The special correspondent previews week 3 of National League Division 1

This weekend sees the men’s league slip into cold storage until early October, allowing players to re-group and coaches to re-evaluate the opening three fixtures of the league campaign.

As a result, the focus this week is entirely on the ladies’ fixture in Division 1.

Kris Kane’s much revised, bottom of the table, GHK squad make the daunting trip to Dundee to face Grove Menzieshill, who drew with champions Edinburgh University last Sunday. In Edinburgh, CALA square off against Watsonians in a fixture which will be full of youth players looking to make a name for themselves in the top flight.

Bromac Kelburne could join the top four if they overcome an Erskine Stewart’s Melville team, who have come out the traps fast in the early exchanges, and other results in the division go their way.

In Glasgow, Derek Forsyth takes his Clydesdale Western squad to Milngavie to play against Western Wildcats. Both teams bearing the Western name have underwhelmed so far this season, however, a win for either here could re-ignite a surge towards the play-off spots.

Forsyth is still getting his feet under the table at his new club but can reasonably expect more from his key players, Susan McGilveray and Ali Howie, than in recent weeks and especially against a stuffy Wildcats team who have been moulded into an inexperienced yet decent team by player-coach Kareena Marshall.

Both appear to be suffering the after-effects of a wonderful summer in London with the national team where both performed excellently. The Titwood outfit’s loss of international Nicki Skrastin to German hockey is undoubtedly a boon for the national team but, conversely, a loss for the club and supermarket carpark-based art enthusiasts everywhere; Clydesdale Western should have the experience in playing and coaching personnel to absorb such a loss.

The Wildcats will look to Rachel Houghton, a bustling, maelstrom of a player, to unsettle the their opponents’ backline and will also be hopeful that Rona Stewart can prove her fitness after an injury struck couple of seasons to join the midfield. Stewart is a neat and tidy player who also enjoyed a spell playing abroad in the past.

Wildcats have also lost players in Kirsty Howe and Susan Al Haddad this season but remain an obdurate opponent on their day if the promising pair of Catriona Booth and Zoe Sinclair get involved enough in the game. The same fixture last season ended 3-3 and a draw might be on the cards again this time out.

Game of the day, however, in the ladies’ league is the top of the table clash between Edinburgh University and Dundee Wanderers in Dundee. The University narrowly beat Bromac Kelburne last Saturday and they had keeper Nikki Cochrane to thank for avoiding dropped points.

There was nothing clown-like about ‘Coco’s’ concentration levels as she showed why she is pushing Amy Gibson in the Scotland team for that much coveted number one spot when she denied a couple of very decent breakaways with the score delicately balanced at 1-0 in the second half.

University, in truth, were poor in a second half littered with turnovers, however, the Paisley side deserve credit for the level of their performance, orchestrated well from the side-lines by Adam Bain, and marshalled by the explosive Stevie McInally in midfield, they could have stolen a point had they been slightly more clever with their overtime double corner award at the death.

University Coach Sam Judge will be hoping for a stronger performance from her charges against a Wanderers side who have slipped quietly into the top 2.

Maisie Morris in midfield needs to rediscover the form that made her such hot property at GHK and took her to the fringes of the national side, whilst Becky Merchant appears to be struggling to re-adjust to the domestic game after a summer of excelling under the tutelage of the knowledgeable Gordon Shepherd in more advanced positions. New addition Ellie Hutcheson is yet to find her feet in the capital after joining from Wildcats.

Dundee Wanderers have gone about their business quietly in the east coast, an opening day upset Clydesdale Western (3-0) was followed by a turgid draw (0-0) with Western Wildcats but they  last time out they took care of Watsonians by 6-0 to keep their undefeated record intact.

Vikki Bunce will be pleased with their start in the league and any sort of result in this fixture should allow the blend of youth and experience in the Wanderers ranks to make a push for the playoff spot they missed out on last year.

Big things are expected on Tayside of Amy Snelle (nee Rowan) who is a competent finisher at this level with two goals in three games, matched by her coach at the top of the Wanderers scoring charts.

Whatever you do this weekend; support your club.

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