Race for the women`s Premiership title

With three games left in the women`s Premiership it is tight at the top between Watsonians and Clydesdale Western – they are separated by only three points. And there are two games to come inside the next week on Saturday and the following Wednesday.

Third placed Edinburgh University are really too far behind to be contenders…but they could influence the destiny of the title as they play Watsonians and then Clydesdale. On their day the students could take points off the top two.   However, before the break they lost convincingly to both sides. So the outcome of the title may come right down to the wire in the final head to head between the contenders on the last day of the campaign.

In the other fixtures Watsonians will aim to avoid dropping points at Auchenhowie against Wildcats while Clydesdale will hope to avoid a stumble at St Andrews University.

However, it is an important game for the St Andrews students in their quest for a top four spot…at the moment they trail GHK by four points with a game in hand, but they need to take something from the Clydesdale encounter to stay in touch.

And so to the semi-finals of the Scottish Cup to be held on Sunday at Glasgow Green. And it certainly has a west coast flavour about it.

First up is Wildcats against Glasgow University. The Cats are sixth while the students can finish no better than ninth, and in addition the Auchenhowie side were 4-0 winners in the recent Premiership encounter. Although the Cats have had an up and down season, they will aim to reach the final.

If GHK are to advance to the final, they will certainly be doing it the hard way. Earlier in the competition they were drawn against leaders Watsonians and triumphed in a penalty shoot-out after a 1-1 draw… and now they are up against second placed Clydesdale. Out of the frying pan into the fire comes to mind. And the recent Premiership clash does not provide much solace either, Clydesdale were 3-1 winners with goals from Jenny Eadie, Ava Graham and Ciara Forgie with Lucy Williamson replying for GHK.

However, Premiership form is perhaps an indicator but in any cup campaign there are upsets in a one-off encounter, so both Glasgow University and GHK must cling to that.

So to the open/men`s cup, and as in the women Glasgow University from the second tier have done well to get to the penultimate stage in the competition. However, a huge performance might be needed to see off the free-scoring Edinburgh students who have just won the Premiership title for the first time. Edinburgh are in it for the treble – that is the Premiership already won, the Scottish Cup and the European play-offs in the offing.

Then Watsonians take on Hillhead in an all-Premiership encounter. The Edinburgh side will fancy their chances if their heroics at last weekend`s EuroHockey Club Trophy is anything to go by. Also Watsonians finished in the top four in the Premiership while Hillhead are currently eighth after a mixed season of results. Yet the head to head between the sides only finished a 2-1 win in Edinburgh and Hillhead have shown in the past that they can produce a big result.

 

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