KINGDOM Homes Carnegie capped a successful season on Saturday by winning the Scottish Plate competition after beating Highland 9-4 at the Scottish National Hockey Centre, in Glasgow.

The game started well for Carnegie with the ball being played around confidently throughout the team with Mike Ross and Robertson in particular controlling the game.

Highland, however, were determined to give nothing away and scored a well-worked goal on their first foray into Carnegie’s circle. Carnegie responded immediately with much quicker and incisive attacks and Andy Doyle was awarded a penalty stroke after being fouled in the act of shooting.

This was converted by the striker and was followed by two further goals from Robert Gillespie and player-coach Steven Glass to give them a 3-1 lead and put them in complete control of the game at the break.

Early in the second half, Highland scored from a penalty corner and quickly after, from a deflected shot, to even things up at 3-3.

But Carnegie stormed back within a few minutes through Doyle and Weston to establish a 5-3 lead before Highland hit back from a penalty corner to make it 5-4.

Carnegie upped the tempo during the final 10 minutes of the game with Doyle completing his hat-trick from an excellent penalty corner flick and Gillespie, along with youngsters Habrovitsky and McQuade, all scoring well-worked open play goals as Highland wilted under Carnegie’s pressure.

Glass told Press Sport: “The final score at 9-4 perhaps didn’t fully reflect how competitive the game had been until the final 10 minutes but we ran out worthy winners against a determined Highland squad.

“With the close season now upon us, the club, which runs eight senior teams each Saturday, will be planning for the season ahead with the men striving to achieve National League One status and the ladies playing in the East Premier League after winning promotion this season.”

Team captain Martin Daw, who missed the match due to holiday, added: "This year was another year where the club progressed.

"We finished second in the league our highest position to date just missing out through the playoffs. We retained national one indoor status, beat a national one team in competition for the first time and this week lifted the first teams first piece of silverware!

"The focus now is about letting the team enjoy a summer break whilst we begin preparations in a few weeks’ time to make the team faster, fitter and tactically stronger with the focus that next season we move one step further and win the league gaining automatic promotion to national one."

Planning is also well under way to introduce a ninth senior team, which will be a ladies’ development squad with the aim of transitioning girls into senior league hockey.

With a club membership of 300 and a successful coaching programme in local schools attracting increasing youth members, the club’s future looks bright.