Round four preview of Men’s National League Division 1

After a break from competitive action last weekend, Men’s National League Division 1 returns and round four of fixtures has thrown up some high octane encounters to consider, writes the special correspondent.

Head Coach Keith Joss is enjoying clear daylight at the top of the division between his Hillhead side and the chasing pack.

This week, they travel north to play Dundee Wanderers and Joss’ Giants must be hopeful of extending their unblemished start to the league campaign.

Hillhead ran out 6-2 winners against Gordonians in their last fixture, a most emphatic result. Gordonians’ impersonation of Devon Loch in the final furlong at Glasgow National Hockey Centre allowed the Glaswegians to run up a big score, which will do their goal difference no harm at all. Huge credit is due to Craig Paterson, Fraser Ward and David Gay for each helping themselves to ‘dandy doubles’ on the Gordonians’ bar tab.

New Zealander Paterson has now scored in each outing this season and has brought a focal point to the Hillhead attack with his ability to hold the ball up and a keen eye for goal which was lacking in previous seasons. The story runs much deeper however; Callum Duke has added a steadying influence to the side from the back line on his return from Edinburgh University and four years tutelage under Graham Moodie that saw him become an international player, the abrasive Alan Meikle has returned to ruffle feathers in his usual fashion in midfield after a season in absentia, whilst Andrew Hilton continues to be a shrewd operator in the middle with a handy four goals to his name too.

However, it is the work ethic and systems of play being utilised by Hillhead that seem to have most oppositions stymied for the time being, and the entire team and Joss are to be applauded for their start. It is wonderfully refreshing to see a new face leading the pack around the first bend but can the early pace setters maintain their early charge from a position that is unfamiliar to them?

Also in the west this week, there is an intriguing head to head at Titwood where Bromac Kelburne and PSL Team Sport Clydesdale clash. Newly appointed coaching duo Chris Nelson and Iain Scholefield appear to have the league champions purring again and back to their ominous best in recent games; the south siders will do well to keep the Paisley side at bay.

Veteran Graham Moodie, enjoying an Indian summer, takes his Edinburgh University side, fresh from a magnificent four point haul against Western Wildcats and Grange last time out, to Uddingston who seem to be finding the pace of top flight hockey difficult at present having yet to register a goal in three outings. Don’t rule out the transfer war chest being opened by Uddingston over the Christmas period to fortify the squad whilst their extremely promising batch of youngsters continue to blossom in the background.

Head Coach Craig Harper takes his young AAM Gordonians side to Dundee to tussle with newly promoted Grove Menzieshill hoping that he can restore some confidence in the ranks after last weekend’s performance.

The Taysiders, meanwhile, have completed only one fixture thus far, a comprehensive 5-3 win against Bromac Kelburne on the opening day. Therefore, it is too early to say what sort of season the Dundee side are having but they will seek to take advantage of any last period tiredness in the Gordonians ranks, as Hillhead did.

On Sunday, Chris Anderson’s men face a Dundee derby away to Wanderers, a fixture that always throws up an intense affair but they will be confident of taking the three points from their rivals.

Game of the weekend, however, is the utterly intriguing contest at Auchenhowie between Western Wildcats and Grange.

The sun is not yet over the yardarm in league terms, however a loss for either team in this fixture could make life very tricky in making the push towards the playoffs given the form of the other teams mentioned above.

Wildcats only have one point from two games against Hillhead and Edinburgh University this season, and a defeat against Grange could see them cast a massive seven points from the play-off positions at this early stage in the running. Unquestionably, it is time for the major players at Wildcats to step up to the mark. New recruit Adam McKenzie appears to be taking time to settle in the back line after his move from newly relegated Inverleith and with international keeper Gavin Sommerville appearing out of sorts after a long summer with the national side, the Milngavie side do not have their troubles to seek in defensive positions. Both have the international calibre to turn the game in Western’s favour.

Fabian Goldie appears to be destined to be a senior international player too with his power and reading of the game; his raw edges need some refining before he can be considered the finished article and capable of influencing games in the manner of, say, a Mike Leonard or Andrew Sewnauth of years gone by from this fixture, but Goldie is well placed to become that sort of player at Auchenhowie.

Midfielders Andrew Sinclair, Joe McConnell and Rob Harwood, need to add much more grit and goals to their dynamic attacking patterns from midfield if Wildcats are to move up the rankings. Rambunctious veteran, Scott McCartney, does, however, continue his relentless ‘Ronaldo-esque’ goal figures in the scoring charts and Luke Cranney certainly has the skills and pace to fill the shoes left by international Ian Moodie despite his youth while John McDonald continues to progress from the youth set up.

Grange will be, as ever, exceptionally tough for any opponent to open up, sitting deep in their own half with a strong spine relying on the skill of Cameron Fraser, a ripsnorter of a player on his day, who shall be ably assisted by Calum Milne and the hard running he brings to the unit, to spring breaks on the Wildcats’ backline should chances present themselves.

Grange have found the net at least once in each of their games so far (as have Wildcats) so this encounter promises to have goals aplenty. U21 international keeper Sean Hadfield is blossoming into a top player for Grange and his game has greatly improved recently, for which he deserves a lot of credit, however he still needs to work on his mobility around the D especially in the second phase of attacks against him, something that the Western forwards will seek to take advantage of. Hadfield and the Grange backline will be tested by a forward line who, whilst mercurial, have found the net four times in two games.

The similarities in the two teams do not stop there however. Grange, like Western, look vulnerable to sustained periods of pressure on their back line; in their match against Edinburgh University, the scholars were able to effect real pressure on the Stags’ back line and they reaped the rewards.

Loquacious Grange coach, Colin Clarke, will be hoping he can get his exciting Antipodean contingent on the ball early on to calm his side’s nerves ten days ahead of their return to the very top table of European Hockey and the EHL. The capital side go with very best wishes into an extremely tough draw against European powerhouse, previous EHL winners and hosts, Harvestehuder THC and the Austrian side, Wien. A truly sumptuous feast of hockey awaits.

A tough, physical, high paced game against Wildcats will just be what the coaching axis of David Knipe and Clarke will want as preparation for the trip to Hamburg.

This game is one to cancel the visit to the relatives, make this week an online grocery shop, sneak out from the chores and do what you can to make sure you get to Auchenhowie and witness this spectacle first hand.

Whatever you do this weekend; support your club.

 

Recent posts:

Back to all news
Back to top