THREE Dunfermline Carnegie players rolled back the years recently as they starred in an inaugural veterans’ hockey competition.

Sheila Duncan, John Lees and Hew Bishop travelled to Dundee to take part in the Scottish Thistles Grand Masters Hockey Tournament, which attracted 14 teams of men and women.

In what was the first hockey event of its kind since the COVID-19 pandemic began, Sheila, John and Hew turned out for Scottish Thistle Ladies’ over-60s, Scottish Thistle Men over-60s, and Scotland over-65s.

The over-65s team played an England LX 65 team, a Dundee over-60s side, England over-60s and against hosts Scottish Thistles’ over-65s, coming out on top in the latter match.

After a 2-0 loss to England, and a 1-0 defeat to Dundee, Hew and his team-mates upped their played and won 4-0 against the Thistles, scoring two goals from short corners, and two from open play, before facing England’s over-60s.

Despite a 2-0 defeat in a game that was scoreless at the interval, the matches provided the ideal warm-up ahead of a forthcoming home international tournament in Nottingham, and the Celtic Cup competition, which is to be played in Belfast later this month.

The Scottish Thistles over-60s played their opening match against the Thistles over-65s and, in an eventful game, it was the younger side who won 2-1 courtesy of a couple of late strikes, one of which was scored by John.

They then lost a close match by the same scoreline to England LX over-60s, in which they were unlucky not to secure a draw, before they and Carnegie’s John in particular endured frustration against England LX over-65s.

With the score tied at 1-1, he thought he had scored a late winner, only for the goal to be disallowed which saw the match end in a draw.

In their final game against Dundee over-60s, for whom ex-Carnegie playerMabe Neish guested, John once more had another late winner chalked off as it too finished 1-1.

The first-ever Scottish ladies’ team played England LX in their first game, earning a draw after falling behind, before losing out late to the Alliance and beating the Lionesses.

Sheila reflected: “It was a fab, friendly tournament with lots of good hockey played. It’s also amazing to see so many in the older age groups still competing and enjoying playing hockey.”