Premiership is hotting up at both ends of the tables

Watsonians and Grange sit at the top of their respective leagues but after only five rounds of matches there is a long way to go in the race for the title.

As for the newcomers to the Premiership, Inverleith and Grange women along with FMGM Monarchs and ESM men, how have they coped with the top flight?

At the moment they are all confined to the bottom half of the table and have not emulated Dunfermline Carnegie of last season who marched into the top six of competition on the first time of asking.

We caught up with Eilidh Thomson, captain of Inverleith women, who said, “We are enjoying the challenge of the Premiership so far. We’ve had mixed results and are taking games week-by-week, but getting our first win in the Premiership meant a lot to the team and helped us realise we can compete in this league.

“We’re looking forward to hopefully getting a few more three point wins and ending the first half of the season strong.”

Inverleith`s three points came in a single goal victory over Hillhead; Stephanie Bain scoring the crucial goal. This Saturday they come up against high scoring Edinburgh University.

Of the others, Grange women also picked up three points with a win over Dundee Wanderers. In the men`s Premiership FMGM Monarchs are on a single point after a 3-3 draw with Dunfermline but ESM have yet to get off the mark.

Moving back to the top end of the men`s Premiership Clydesdale`s renaissance took a bit of a dip following a 3-3 draw with Uddingston last weekend, but Saturday will be a real test of their mettle as they visit league leaders Grange.

Grange have been pumping in the goals, which emanate from a variety of players, although Rory McCann has scored four in the last two outings, so the Clydesdale rear guard might have a busy afternoon. However, good news for them is that last season`s top goal scorer, Fraser Heigh, will not be there – his is presently in Malaysia with the Great Britain under-21 side for the Sultan of Johor Cup.

Second placed Edinburgh University are on fire at the moment, they are the division`s top scorers with 34 in five games, Declan Bradley and Keir Robb are the main contributors, but certainly not the only ones. The ESM defence will certainly have a busy Saturday.

The champions, fresh from their triumph over Watsonians, travel to Edinburgh to take on an Inverleith side who have moved up to sixth place. Vishal Marwaha`s Western Wildcats, presently third in the table, will require the three points to keep in touch with Grange and Edinburgh University. Inverleith had an impressive seven goal win over Monarchs last weekend – Charlie Jack scoring five of them – but repeating that exercise against Western might be a different matter altogether.

So what about the other sides aspiring for a top six spot? Eighth placed Hillhead, on the wrong end of a nine goal beating by the Edinburgh students last weekend, come up against FMGM Monarchs at Upper Windyedge.

Also Watsonians could improve on their present fifth place if they can see off a Dunfermline Carnegie side that have four points to their credit but have leaked 28 goals in their five games to date. Captain Tom Swarbrick saw a top four place as a target for the season, a home win on Saturday would facilitate that aspiration.

The final match on the card could be an intriguing encounter between Uddingston and Kelburne – not an easy one to predict. Both had good results last weekend, the Lanarkshire side with a 3-3 draw at Titwood, courtesy of a comeback from 3-1 down.

Kelburne gained their second win of the season with a 5-1 win over ESM; Iain Scholefield is still rattling in the goals, he scored twice, and the others came from Dylan Bradley, Sam Hunt and Miles Goldie.

In the women’s Premiership Watsonians are at home to third placed GHK – a close encounter if you consider the league placings. Keith Smith`s charges have scored 37 goals in five games, which will give food for thought for the GHK defence, but the Glasgow side will also look to provide threat of their own.

With Wildcats idle this weekend, Edinburgh University could regain their second spot if they can see off Inverleith in an all-Edinburgh derby and then do the same to Glasgow University on Sunday in their catch-up game. The students were perhaps unlucky not to take something from last weekend`s Watsonians clash, coach Sam Judge will want to return to the win ethic with six points over the weekend.

Clydesdale Western, in fifth place with a game less played, could also progress up the table if they clock up a home win over Uddingston at Titwood. Coach Derek Forsyth will want to kick-start his campaign after the 1-0 defeat by Wildcats recently, so it could be a tough day for Uddingston.

However, after a sluggish start, the Lanarkshire have won their last two games against Inverleith and Dundee Wanderers, and consequently have risen to seventh. Caterina Nelli has been instrumental with three goals.

Gordonians got their first win of the season last weekend and could build on that away to a Dundee Wanderers side that currently seem rooted to the bottom. However, the Taysiders considered themselves unlucky not to take something from last weekend`s game at Uddingston and will be out for the points this weekend.

Despite losing last Saturday to Western Wildcats, Hillhead still retain sixth spot in the table and a home win against Grange this weekend would begin to consolidate that status. Finding the net is an issue still to be solved by coach Andrew Hilton, with six goals in five matches. They have good fire power through the likes of Emma Blackstock, Wendy Andrews and captain Carla MacNiven who will look to have their shooting sticks out if they are to take the three points against Grange.

However, Grange are not without a win this season, they beat Wanderers 3-1 with Rebecca Gordon (2) and Skye Waugh on target.

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