Hockey: Leaders jostle for position as European race hots up

WITH Glynhill Kelburne putting some distance between themselves and the chasing pack, it is the battle for second spot and a place in Europe next season that is focusing the minds of the coaches of Grange, Western Wildcats and Inverleith.

“Currently we are fourth in the table. At the start of the season we set ourselves a target of finishing in the top three. At the moment, we are still on track for this target, and if we could finish second, then I think that would be a great achievement,” said Stephen McCurry, Inverleith’s coach.

Inverleith trail Grange by five points, but have two games in hand, and this weekend is a double header against CALA and Edinburgh University, and six points here could propel the Edinburgh side into third place above the Wildcats.

McCurry is certainly not counting his chickens against teams below them in the table. “Both will be very hard games. In the first half of the season, we dominated the game against CALA for long spells, but we only won the game by the odd goal in five. Our game against Edinburgh University ended in a 2-2 draw, so it will not be easy to take the six points and we will take nothing for granted.”

Grange also take on the Edinburgh University today and a win would preserve their second place status. Rob Barr’s charges blew hot and cold in last week’s 3-3 draw with the Wildcats, but should be too strong for the students.

Western entertain Grove Menzieshill in a fixture fraught with pitfalls. In the first game of the season, the contest ended 3-3 and the Taysiders are unbeaten in their last five league encounters.

Kelburne have yet to drop a point in the campaign so far and are clear favourites to collect another six from their double header weekend against bottom side VWS Dundee Wanderers and then Menzieshill.

CALA Edinburgh could slip further into the relegation mire if AMN Hillhead can take three points at home from the unpredictable Greaves Clydesdale. Hillhead are currently three points behind CALA, but with a game in hand.

In the women’s league, Grove Menzieshill’s hold at the top of the division is looking increasingly tenuous. They are only two points ahead of Giffnock and four in front of Milne Craig Western but with a game more played. Giffnock are the callers on Tayside today. There has been a dip in the form of the champions of late – a fortnight ago they lost their unbeaten record 2-1 to Western – but if Grove can keep on winning, the championship will definitely return to Tayside. Western should move to within a point of Grove if they can beat CALA Edinburgh today and Edinburgh University on Sunday.