Men’s Indoor National League 1 reaches penultimate stage

The penultimate stages of the men`s Indoor National League 1 championship are scheduled for this Saturday, it starts with the final pool stage matches and concludes with the two semi-finals and other play-off fixtures.

The destiny of Pool B rests on a knife edge, it is all to play for with Western Wildcats in pole position, a point ahead of Dundee Wanderers while champions Inverleith are two further adrift in third. The intriguing feature of this contest for the top two spots is that there are several permutations with all three sides in the mix.

First up is the meeting of Western Wildcats and Wanderers, the winner will certainly progress to the semi-finals… a draw would be enough for Western Wildcats but could leave the door open for Inverleith to overtake Wanderers depending on goal difference.

After a sluggish start to the campaign Wanderers have suddenly come into their own with pool victories over Inverleith and Dunfermline Carnegie last weekend and Bobby Ralph, Elliot Sandison, Cammie Bell and Sean Dowie among the goals.

Wanderers will also take heart from their 4-3 win over Western Wildcats in the league encounter with Dowie again on target with a double while Euan Borland and Callum Ross got the others.

However, Western Wildcats have the scent of success in their nostrils, they finished second in the league and top the pool at the moment – their destiny is very much in their own hands.

Last weekend a late spot conversion by Adam McKenzie rescued a point against Inverleith, and that was followed by a belated 4-3 win over Dunfermline, courtesy of a winner from Joe McConnell with only five seconds remaining.

It is clear that Inverleith must beat bottom side Dunfermline in the next match, and probably by a substantial margin as goal difference is likely to be the deciding factor.

In the league the champions triumphed 6-3, but a repeat of that size of victory may not be enough to salvage Inverleith`s semi-final aspirations.

The resolution to the other pool looks much less complex, Grove Menzieshill are on top six points clear and have already booked their semi-final place irrespective of the result against Clydesdale in their final pool match.

Grange will hope to take the other spot, which would happen if Clydesdale failed to win or the Edinburgh side took at least a point from their encounter with bottom side Kelburne.

The afternoon play-off matches remain as yet uncertain, except that the relegation tussle will be between Kelburne and Dunfermline – with the loser destined for Indoor National League 2 next season.

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