The intriguing National League 1 season continues

The race for the men`s National League 1 title could be wide open this season with no obvious favourite in place yet as the competition enters its third week this weekend.

David Knipe, coach to current champions Grange, seems to incline to this view. “It feels like it will be very competitive this season with lots of teams able to beat each other.

“I`m not sure where we fit in here, but we want to push as hard as we can to make the top four.”

The champions entertain Western Wildcats at Fettes on Saturday in a fixture that can often throw up unpredictable outcomes. Last season both encounters ended in draws; 3-3 followed by 1-1, and the dropped four points was perhaps not helpful to either side`s aspirations.

On the forthcoming confrontation Knipe simply said: “Saturday is a really good match, we just want to play as well as we can.”

But the Edinburgh side will be short of several players who were in the championship-winning squad; gone are Luke Cranney and Hamish Imrie to Harvestehuder; Joe Waterston to Beeston; Callum MacKenzie to Cardiff & Met, Robbie Croll to Edinburgh University; while Aussies Nathen Doherty and Dominic Wild have returned `down under`. Although in compensation Duncan Riddell has returned from Reading and Robbie Shepherdson from Loughborough.

Knipe concluded: “So we start again with a new team, but we are used to this.”

However, after beating Gordonians 6-1 and being held to a 1-1 draw by Clydesdale, Grange are in pole position in the table on goal difference from Hillhead – but it is as yet early doors.

Wildcats were impressive in their only outing so far, their power play left Kelburne chasing shadows for much of the contest, but sadly they left their shooting sticks in the Auchenhowie pavilion. Doubtless coach Harry Dunlop has been working on that in subsequent training sessions.

Grove Menzieshill, third in the table last season and also the winner of the European play-off, continue this year`s campaign under new coach Neil Allan with a home fixture against Uddingston. Last season the Taysiders completed a 3-2 double over the Lanarkshire side, a similar outcome would suit Allan fine.

This could be a high scoring affair with Cameron Golden, Aidan McQuade and Albert Rowling already on target this season, on the other side Aussie striker Brad Hughes has already notched six goals in Uddingston`s two matches, all four against Watsonians and another couple in the Hillhead game.

Kelburne have a double header this weekend against Clydesdale on Saturday and Edinburgh University the following day, both at Glasgow Green. The results here could provide an indication whether the Paisley side will be championship contenders this season or that the rebuilding process under the aegis of coach Gordon Shepherd is likely to be a longer process.

There have been many changes to the Kelburne line-up over the last few years with the departure of several experienced and talented campaigners, so Shepherd will give the next Whitehaugh generation their chance in the maelstrom of National League 1.

Even with Johnny Christie and Iain Scholefield in the ranks Shepherd`s charges had a tough match against the Wildcats in the first outing of the season at Auchenhowie.

And Clydesdale and the Edinburgh students will be no pushover either. The Titwood-based outfit have opened with two draws against Hillhead and Grange, the latter result was arguably a promising performance.

University have only had one outing so far, they travelled up to Aberdeen and handed out a magnificent seven to Gordonians with Nathan Leggett, Kevin Wong and Sam Robertson all scoring twice.

Graham Moodie will have a chance to sharpen up his squad when they meet Watsonians at Peffermill in a Friday night venture. Moodie would hope for another three points here as Watsonians have opened with a brace of 4-2 defeats at the hands of Grove Menzieshill and Uddingston.

However, Watsonians have another chance to collect their first points of the season when they entertain Hillhead on Sunday.

That might not be such an easy assignment as Mark Ralph`s Hillhead side have made a promising start to the campaign, they currently occupy second spot in the table with four points from a draw with Clydesdale and a 3-2 win over Uddingston.

The Glasgow side should further consolidate that position on Saturday with a home game against a Gordonians side that have conceded 13 goals in their two defeats at the hands of Grange and Edinburgh University.

The only fixture in Women`s National League 1 is the varsity clash between newly promoted Glasgow and champions Edinburgh.

Edinburgh need the points if they are to catch up on Clydesdale Western and Dundee Wanderers at the top of the table, they trail by six points, but with two games in hand. Although there have been several changes in Edinburgh`s line-up this season, coach Sam Judge remains optimistic and stated that her charges would fight to retain their title.

Although this is Glasgow`s first time in the top flight, they have already got points on the board with a  1-0 victory over Hillhead, and their defeats have been at the hands of Grove Menzieshill and Watsonians who both finished in the top four at the end of last season.

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