 defeat at Dundee Wanderers, a club expected to challenge for promotion.