Watsonians extend their lead while Western retain their five point lead

Watsonians extended their lead at the top of the women`s Premiership to six points with a 3-1 win at Western Wildcats, and meanwhile at Peffermill Clydesdale Western went down 4-1 to Edinburgh University, thus opening up the challenge for second spot and the other European place..

There was no change at the top of the men`s Premiership after Western Wildcats finally clawed their way to a 3-2 win at Edinburgh University. The Auchenhowie side still retain their five point lead over Grange who saw off Watsonians 6-0 to keep in touch at the top.

Watsonians extended their winning run to 16 games with a 3-1 win at Wildcats. The Edinburgh side scored in the first three quarters through Nikki Stobie and a double from Nicola Skrastin before the Wildcats got a consolation with seven minutes to go.

Meanwhile, at Peffermill it was not going so well for second placed Clydesdale Western who succumbed 4-1 to Edinburgh University. Amy Brodie kept up her recent good scoring form with a double while Amy Costello and Katie Robertson got the others. Heather O`Brien scored for Clydesdale but coach Derek Forsyth admitted “we weren`t good enough today.”

Hillhead moved above Wildcats into fourth place with a 2-1 win over Glasgow rivals GHK. Hillhead were two up at the interval, Carla MacNiven deflected home a sweeping shot by Ava Wadsworth at a penalty corner, then Emma Blackstock took on the keeper on a one-to-one and doubled the tally. Tamilla Matchett pulled one back for GHK at a rebound, the visitors had the chance to level but Hillhead keeper Lucy Harris saved from the spot.

Uddingston powered their way to the top of the lower six table with a 10-1 win over Grove. McKenzie Bell was top scorer with four, Emma Worthington got a double and the others came from Caterina Neill, D`Arcey Campbell, Sophie Ross and Kirsty Wratten.

That was because this morning`s leaders Glasgow University went down 1-0 to Gordonians in Aberdeen, Lyndsay Davidson got the only goal in a game where both sides were short due to Covid. The result gives Gordonians a seven point cushion over Grove Menzieshill in the lower reaches.

Dundee Wanderers also moved further away from the relegation zone with a 1-0 win at Erskine Stewarts Melville, Iona Fleming scored with a direct shot at a penalty corner for the points.

Scotland`s top striker Fraser Heigh was back in lethal form with a hat-trick in Grange`s 6-0 win over Edinburgh neighbours Watsonians. It took Heigh just nine minutes to find the net from the spot after an illegal stop on the line by a Watsonians` defender at a penalty corner.

Heigh then doubled his tally in the second quarter with a tap-in at the far post to put Grange two up. Rory McCann then made his mark with a clever deflection following a cross from the left wing. And just before the interval Jacob Tweedie put Grange four ahead with a breakaway strike.

In the second half McCann scored his second, a carbon copy of his first, then just before the end Heigh completed his hat-trick with a shot from the top of the circle for the sixth.

Grange manager Martin Shepherdson said simply: “We played well as a side today.”

However, Heigh`s lethal finishing was not enough to put a dent in Western`s five point lead at the top, the Auchenhowie side emerged from the contest with third placed Edinburgh University with a 3-2 win in the end after a spirited comeback.

Andrew McAlister put Western ahead in the first quarter with a shot into the top corner at a penalty corner. But before the interval Keir Robb had levelled for the students with a reverse stick shot.

Grange might have been given some encouragement when Robbie Croll put Edinburgh 2-1 ahead with a direct shot at a penalty corner.

But the fourth quarter belonged to Western, Fraser Moran finished off a good move up the right with a simple tap in at the back post, and then with only three minutes left Jonny Christie secured the three points with a penalty corner conversion into the bottom left corner.

Western`s coach Vishal Marwaha said: “This was a very tough game and we showed a lot of character to come back to win the three points. Edinburgh University at home were certainly up for it and we did well to get the win considering it is several seasons since we have done that at Peffermill. Perhaps we are still not quite there yet, but we still got the result today and that`s what matters in the end.”

Clydesdale moved to within a single point of Edinburgh University with a massive 12-1 win over Dunfermline Carnegie at Titwood – the highest score of the day. Jack McKenzie was top with four and there were hat-tricks for David Nairn and Andrew Allan with Andy McAllan and Gregor Hirst getting the others. The Fifers consolation came in the first quarter through Cameron Scott.

Inverleith moved back to top of the lower six with a 3-0 win at Hillhead to upset their recent good run of form. Inverleith coach Alan Wall waxed eloquently on the scoring form of Livio Belotti, his two goals took his season`s total to 13 while the other came from Kyle Taylor.

Kelburne took a bit of leap to safety with a 2-0 win over Uddingston, Rory McClure and Connor Bain at a penalty corner were the scorers.

Kelburne`s cause was helped out with Dundee Wanderers being held to a 2-2 draw by bottom side Grove Menzieshill, in a game that also had two red cards. Bobby Ralph scored Wanderers` first after dispossessing a Grove defender, and the same player created the other when he squared the ball to Cammy Bell for their second. Kelburne are now four points ahead of Wanderers in the quest to avoid the play-off relegation spot.

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