Western and Watsonians still in pole position for the title, and now only two games left

Watsonians remained in possession of their six point lead in the women`s Premiership, although Clydesdale Western still have that game in hand. In the men`s Premiership Western had to work hard to remain five points ahead of Grange having to come back from a 3-0 half-time deficit against Clydesdale.

Western`s fixture against Clydesdale at Titwood was the classic “game of two halves”, the home side led 3-0 at the interval, but by the end it was Western who emerged 6-3 winners.

Clydesdale were clinical in the first half, in the opening quarter Andrew Allan at a penalty corner and David Nairn from the spot put them two up, and they added another to the tally in the second quarter through Euan Anderson.

But at half time Western`s coach Vishal Marwaha had some encouraging words to the troops saying that the contest was very much still in their grasp. And they responded, Andrew McConnell scored from the spot and Western`s confidence suddenly returned. McConnell went on to score four more from the set piece with Fraser Moran getting the other in a remarkable turn round with a 6-3 win in the end.

Marwaha said: We were given early confidence in the second half with Andrew`s goal and thereafter we were clinical and took the three points.”

Grange certainly kept up the pressure on Western with a 7-1 win over Dunfermline Carnegie in what turned out to be a somewhat incredible occasion at Fettes. The Edinburgh side cruised to a seven goal lead in the opening 25 minutes and failed to score again.

Grange manager Martin Shepherdson summed it up. “We played very well for the first 25 minutes, then lost our intensity which was our own fault and never really got it back. To be fair Dunfermline then defended very well and we didn`t take our several chances.”

Grange opened the scoring in only five minutes with a Fraser Heigh direct shot at a penalty corner. By eight minutes the home side were three up, Matt Murphy`s strike was followed by another penalty corner conversion from Charlie Jack.

There followed a scramble in the circle and Murray Banks was on hand to find the net, Heigh scored from open play and then the same player completed his hat-trick with another set piece score to advance the tally to six. On the 25 minute mark Rory McCann finished off another scramble in the circle…and we awaited the deluge that never came.

Remarkably, the second half was almost goalless, but in 62 minutes it was the Fifers who scored through a spot conversion by Andrew Doyle, but only a consolation at that stage.

Edinburgh University are confirmed in third spot with a 6-1 win at Watsonians. All the goals were singles from Robbie Croll, Keir Robb, Hamish Imrie, Scott Lindsay, Tom Cahalin and Tobias Loeff, a spot conversion by Dan Coultas was the only reply.

In the lower six echelons Kelburne and Hillhead fought out a 1-1 draw at Glasgow Green, the point gained was perhaps more important to the Paisley side in their bid to avoid a relegation issue. Hector Hall scored Kelburne`s goal while Hillhead`s leading scorer Fraser Ward converted from the spot.

Kelburne are now five points ahead of eleventh placed Dundee Wanderers who went down 8-3 to Inverleith. There were two goals each for Ed Iffla, Stuart Hatton and Aeden McCrossan while Kyle Taylor and Livio Belotti were also on target. Wanderers` replies came from Oscan Brown, Bobby Ralph and an Ollie Gouldstone deflection at a penalty corner.

Uddingston remain two points behind Inverleith at the top after a 4-1 win at home to Grove Menzieshill, the scorers here were Alex McGregor, Ben Wilson, Jonny MacDonald and Louis Gardiner.

Watsonians women are still in the win ethic, today they beat GHK 5-0 with two goals each for Ellie Stott and Sarah Jamieson while Sarah McKay got the other.

There was also a comfortable three points for Clydesdale Western with a 7-0 win at Hillhead, here both Fran Lonergan and Heather O`Brien scored twice while Holly Steiger, Fiona Semple and school girl Anna Winter completed the scoring.

Edinburgh University are still in third spot three points behind Clydesdale after a 2-0 win at Wildcats, Jess Ross from the spot and a well taken goal from Katie Robertson was the difference.

Uddingston remain top of the bottom six after a 4-0 win at home over Dundee Wanderers, the scorers here were Maddy Bower, Emma Worthington, McKenzie Bell and D`Arcey Campbell.

Glasgow University are four points behind after seeing off Erskine Stewarts Melville 5-2. The students went five up going into the final quarter, Lucy Smith jumped on a rebound to open, Corrie doubled the tally with a reverse stick deflection over the keeper, and a long ball from Emily Simmers found Smith in the circle for a deflection for 3-0 at the interval.

The third quarter saw two more for the Glasgow students, Hay scored again from a deflection and Smith completed her hat-trick at a penalty corner. With the contest already won the Edinburgh side were able to score a couple of goals in the final quarter.

Gordonians may have secured their Premiership status for next season after drawing 1-1 with Grove Menzieshill in Dundee, and are six points ahead with a much better goal difference. Kerryn Berndsen put the Taysiders ahead but the Aberdonians salvaged the crucial point with a late equaliser from Heather Howie.

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