Grange and Watsonians are still in Premiership pole position

Grange`s relentless drive for the men`s Premiership title continues with a 3-0 win at Clydesdale, so the league leaders are still in place at the top.

Grange manager Martin Shepherdson said: “It was a good game, it was quite tight, Clydesdale`s keeper made some good saves and I felt we just shaded it on the day.”

Grange went ahead in 13 minutes when Duncan Riddell followed up a penalty corner rebound and found the net. And that is how the score remained until ten minutes from the end. Albert Rowling sunk a penalty and soon after David Nairn forced home a scramble at a penalty corner for Grange`s third.

Meanwhile Western kept up the pressure with a convincing 7-3 win at Inverleith to complete a treble of league and cup wins over the Edinburgh side. Not for the first time this season Andrew McConnell was the top striker with a hat-trick. Western remain in second spot, still that single point behind Grange.

Western took control of proceedings in the first quarter when captain Rob Harwood and McConnell with a direct flick at a penalty corner put the visitors two up but a set piece strike from Charlie Jack pulled one back for Inverleith.

Western added another couple in the next quarter, a lovely move and great finish from Callum Duke made it 3-1 and McConnell added a fourth at a penalty corner – this time Inverleith did not reply.

It looked like another big score in the offing when Harwood and Jack Mackenzie made it 6-1 for the visitors. But in the final quarter Western struggled a bit with a few sin bin visits, Jack from another penalty corner and then Hamish Norval pulled the score back to 6-3. But close to the end McConnell completed his hat-trick to make it 7-3 in the end.

Inverleith captain Ed Iffla said: “It was a much improved performance from our last meeting. Plenty of lessons to take from it but lots of positive signs too.”

Edinburgh University consolidated their third place status with a comfortable 4-0 win over Watsonians, Keir Robb scored twice while Iain McFadden and Tom Cahalin got the others.

In the lower reaches of the Premiership Kelburne and ESM fought out a 2-2 draw which gave both sides another safety point each. The Paisley side were ahead on two occasions but could not hold on to their advantage. Miles Goldie put Kelburne ahead only for Rich McCorkell to level. Then Jay Berry restored Kelburne`s advantage and again McCorkell equalised – and that is how the contest finished.

FMGM Monarch`s survival cause looks doomed as they went down 4-2 at home to Uddingston. For the visitors Jedd Campbell scored twice and the other goals came from Jonny McDonald and Finn Halliday while Callum Boag from the spot and Paul Holmes replied for the Taysiders.

Dunfermline slipped further into the relegation zone after going down 4-1 to Hillhead who consequently retain seventh spot, two points ahead of Uddingston. Hillhead moved into a two goals lead in the first half through Andrew Sinclair and Matthew Carder who pounced on a loose ball in the circle. Andrew Doyle pulled one back for the Fifers who then entered their best spell of the game but failed to find the net. As what frequently happens Hillhead took advantage of two counter-attacks and they found the net through Carder again and Andrew Black.

Watsonians returned to winning ways with a 4-2 victory at Clydesdale Western in the women`s Premiership, and they remain in pole position.

Ailsa Small and Emily Dark at a penalty corner put the champions two up before Emma Murray pulled one back for Clydesdale. But in the second quarter the Edinburgh side pulled away with Dark scoring another set piece and Ellie Stott getting the other for a 4-1 score at the interval.

Clydesdale should have done better in the third quarter, Fran Lonergan did reduce the deficit to 4-2 but Margery Justice spot effort was well saved by Watsonians` keeper Ruby Crawford…and the chance of an effective recovery was gone. There was no further scoring in the final quarter and Watsonians left Titwood with the points.

It took a last minute solo goal from Rachel Bain to give Wildcats a narrow 2-1 win over GHK, the Cats consequently have now third spot in the table on their own. However, it was GHK who took an early lead through a well-worked penalty corner deflection by Ellie Hutcheson. By the interval the Cats were level through Lexi Sabatelli. The belated winner came when Rachel Bain cut through the GHK defence, meandered along the base line and slotted the ball into the net.

Edinburgh University comfortably held on to second spot with a 5-0 win over their Glasgow counterparts, but they are still three points adrift of leaders Watsonians. Jike Nyirenda top scored with a brace while the other goals came from Zara kennedy, Harriet Platt and Hanna McKie.

In the lower section of the Premiership Grange put another nail in the coffin of Dundee Wanderers with a 5-0 win on Tayside. There were two goals each for Rebecca Gordon and Kirstie Buchan while Heather Croll got the other.

Inverleith`s plight in the relegation play-off spot does not look much better after going down to a late strike by Hillhead`s Ava Wadsworth…and so they are still in that play-off spot. Wadsworth drove into the circle along the base line and beat the keeper with a reverse stick flick.

Hillhead`s Jenny Sinclair said: “We were unlucky not to convert more chances but Inverleith made it very busy in the circle so was difficult for us to find the gaps.”

Gordonians have virtually taken themselves clear of relegation trouble with a 2-0 win at Uddingston, although the latter are still on the edge of trouble.   Gordonians scorers were Hannah Mitchell and Nyah Palmer.

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