National League serves up some big games this weekend

Gordon Amour Edinburgh UniEdinburgh University coach Graham Moodie insists that there is a way to go before his charges become the finished article, but taking three points in this weekend’s tricky first division fixture at Hillhead would be a step in the right direction.

Edinburgh are third in the table in perhaps their best ever start to a league campaign, but Moodie is taking a longer term view. “I`m not bothered about our league position, at some point we want to win the league, so if we are not top there is still work to do,” said Moodie.

There is not much wrong with the students’ goal scoring efforts with 21 scored in the five matches so far; the main contributors being former Scotland forward Ian Moodie, Antonis Efthymiou, and Dan Coultas from set pieces.

Moodie is well aware that Hillhead, sitting mid-table, will be no pushover on their own patch. He said, “They are doing really well under new coach Mark Ralph and I`m sure it will be an entertaining match as there are always goals when we play each other. From our own perspective we will approach the game professionally and we know when we play our best we can beat anyone in the league.”

But Ralph is also confident of a positive outcome to the contest. “It will be a tough game as they have a lot of junior and senior international players, but if we play to our potential for the full game we can win.”

Ralph continued: “We have had a couple of good results but have also got ourselves in a good position to win another couple of games and then let it slip, we need to play at a high standard for the whole 70 minutes.”

In particular, the Hillhead coach was referring to the Grove Menzieshill game where he watched his charges go into the interval two ahead only to go on and lose the contest 3-2.

Ironically both sides played Uddingston Riva last weekend; Edinburgh drew 2-2 but Hillhead clocked up a 4-1 Friday Night Lights victory after a whirlwind first half. Uddingston will be looking to put some more points on the board when they host Western Wildcats who are chasing at their heels in the table.

Following newly promoted Watsonians dramatic winning start to the campaign the side has suffered two straight defeats, but they will be looking to buck that trend against league leaders Grange.

Grange are the only unbeaten side in the country in league and cup business, and are gaining in confidence as the positive results roll in. None more so than their 2-1 win over 12-times league champions Bromac Kelburne two weeks ago, although perhaps outplayed for large portions of the game, it was strikes by Callum Milne from the spot and a late winner from Duncan Riddell that took the points.

Kelburne will be looking to at least hold on to second spot with a win over PSL Clydesdale while fourth placed Grove Menzieshill will play host to bottom side Gordonians.

Only one game will feature in Women’s National League 1 this weekend and it will see Erskine Stewarts Melville take on Hillhead. Western Wildcats are currently in fourth and five points off the top of the table, while Erskine Stewarts Melville are second bottom on nine points.

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