Top clash at Auchenhowie

PRESIDENTS CUP

The destiny of pole position in pool A of the Presidents
Cup could become a little clearer after Saturday`s clash between
Western Wildcats and Grove Menzieshill at
Auchenhowie.  

Both sides had good wins last weekend, the Wildcats devoured
Watsonians 9-0, while the Taysiders saw off AAM Gordonians
4-1.   There was nothing to choose between the sides last
season, both matches ended in draws.    The crux of
the contest could lie with the Menzieshill defence, they will need
to clip the claws of the Wildcats` twin strikers Douglas Simpson
and Scott McCartney, both picked up hat-tricks against Watsonians
last week.  (Auchenhowie @ 13.00)

Both sides should be in line to pick up full points on Sunday,
the Wildcats visit Gordonians while Menzieshill entertain
Watsonians.  (DISC @ 13.00)

Stephen McCurry, Inverleith`s coach, is well aware of his
charges` shortcoming in last weekend`s 3-2 win over AAM
Gordonians.   “I watched the video of the game, and with
the amount of clear-cut chances we created and the number of
penalty corners, we should have won the game more
comfortably.”   In fact, the Edinburgh side had no fewer
than 13 penalty corners, and scored one.

So the message to the team for Saturday`s clash with
newly-promoted Watsonians is simple.   We are looking to
build on last week`s performance, convert more of our chances and
convert more of our corners,” said McCurry.

With a number of players unavailable due to work commitments,
there may be recalls for Chris Duncan who was in Den Bosch with the
Scotland under 21 side, both Lewis Gibson and Andy Malcolm may have
recovered sufficiently from injuries sustained during the
pre-season trip to Ireland, and finally Haddyn Cartmill, a recent
recruit from top Irish side Lisnagarvey.  (Mary Erskine
School  @ 13.00).

Grange have their noses in front in pool B, courtesy of their
narrow 5-4 win over PSL Team Sports Clydesdale last weekend,
although AMN Hillhead and Edinburgh University have yet to start
their campaigns.     Hillhead visit the Capital
to take on Grange on Saturday with the memory of their shock 3-2
win in the final match of last season still in the memory
banks.     After the fog cancelled the first
attempt at the match with Hillhead leading, the Glasgow club
returned to complete the mission with Andrew Duke (2) and Wei Adams
getting the goals.    (Edinburgh Academy, East
Fettes Avenue @ 14.00)

In the other games in this pool, Clydesdale take on Edinburgh
University at Titwood on Saturday, and then turn their attention to
Hillhead the following day.   Although the Titwood outfit
finished well above Hillhead in last season`s league table, the
latter had the better of the actual confrontations, the opening
game was a 3-3 draw, Hillhead won the return 6-2, and also dumped
Clydesdale out of the Scottish Cup. (Jordanhill School @ 14.25)

 

PEREGRINES CUP

The Tayside derby between VWS Dundee Wanderers and
champions Grove Menzieshill is frequently a close affair, but their
clash this weekend in the Peregrines Cup is warped to an extent
with both sides short of their international players – Grove will
be without five regulars while Wanderers will be missing Becky Ward
and Vikki Bunce.   

Last season Grove sneaked the honours, the opening fixture ended
in a 2-2 draw while Grove took the return 4-1, but these statistics
may bear little guide to game on Sunday.

After only a handful of games, it is a three-way tie with Grove,
Western Wildcats and Glynhill Kelburne at the top of Pool A, with
the latter two clashing head to head at
Bellahouston.    The Wildcats have not been short in
the goal department, eleven in two games so far with Kirsty Howe
the leading striker.   Given that the Wildcats barely
held on to their first division status at the end of last season,
it will be interesting to see if coach Murray Laing can sustain the
renaissance.    Meanwhile, Rachael Ewing was on hand
to provide the goal with ten minutes to go in Kelburne`s single
goal victory over Wanderers on Tayside on the opening day of
competition. 

Milne Craig Western will consolidate their position at the top
of Pool B if they can see off Grange in Edinburgh.   Last
season the Glasgow side completed the double over Grange, but only
by 2-0 and 2-1.    Western, under the temporary
coaching aegis of Catriona Semple, have won both their games so
far, 2-1 over CALA Edinburgh and 4-1 against Inverleith, but there
is probably still more to come from the Titwood youngsters.

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