Hockey: Grange have hit

Grange captain Rob Barr vowed not to repeat the poor early league form of the last season and this has been largely achieved as his charges sit in third place with seven points from three games in the Subway hockey national league.

"We lost too many points early on last season that put us out of the title race before we got started, so our main target for this season is to improve our league form and get ourselves into a position where we can challenge for the championship," said Barr.

The only dropped points so far this season came in a 3-3 draw with Western Wildcats but, considering that the Edinburgh outfit were three down at one point in the contest, Barr would be forgiven from considering the result as almost a victory. Also, Grange survived the banana skin fixture against VWS Dundee Wanderers on Tayside last weekend in some style, a 6-2 win with Martin Johnstone grabbing a hat-trick.

Today, Grange are clear favourites for the local derby against an Edinburgh University side that has had couple of reversals against Wanderers and Wildcats, and have only a single point courtesy of a 2-2 draw with Inverleith.

Western Wildcats have slipped into pole position in the national league and should still be there at end of today's match against a weakened Inverleith outfit. Traditionally, games between the two sides have been unpredictable, high-scoring affairs. Last season, the Wildcats were on top, winning the first fixture 6-3 followed by a narrower 3-2 scoreline at Peffermill.

While the Wildcats have started this season in good style with three crushing wins and a 3-3 draw with Grange, the Edinburgh outfit have only a single point to show for their efforts. The loss of key players in the close season has clearly had a detrimental effect on a side that came fourth in last season's competition. Stephen Dick and Chris Grassick migrated to the English Premier while Callum Milne has moved to Grange and has found the net in every game so far.

With no game last weekend, Greaves Clydesdale surrendered top spot to the Wildcats but the Titwood side have three straight wins under their belt and captain Ross Macpherson is aiming for four in a row against Grove Menzieshill at home. The Taysiders would be well advised to plan how to limit the concession of set pieces as Ciaran Crawford has converted eight in three games so far.

The Dundonians' form is not easy to determine, a 5-2 reversal at the hands of the Wildcats was followed by a 6-2 drubbing of AMN Hillhead, with Gavin Tomlinson netting a hat-trick.

The remaining fixture brings together Wanderers and Hillhead on Tayside, with both sides very up and down in their form.They have struggled against the better sides in the division but have picked up points against the poorer sides, so a close affair is anticipated.

In the second division, high-flying CALA Edinburgh are at home to Alpha Data Carnegie and a seventh win in a row should be the result. Meanwhile, challengers Watsonians and Stepps should maintain the pressure with victories over At Andrews University and Harris respectively. Second-placed CALA should maintain their status in the women's competition with a home win over Edinburgh University, while Grange EL take on Hillhead at home.