Hockey: Dundee Wanderers can put void match fiasco to bed today

Just when it seemed that the women's Subway National League had been done and dusted several weeks ago, a Scottish Hockey appeals panel ruling in favour of Edinburgh University has opened up a can of worms. The consequence is that VWS Dundee Wanderers' place in Europe now hangs in the balance - they must beat the students today on Tayside to stay on course.

On 20 March, Edinburgh played their league fixture with Dundee Wanderers under protest after the Taysiders had been forced to alter the time and venue of the game because the original pitch at Riverside was no longer available, so the match was played on a slower sand-based pitch. Edinburgh lost the game 2-0 and promptly appealed. The result was declared void and the two teams were ordered to replay the fixture today.

The problem for Edinburgh University at the time was the threat of relegation from the First Division, but the students finished second bottom, then beat Second Division Highland 3-0 in a play-off and retained their top-flight status. Now today's rescheduled fixture is meaningless for the students, but not for Dundee Wanderers.

With the original result void, Wanderers are now on the same points as Giffnock in the runners-up spot, a place that carries with it automatic qualification for Europe next season. Should Wanderers play to this season's form and win today, they would retain their European spot, but any other result could open a belated door for Giffnock.

To add further to coach Iain Strachan's woes, Wanderers will be without playmaker Vikki Bunce, committed to Scotland duties since 14 April. That could also apply to Amy Rowan and striker Heather Elder if they are also included in Scotland's final squad for the Celtic Cup and Champions Challenge.

Wanderers' failure to recollect the three points today would then open up the need to reschedule the head-to-head with Giffnock, ironically also declared void following a successful appeal by Wanderers this time. If needed, this match is due to be played sometime before 19 June. With a vastly inferior goal difference, the East Renfrewshire side would need to take all three points to snatch the European spot from under the noses of the Taysiders.

Finishing second in the league and winning a place in Europe for the first time has heralded Wanderers' best season in the club's history, but it has been soured for Strachan by a couple of months of legal wrangling and uncertainty. However, their destiny is still in their own hands, and a win against the Edinburgh students, who are immersed in exams right now, would finally put the fiasco to bed.