Grange men still on course but Watsonians women drop first points

Grange`s hold on pole position in the men`s Premiership continues unabated following a 4-1 win over third placed Edinburgh University.

Grange manager Martin Shepherdson reflected: “It was a hard fought contest against a strong university side but we got the better of them as we took the chances that came our way.”

The Premiership leaders could not have got a better start to the contest, a double from Fraser Heigh put them two up inside the opening six minutes. But early in the second quarter the students pulled one back through Tom Cahalin, but not long after Albert Rowling restored Grange`s two goal lead when he followed up at a penalty corner and fired home the rebound. Just before the interval the students did not help their cause when they missed from the spot.

The third quarter was goalless but Jacob Tweedie`s open play strike in the final phase sealed the result in favour of the league leaders.

Western are still very much in touch at the top after a 4-1 win over Clydesdale and are only a point adrift of Grange at the top.

Fraser Moran gave Western the perfect start, in only the first minute he beat two defenders and launched the ball into the roof of the net. And that is how it stood at half-time.

In the third quarter Rob Harwood doubled the score with a back post goal at a penalty corner but Clydesdale retaliated with a strike from Sandy Craig to make it 2-1. Any comeback from the Titwood outfit was stifled when Andrew McConnell lifted the ball over the keeper for 3-1, and Callum Duke completed the scoring for 4-1.

Watsonians failed to take advantage of Clydesdale and Edinburgh University`s reversals when their home fixture with Inverleith ended in a 3-3 draw. They are level on points and goal difference with Clydesdale but have scored fewer goals and therefore remain in fifth spot.

Inverleith`s scorers were Kyle Taylor, Charlie Jack and Joel Reid while a double from Dan Coultas and a reverse stick strike by Sam Knight replied for Watsonians.

In the lower echelons of the table Hillhead maintained their seventh place but were held to a 3-3 draw by Kelburne. Hillhead coach Yan Adams described the result as “disappointing” but then stated that “both sides ultimately might be disappointed with the result.”

Hillhead`s scorers were Andrew Black with a rebound, Andy Sinclair at a penalty corner and Jimmy Lynch Small with a deft touch while Scott Peters, Sam Hunt and Jay Berry replied for the Paisley side in a seesaw encounter.

Uddingston move to within two points of Hillhead after a narrow 4-3 win over Dunfermline Carnegie who remain in the relegation zone. Cousins Gavin and Stephen Mackenzie, Luca Gardiner and Jonny McDonald were the Lanarkshire scorers. Dunfermline Carnegie`s replies came from Iain Bruce, Andrew Doyle and Robbie Wallis.

At the bottom of the table ESM have given themselves a real lifeline with a 3-2 home win over FMGM Monarchs. The result lifts the Edinburgh side to safety at tenth in the table, now two points ahead of Dunfermline who fall into second bottom spot and the play-off relegation position. It also leaves Monarchs somewhat detached at the foot with only a single point.

ESM seemed to be strolling to a comfortable victory with a 3-1 lead… and with only a couple of minutes left. A Fraser Sturrock double and the other from Jack Collister were their scorers while Callum Boag replied for Monarchs. But then Monarchs were awarded a penalty and Boag converted for 3-2 and some jittery last two minutes – but ESM lived through the experience.

Watsonians` perfect Premiership record took a dent when they were held to a 1-1 draw by Western Wildcats, but they still lead the division by three points from Edinburgh University.

The goals came in the first half, Becky Ward put the Cats in front from a rebound at a penalty corner but the champions replied with an open play deflection from Sarah Jamieson – and that was the scoring.

The Cats coach Kaz Cuthbert said: “It was a really competitive and exciting game of hockey. Both teams had great chances and both keepers were lively making some crucial saves.”

Watsonians` coach Keith Smith, was magnanimous to the Cats. “Fair play to Wildcats they defended well and disrupted our normal flow, they had the better of the first half and we took the second half but weren`t able to convert our pressure into goals.”

Edinburgh University took advantage of Watsonians slip with a 3-0 win over Clydesdale Western and are now only three points adrift at the top. Zara Kennedy, Louise Campbell and Amy Brodie were the students on target. As a result Clydesdale slip back to fifth.

In the other top six encounter GHK were 2-1 winners at Glasgow University. Fiona Semple`s charges move up to fourth in the table, level on points with Wildcats but with an inferior goal difference.

GHK captain Carly Bisset said: “It was a pretty dominating performance.” GHK were a goal up at the interval through Mackenzie Brown and then doubled their tally in the third quarter through a back post strike by Laura McCabe. The students came more into the game in the latter stages and Corrie Hay struck from the spot by sending the keeper the wrong way – but that finished the scoring.

Hillhead and Grange are competing to finish top of the lower six competition, the former beat Uddingston 3-0 while the latter were 2-1 victors over Inverleith. Grange`s goals came from Becky Mill and Kirsty Buchan while Florencia Monte Burgos replied for Inverleith.

3-0 could have been more according to Hillhead`s Jenny Sinclair who remarked: “we just couldn`t quite find the net today, but all in all it was a solid result.” Emma Blackstock opened the scoring when she rounded the keeper, then Anna Irvine added a second with a direct shot at a penalty corner. The third started with nice play from Anna Wadsworth, her pass eluded the keeper and Ciara Goddard volleyed the ball into the net.

Inverleith now slip into the relegation play-off spot as Gordonians were 3-1 winners over Dundee Wanderers and move up to tenth.

Irish recruit Ellen Irwin opened for Wanderers but the lead did not last long as Gordonians` Emma Christie at a penalty corner, Leigh Barr and Heather Howie from another set piece pushed the Aberdonians towards the crucial three points.

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