Big contest for pole position in men’s National League 1

Men`s Indoor National League 1 enters the final phase of the league part of the competition with an intriguing contest for pole position. Inverleith hold top spot with a two point advantage over Grove Menzieshill, and both have two games left to play.

But Dundee Wanderers could be dark horses here, they are three points adrift of the top, and have three games this weekend and nine points up for grabs.

How prophetic were Stuart Neave`s words prior to last weekend`s contests. “No team in the league can be taken for granted.”

Grove Menzieshill found that out with their opening six all draw with Grange. Neave`s own outfit Inverleith suffered a similar experience when they went down 7-6 to Clydesdale.

So it would appear that “nothing can be taken for granted” this indoor season.

And that sets up an intriguing opening fixture this Saturday, the Tayside derby between Grove Menzieshill and Wanderers.

A league decider in the past, in the campaign so far Grove Menzieshill have dropped five points and Wanderers only three, and the former only have a single point lead.

Further, Wanderers were successful last weekend, they opened with a 7-2 victory over Uddingston, followed by a 3-2 triumph over champions Western Wildcats. This time it was Elliott Sandison who caught the eye with four goals in total.

The carrot for Wanderers is if they can win over city rivals Grove Menzieshill, then win the battle for another six points from Dunfermline and Grange, Wanderers would then finish the league section of the competition top of the pile.

The other crucial encounter of the day brings together last season’s winners Western Wildcats against Inverleith. As yet the champions have barely moved into a canter with two wins and three defeats, a further loss of points against Inverleith, and later to Grange, could scupper their chances of a top four finish.

So the young guns Andrew and Joe McConnell, Rob Harwood, Fraser Moran and Hamish Galt will be out to focus their targets to bag some goals.

Inverleith will need the form they showed against Grove Menzieshill and not that which surrendered a 5-1 against Clydesdale to see off the Wildcats. Stuart Neave`s charges will hope to pocket the three points against Uddingston in their second outing.

Uddingston, Grange, Clydesdale and Dunfermline are presently in the lower half of the league, but are not out of the running for a top four place. And have all shown they rise to the occasion against the top sides.

Grange perhaps have the best chance progress up the table, they have three games on Saturday against Uddingston, Western and Dundee Wanderers, and nine points are on the table.

 

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