Getting to the business end of the Premiership`s first stage

With around about three games to go for most teams, this weekend sees a jostling for position at the top of both the men`s and women`s Premiership, but also middle order sides striving for points for a place in the top six. It`s all to play for!

The men`s Premiership sees the top four play each other – leaders Watsonians travel to the Wildcats` den at Auchenhowie while in-form Uddingston, currently in fourth spot, visit Peffermill to take on third placed Edinburgh University.     Two fascinating encounters in prospect…and only four points separates the sides at the top.

Watsonians still hold a two point lead despite tasting their first reversal last weekend against Uddingston – but the Wildcats have a game in hand.   Perhaps the odds favour the home side…they are now the only undefeated side in the competition and they are free-scoring with 51 goals in seven outings.   Fraser Moran, Rob Harwood and Iain McFadden have been the most prominent recently, but several others have also been pitching in.to augment the goal total.

Yet the Edinburgh side were riding high until last weekend with a string of seven consecutive victories.   But they will need to shrug off the Uddy upset, and that will be coach Sam Judge`s task over this week so they can bounce back at Auchenhowie on Saturday.

Whatever, this could be a cracking game, full of goals you would think.

So also could be the encounter at Peffermill.   So often clubs on the up have faltered against the top sides…but not so Uddy who have now seen off both Grange and Watsonians over the last few weeks, so that barrier has been hurdled.    And Uddy are on a seven match unbeaten run with only a couple of draws to blemish the record.

A win at Peffermill would see the Lanarkshire side leapfrog the Edinburgh students into third spot…and maybe even into second if Wildcats lose.   But the Edinburgh students may be a difficult nut to crack and Uddy will have to snuff out the prolific Jamie Golden if they hope to take the three points – he has scored an astonishing 24 goals in the eight league games to date.   And there is also Keir Robb, Arthur Owens, Declan Bradley and others to snuff out as well.   So not as easy as it looks.

However, Uddy have an earlier chance to move nearer the top when they entertain Inverleith on Thursday evening – a home win here must surely be a very real possibility.

Edinburgh will press their case further for the top spot if they can take the three points on Sunday against Grove Menzieshill in a catch-up fixture.

So what about the other prospective members of the top six.   ESM Lions have a great opportunity to consolidate their status against bottom side St Andrews on Saturday and Clydesdale the following day – six points would confirm that, so further progress is their own hands.  Last weekend`s 3-2 win over Grange was a good outcome for the Lions and a platform to build on.

Grange`s current sixth place could still be under threat after a series of indifferent results – one win, three losses and a draw in the last five games – so three points against Inverleith on Saturday would certainly be welcome.   Such is the price of transition!

Hillhead and Dundee Wanderers are the sides most likely to challenge Grange`s top six place.and they clash in Glasgow on Saturday.    Hillhead seem in better form with three win in the last five while Wanderers have three defeats over the same period – so advantage Hillhead – on paper.     And recently Fraser Ward and Matt Carder have been among the goals in Hillhead`s recent good spell.

Inverleith are also still in with a shout of elevation although taking three points from Grange might be a tall order.   Grove Menzieshill are a point behind but with a game in hand and will fancy their chances at home to a Clydesdale side that only secured their first win last weekend, but then again one win and three draws in their seven games is not great form.

The game of the day in the women`s championship is at Titwood where Clydesdale Western entertain league leaders Edinburgh University – most often a tight game.   The incentive for player/coach Fiona Semple is that a home win would put Clydesdale at the top of the division.

Clydesdale so far have been rolling in the goals – that is 54 in eight games, the most in the division. And the goals have come from a wide variety of players which in itself is a concerning threat to the opposition.

In some contrast Edinburgh`s goals in the last five games have come mostly from German signing Jojo Muhl with nine in the last five outings.  However, the Edinburgh students remain undefeated and the only blemish have been two draws, the most recent 2-2 against St Andrews last weekend.

Perhaps the Cup is not really a guide to league prospects, but their 5-1 exit to Grange last Sunday is somewhat against the Edinburgh students current form.

And Watsonians will lurk just behind waiting to take advantage of any result at Titwood.  Their record is impressive – played seven, won seven, and are only in third spot due to one or two games less played. They come up against a struggling Glasgow University outfit.

Grange`s recent good run of four wins out of five have taken them to fourth in the table, but on Saturday they have a difficult assignment against a St Andrews University side that held Edinburgh to a 2-2 draw.  This could be an interesting encounter with a top six place a little more secure for the winner.

Another top echelon clash sees GHK travel to meet the Wildcats at Auchenhowie.   A run of four victories has propelled GHK into sixth place, so they are on a roll with Lucy Williamson and Sophie Byrne beginning to rattle in the goals.   In contrast the Cats have endured an indifferent run which has included three reversals and have dropped down to seventh.  Last weekend the Cats put up a strong rear guard action against Watsonians and only went down 2-1, so perhaps that sort of spirit could cause problems to GHK.

Yet dumping Watsonians out of the Scottish Cup last weekend, albeit in a penalty shoot-out, demonstrates that GHK are very definitely on the road back – a real bonus to their campaign after a shaky start.

After last weekend`s 2-0 win over Aberdeen University Uddingston are not out of the race for the top six and a win at Hillhead would certainly enhance their chances.

Aberdeen have yet to pick up their first Premiership points and what better opportunity to break their duck with a home win over visiting Inverleith who have only two draws to their name.

MIDWEEK ACTION

Tuesday evening in Lanarkshire saw Uddingston and Inverleith share ten goals in a catch-up women`s Premiership match, a result perhaps not over-helpful to either side.

The home side lost the chance of making it into the top six while Inverleith moved up to ninth but still well inside the lower echelons.  The visitors came back from two goals down twice and finally came away with a draw, their scorers were Hannah Law, Elise Miller, Marnie Richmond, Kirsty Cannon and Sophie Yeomans.

 

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