Hockey: Rob Barr urges Grange to get off to a better start this season

Grange captain Rob Barr is looking to learn from the mistakes of last season as his charges open their Subway National League campaign against AMN Hillhead at Peffermill today.

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

The Hillhead game early last year saw carelessly dropped points in a 4-4 draw.

"We need a strong league campaign to get back into Europe next year.''

During the close season Grange lost Wei Adams, to Hillhead, and keeper Colin Johnstone to Cala Edinburgh, but have signed Scotland Under-21 international Callum Milne from Inverleith to strengthen the midfield. Johnstone's replacement is the young Spanish keeper Josep Torrens from Barcelona.

However, Grange will be without striker Cammie Fraser, who is part of the Scotland squad for the Commonwealth Games in Delhi next month.

Elsewhere, Western Wildcats ought to survive their trip to newly-promoted Aberdeen Asset Management while Greaves Clydesdale, who surpassed themselves to finish in third place last season, should have too much firepower for Dundee Wanderers at Titwood.

The top fixture in the women's first division brings together Cala and Kelburne at Meggetland. This could be a close encounter if last season's results are anything to go by,