Goals a-plenty in the Premiership

Clydesdale Western are still galloping towards the women`s Premiership title

The chasing pack would be hoping for Glasgow University to put the breaks on Clydesdale Western`s relentless drive towards the Premiership title…and they would be disappointed as the Titwood-based side were 3-0 winners. The goals came from Ava Graham, Anna Winter and Rhiannon Carr. So nothing has changed, Clydesdale are still five points ahead of Watsonians, and with a game in hand against Edinburgh University, and only two scheduled fixtures left.

However, Watsonians are keeping up the pressure with a 2-1 win at GHK. It was goalless at half-time; the crux came in the third quarter when new recruit Fiona Burnet scored twice inside three minutes to settle the Watsonians nerves. Lucy Williamson did pull one back from the spot with two minutes remaining but the points still headed back to Edinburgh.

The contest for the coveted fourth place is still very much alive after contestants Wildcats and Edinburgh University drew 1-1 at Auchenhowie. The result left the Cats a point ahead but the students still have a game in hand against Clydesdale. Cat Nelli put the students ahead but Kate Holmes levelled in what was described as a competitive game.

In the lower six competition it is shaping up that Fjordhus Reivers will be automatically relegated and Hillhead will be in the play-offs – although next weekend could perhaps confirm that.

Reivers got a very commendable 1-1 draw at Uddingston – but too little too late perhaps. Hillhead fared much worse, on the end of a 10-0 score against St Andrews University. Here Iona Syme was tops with four, Liz Agatucci scored a hat-trick, Georgia Rose got two and Ellen Sloss the other. The students now top the lower league in seventh place overall.

Inverleith are virtually secure in the top flight for another season with a precious point in a 1-1 draw with Grange. Inverleith scored first with a deflection by Elise Miller following a great ball from Chloe Richardson. Grange put on the pressure in the second half, they were awarded a penalty stroke which keeper Maddie Shepherd saved, but Grange won a last minute penalty corner which Rachel Sheil converted for the equaliser.

 

Western Wildcats are now more on course for the men`s Premiership title

The runes are out in favour of Western Wildcats for the men`s Premiership title, they were 6-5 winners over Edinburgh University at Auchenhowie while Watsonians and Grange drew 4-4 in Edinburgh. So, at the end of all of this, Wildcats have extended their lead at the top of the table to four points which means they only have to win one of their remaining games against Watsonians and ESM Lions to grasp the title.

However, it was far from plain sailing for the Wildcats in a thrill-a-minute encounter – in fact they were three down to the Edinburgh students after only 21 minutes…that was not the Auchenhowie script. By the interval a Jamie Golden penalty corner had reduced the deficit to 3-1. Early in the second half Wildcats were 4-1 down but they began to claw their way back with goals from Cameron Moran and Simon Wells to bring the score back to 4-3. Edinburgh looked to have the point sewn up with a 5-3 lead but a couple of bad tackles and yellow cards allowed Jamie Golden to convert both from the spot and it was suddenly 5-5,

Never ahead for the entire duration, Wildcats took the lead with a few minutes left and it was captain Rob Harwood who rose to the occasion with a close range effort that was cleverly slipped under the Edinburgh keeper for the winner and the vital three points. And that is how the contest ended.

The scorers for Edinburgh University were Iain McFadden with a hat-trick of penalty corners along with Alex Wilson and Tom Cahalin.

Watsonians and Grange fought out a 4-4 draw – a result that benefitted Western Wildcats more than the participants. In the eight goal thriller Gabe Tenner, Guy Rowson, Dan Coultas and Tommy Orr were on target for the home side while Livio Belotti was the top Grange scorer with a double with Dylan Bean and Matt Murphy also finding the net.

ESM Lions celebrated their first appearance in the top six competition with a 3-1 win at Hillhead to assume fifth position in the table.  It was two up for the Lions at the interval, Ali Irvine pounced on a rebound from a shot by Jack Collister for the opener and then Collister himself slapped home a bobbling ball in the circle for the second.  Hillhead`s Callum Duke reduced the deficit to 2-1 at the break.  In the second half ESM had several chances to extent their lead and finally Cammy Ede converted a rebound for the Lions`s third.

In the lower six competition Dunfermline Carnegie are officially relegated after going down 8-4 to Inverleith.   The catalyst here was undoubtedly Charlie Jack who scored five – the most lethal effort of the day – while Finlay Duncan got two and Hamish Norval completed the scoring.   Andrew Doyle scored twice from the spot for the Fifers with Theo Wood and Garry Clark getting the others.  However, the result means that Inverleith have pulled themselves out of the relegation zone and are one point ahead of Uddingston who fall into the play-off spot.

The Lanarkshire side went down 4-3 at home to Dundee Wanderers who move further away from the drop zone.  Callum Ross scored twice for Wanderers while Sean Dowie and Kennedy Gibb were also on target.  Finn Halliday got two for Uddingston and Jedd Campbell the other …but not enough to take anything from the contest.

At the top of the table Grove Menzieshill slipped into top spot with a 5-2 win over visitors Clydesdale. The Taysiders scampered into a four goal lead through a double of individual goals from Luke Cranney along with Cammy Paton and Chris McFadden at a penalty corner. Clydesdale pulled two back but the victory was sealed with a late strike from Findlay Duncan who rolled the ball into the empty net as Clydesdale took off their keeper in an attempt to save the game.

 

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