Top sides play off for pole position in indoor division one

There is a mirror image at the top of the indoor division 1 tables – Inverleith and Western in the men`s while it is Watsonians and Clydesdale Western in the women`s who share top spot with maximum points and they play each other in the third game of the day this Saturday and Sunday.

The prize for the winner is pole position at the end of the league format of the championship and top spot in Pool A of the group stages while the loser has a similar status in Pool B.

It is certain that all four clubs will be striving to put one over on their rivals but the business end of the championship is the semi-finals and final towards the end of January – that is where this season`s crown and the European spot will be dished out.

However, back to this Saturday where Inverleith and Western clash. It`s very close to call, at the moment Inverleith lead only by a narrow two goal margin. While the Edinburgh side might therefore benefit briefly from a draw, both sides still have their last game to play – Inverleith are against Uddingston while Western then take on Watsonians – and so the goal differential might change.

At this moment it is difficult really to separate both sides, the statistics are so close, but it should be a high scoring affair. In their five games to date Inverleith have scored 40 goals with Western only one behind. And both sides have key strikers in lethal form – Inverleith`s Kyle Taylor is on 15 while Western`s Andrew McConnell is just one in front.

20-times champions Grove Menzieshill are in third spot, but six points adrift. They will hold on to that status if they take full points from Saturday`s encounters against Dunfermline Carnegie and Dundee Wanderers.

That may not be so easy, for instance Carnegie have already picked up six points with wins over Wanderers and Watsonians. The Fifers are only three points behind Grove Menzieshill and have three games this weekend – their others are against Grange and Uddingston.

The famous Tayside derby between Grove Menzieshill and Wanderers is a highlight of the season and in the past often decided the championship, but on Saturday it may well be to decide third spot only.

It looks as if Watsonians, Grange and Uddingston may fight it out for the lower positions. At the moment it is only the Lanarkshire side that are still pointless while the other two have three. Unless there is a change of form that situation is likely to remain but something will give as Uddingston play Watsonians early in the day so points will be up for grabs here.

The women`s scenario on Sunday is similar, this time it is Watsonians who presently top the table on goal difference from Clydesdale, courtesy mostly to the 22 goals scored against Grove Menzieshill.

Both sides won comfortably last weekend with Sarah Jamieson and Mairi Drummond getting most of the goals for Watsonians while Margery Justice got four for Clydesdale.

In short, this top of the table clash should be another close affair.

Later in the day Watsonians finish their league programme against Edinburgh CALA while Clydesdale take on Inverleith.

Wildcats look set in third spot with nine points but that could come under some threat from Dundee Wanderers who are only three points behind but with a poorer goal difference. Last weekend Wildcats` Alex Stuart showed some striking potential with four goals in the eight goal defeat of CALA, Lucy Findlay was also on target with a double.

Wanderers have emerged out of the lower echelons with a couple of wins, courtesy of some regular scoring from Lucy Williamson.

Inverleith moved out of the bottom group with last weekend`s win over Wanderers and a draw with Edinburgh University, and they are now on the same points as the students. On Sunday they have three games to pick up more points against Edinburgh CALA and Grove Menzieshill although the middle fixture against Clydesdale might be beyond them.

CALA did pick up their first points of the campaign with a 4-3 win over Grove Menzieshill last weekend, leaving the latter the only side without any points.

After this weekend`s fixtures the teams will be allocated a group according to a pre-arranged format for the next stage in the competition and this stage will culminate in the top two sides in each group entering semi-final play-offs.

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