Play-Off semi-finals signal start of the business end of the season for top clubs

Scottish Hockey’s European & Relegation Play-Off Semi-Finals get underway this weekend with eight semi-final matches across Men’s and Women’s National League Division 1 taking place on Saturday 9 and Sunday 10 April.

National Champions Trophy / European Play-Offs

Men’s competition

In the men’s semi-finals, Bromac Kelburne will take the first step towards trying to achieve their aim of claiming all the domestic outdoor silverware on offer this season.

They face old foes Western Wildcats this weekend, with the first leg at Auchehowie (11.00), before they return to the Glasgow National Hockey Centre on Sunday (14.00)

Wildcats face a daunting task against the league and Scottish cup winners, and will need to be on their best form to progress to next weekend’s Grand Final.

Results between the two teams this season, including two Kelburne wins (4-1, 3-0), suggest a difficult tie for the Wildcats.

An intriguing battle awaits in the second semi-final as league runners-up Grove Menzieshill take on Grange, (Sat 12.30, Fettes College; Sun 12.30, DISC)

The Dundonians have made an immediate impact on their return to the top division, taking Kelburne all the way to the wire in the regular season.

Ironically, one of their only two defeats this season was at the hands of the Stags, so a close contest is expected.

Having tasted experience of the EHL this season, Grange will be eager to defend their National Champions Trophy that they won last season.

Women’s competition

A Dundee derby between league runners-up Grove Menzieshill and Dundee Wanderers is the highlight of the women’s semi-finals.

The two sides will meet for the second semi-final this season, having played in the Scottish Cup last month.

Wanderers host their city rivals at Dalnacraig (15.30) on Saturday, before they make the short distance to DISC for Sunday’s encounter (14.30).

Grove Menzieshill will aiming to bounce back from Cup final disappointment last weekend, but Wanderers know that they have beaten their old foes this season and could provide a real obstacle to reaching the Grand Final.

A close match awaits.

Edinburgh University are bidding for cleen sweep of the outdoor domestic competitions to add to their league and Scottish Cup titles.

They will start as slight favourites against a Milne Craig Clydesdale Western side who they have inflicted two 4-1 league defeats upon already this season, while also eliminating them from the cup.

The two teams meet at Titwood on Saturday (time TBC), before the return leg on Sunday at Peffermill (time TBC).

Relegation Play-Offs

Men’s competition

Second division Inverleith have the opportunity to return to the top flight at the first time of asking when they play PSL Team Sport Clydesdale in the promotion/relegation play-offs.

The Purple Robes narrowly lost out on automatic promotion to capital city rivals Watsonians, so a place in Division 1 will need to be earned via the play-off route.

Clydesdale sit bottom of the form guide table with four defeats in their last five games; a return to form will be most welcome at a crucial stage of the season.

A clash between Hillhead and Uddingston is the second promotion/relegation semi-final.

Having hauled themselves above relegated Dundee Wanderers into ninth place, Uddingston go into this match in reasonable form against a Hillhead side who have lost the last four games in a row, including a 2-1 reversal against this weekend’s opponents.

Capturing early season form is the goal for the Hornets, including refreshing their memories of a 6-0 win over the Lanarkshire side.

Uddingston’s home pitch is the venue for the first leg (13.30), before the two sides make the short journey to Old Anniesland for the return leg on Sunday.

Women’s competition

The women’s promotion and relegation semi-finals feature four teams from Edinburgh.

Grange EL and Watsonians will go head-to-head in an all-city tie, while CALA Edinburgh and Erskine Stewart’s Melville FP are involved in another derby.

Four wins in a row for Grange in Division 2 means they go into the weekend’s tie with confidence, while Watsonians defeated GHK Ladies by a large margin in their final league encounter.

Naturally, one may favour the team from the top division, but a tight match will be anticipated.

The pair meet on Saturday (time/venue TBC), before the second leg on Sunday at Peffermill (16.00)

Difficult to predict a winner in the CALA-ESM match, both sides pocketed a win each against each other in the league this season while recent form is a mixed bag of results.

Peffermill hosts Saturday’s encounter (13.00), while Meggetland will be the venue for the return leg (time TBC.

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