Dunfermline and Hillhead at the Top

It is certainly changed days that Dunfermline Carnegie (men) and Hillhead (women) are top of their respective Premiership league tables, but to be fair they have played more games than the chasing pack, but then again, they have the points in the bag so the succeeding weeks will determine if the traditional chasing pack can reassert their dominance.

Dunfermline Carnegie remain an enigma; promoted to the Premiership for the first time this season, the Fifers have defied logic by retaining their position at the top of the Premiership after a 3-2 win over third placed Clydesdale.

While that is a tremendous achievement, and it is, they are only one point ahead of Grange but with three games more played.

Dan Pearson opened for Dunfermline with a one-to-one on the Clydesdale keeper and finished by lifting the ball into the net for the opener. By the interval the Glasgow side had levelled at 1-1.

Dunfermline took the game by the scruff of the neck in the second half with further goals; Gary Clark put the Fifers ahead with a reverse stick finish and then a clever ball for Archie Stephen fed Liam Watt who scored with a deflection at the near post. Clydesdale had a barrage of penalty corners near the end in an attempt to get back into the contest, but the combination of keeper Matt Jones and Aidan McQuade their efforts were in vain.

Clydesdale did get one back near the end but their efforts to get level were resisted by the Dunfermline defence for a narrow victory.

Grange travelled to Dundee to confront Grove Menzieshill. In the past this was often a banana skin fixture, but today they recorded a more than comfortable 8-0 victory.

It took 12 minutes for the Edinburgh side to get their noses in front through a penalty corner conversion from Fraser Heigh and from then on it was a bit of a procession. By the interval it was four, Peter Caughey and a double from Albert Rowling, ironically he used to play for Menzieshill, did the damage. In the second half, Jacob Tweedie entered the scoring act with a double and that was followed by the same from Heigh, another hat-trick to bring his season`s total to 15 in five games.

Wildcats were in similar scoring form with a 9-0 win over a young Kelburne side at Glasgow Green, the main predator was Scotland striker Rob Harwood with four.

Again, the contest was over by the interval, ex-Kelburne stalwart Jonny Christie opened and closely followed by Andy McConnell in the first quarter. Three more followed before the interval, a double from Harwood and another from Fraser Moran at a penalty corner. Wildcats added four more in the second half, Fraser Calder, Christie again, with another double by Harwood to put the icing on the cake.

It all looks set for a high scoring affair when Grange entertain the Wildcats at Fettes tomorrow.

In the other games, Edinburgh University moved up to fifth in the table with a 5-0 win over Edinburgh rivals Inverleith. There were doubles each for player/coach Hamish Imrie and Robbie Croll, while the other came from a cracking reverse stick shot by Declan Bradley.

Watsonians retained their unbeaten record with a 4-1 win over Hillhead and slip towards the top six with several games in hand. Dan Coultas opened with a double penalty corner strike and that was followed by another brace from Paul Martin, the first a rebound following a double save by the Hillhead keeper, the other with a brilliant turn and shot.

Uddingston Men's 1's v Dundee Wanderers
Uddingston Men’s 1’s v Dundee Wanderers
Photo: Mark Pugh

Uddingston moved towards the top six with a 3-1 win over Dundee Wanderers. Youngsters Gavin McKenzie, Finn Halliday and Louis Gardiner were on target for the Lanarkshire side while Sean Gregg replied for the Taysiders.

Uddingston Men's 1's v Dundee Wanderers
Uddingston Men’s 1’s v Dundee Wanderers
Photo: Mark Pugh

Hillhead are in pole position in the women`s Premiership for the first time after a 3-1 win over Glasgow University, they are now a point ahead of previous leaders GHK, Edinburgh University and Clydesdale Western.

Anna Irvine put Hillhead into the lead, only for GHK`s Lucy Smith to level at a rebound from a penalty corner. But it was Hillhead who then took the initiative, with further goals from Wendy Andrews from the spot and Mhairi Low at a penalty corner, to take the three points and pole position.

GHK`s hold on top spot ended when they went down 2-0 to Clydesdale Western. After a goalless first half, Clydesdale stepped up the pressure and Emma McGregor steamed up the right, cut into the circle and sent a reverse stick shot into the net for the opener. The second, and decisive goal, came from a penalty corner direct strike from Jen Eadie. The total might have been more but for a series of brilliant saves from GHK keeper Alison Westwood.

Uddingston Women's 1's v Edinburgh University 1's
Uddingston Women’s 1’s v Edinburgh University 1’s
Photo: Mark Pugh

Edinburgh University are also up there just behind Hillhead after an 8-0 win at Uddingston.

Watsonians continued their goal scoring spree with a 10-1 win over Gordonians, here there were hat-tricks for Sarah Jamieson, Emily Dark and Katherine Holdgate, while Heather Tait got the other.

Wildcats are also moving up the table after a 5-1 win at Erskine Stewart`s Melville, their goals came from Alex Stuart, Aspen Cumming, Nicola Fletcher, Amy Graham and Sue Campbell.

Uddingston Men's 1's v Dundee Wanderers

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