Premiership brings a crucial weekend of close encounters and derby matches

After five games in this season`s Premiership there are only two teams with a perfect record – Grange (men) and Dundee Wanderers (women) – the focus now is on whether the chasing pack can ‘put the brakes on’ the run-away bandwagons.

Wanderers face the task of taking on the champions Edinburgh University at Peffermill. Coach Iain Strachan is fully aware of the importance of this crucial three week period.

“It was great to get the three points against Clydesdale last Saturday, now we must do the same against Edinburgh University this weekend and then Western Wildcats the following week.”

But Wanderers will have to continue their winning ways without the services of striker Charlotte Watson – she is at Great Britain training. Also perhaps missing could be the up and coming Lucy Williamson, still nursing an ankle injury.

Although the champions have yet to hit the heights of previous seasons with so many changes in personnel, they did throw off a 3-2 deficit at half-time to go on and beat Western Wildcats 4-3 last weekend, an Amy Brodie double was a catalyst.

Watsonians have quietly slipped into second spot – albeit only by a couple of goals from Clydesdale Western – with four wins from five games so far, but this weekend`s visit to the Wildcats’ den at Auchenhowie could really test their mettle.

While recent results have not gone Western Wildcats’ way, there is a lot of talent in their ranks, and Watsonians might find their claws are sharpened for the occasion. Further, player/coach Kaz Cuthbert will be aware that the three points are needed for her charges to get back into the title race.

Clydesdale dropped their first points of the campaign against Wanderers last weekend, although they did dominate for large parts of the game but failing to find the net. On Saturday the Titwood-based side will be hoping to make amends with a home victory over Grove Menzieshill. To do that Derek Forsyth`s charges will look to convert chances into goals.

Although the Taysiders occupy fifth place in the division, most of their games have been against teams from the lower reaches and they have succumbed to Watsonians and Hillhead already. However, they do provide a threat up front with Sam Sangster at set pieces along with Katie Stott, Lucy Murray and Laura Kingston.

At the other end of the table either Merlins Gordonians or Glasgow University, or both, will collect their first points of the season as they meet head-to-head in Aberdeen.

In the final fixture on the card Hillhead entertain neighbours GHK at Upper Windyedge. Both sides have had their moments in the sun this season. The home side are on a small roll, two weeks ago they beat Grove Menzieshill 5-3 and that was followed by a 2-0 win over Glasgow University. GHK battled out a goalless draw against Western Wildcats at Auchenhowie last Sunday. So this could be an intriguing tussle.

Grange are certainly the pace-setters with five consecutive victories in the men’s Premiership, but the champions now embark on a crucial three-week period when they take on the other top four sides – Edinburgh University, Western Wildcats and Grove Menzieshill in that order.

The Edinburgh students are first up this weekend at Peffermill, and this has the potential of being a close encounter. After a reversal on the opening day of the campaign, Graham Moodie`s young squad have responded with four straight wins that have taken them to third in the table, only trailing Grove Menzieshill on goal difference.

Asked how confident he was of beating Grange, Moodie said:

“We’re excited about the Grange game, it’s a local derby and we are very motivated to show what we can do against the champions, it’s going to be a great test for us.  We have some very good young players and we have played some exciting, attacking hockey so far and this has allowed us to pick up some positive results.”

Asked about the reasons for his side`s recent success, especially last weekend`s 6-3 win over Western Wildcats, Moodie replied:

“We’re realistic and understand that with such a young side our performances will be inconsistent, and therefore although we have shown that we can challenge some of the better sides in the league, it’s clear that for Grange on Saturday we will need to improve the consistency of our level of performance.”

However, Moodie confirmed that Edinburgh would be without key players Ian Moodie, Kevin Wong and Scott Sutherland for the Grange clash.

Second-placed Grove Menzieshill, who recovered some of their composure with a comfortable 3-1 win over Clydesdale last weekend, will hope to maintain their status against local rivals Dundee Wanderers. Although a derby game, and that can present its own issues, Wanderers seem to be still finding their feet with the top flight, they have a single point from six games.

Western Wildcats were given a six-goal defeat by a resurgent Edinburgh University last weekend, and consequently slipped back to fourth in the table, but Vishal Marwaha`s pack have the chance to make immediate amends against a Watsonians side that have yet to triumph since the opening encounter of the season. Western Wildcats certainly have the firepower to get their claws stuck into their Edinburgh visitors, Andrew McConnell should have returned from Malaysia, and there is also Fraser Moran, Rob Harwood, Joe McConnell and Fraser Calder to add to the goal-grabbing predators.

Kelburne have come to life, it’s amazing what back-to-back victories can do, and the Paisley side have leapt from bottom to sixth in the table. And the goals are flowing again with Johnny Christie and Jack McKenzie finding their way to the net.

Whether the recent renaissance can survive the visit to Uddingston is another matter. It has been up and down for the Lanarkshire outfit, they showed promise last weekend by taking the lead at the interval against both Hillhead and Grange, but on both occasions failed to capitalise by the final whistle.

The Clydesdale versus Hillhead clash was brought forward from Saturday to Tuesday evening with the home side winning 2-1 to move up to fifth in the table. The first goal was credited to David Nairn while Chris McFadden doubled the Dale tally.

 

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