With the final scheduled Premiership weekend before the winter break approaching, bringing the first phase of the competition to an end, it is time to review the current situation and the few scenarios that remain to be decided.
The top of the women’s championship is still quite tight. Watsonians are in pole position with a perfect record, three points ahead of Clydesdale Western, while Edinburgh University is a further seven points behind. Watsonians’ advantage came courtesy of Tuesday night’s 10-2 win over Uddingston in a catch-up match. Fiona Burnet was top with five, perhaps unsurprisingly Sarah Jamieson grabbed a hat-trick and Jenna Park and Emily Dark were also on target.
The Edinburgh students dropped points in the draws against St Andrews and Wildcats, going down 4-1 to Clydesdale last weekend, but they are still in the mix. They host leaders Watsonians on Saturday and another turn of events would undoubtedly set them further adrift. Lately the matches between these two Edinburgh rivals have been very exciting, and Saturday’s meeting is likely to be no different, especially if Jojo Muhl brings her shooting stick.
Whatever the outcome, Clydesdale coach Fiona Semple will want to keep the pressure on with the three points on Uddingston.
Uddy’s form has been quite good lately and they are in seventh place, just a stone’s throw away from the top six. But they’ll have to fend off a free-scoring Clydesdale to make that ambition a reality – a tall order you might think, but you never know.
In fact, the race for a place in the top six is still wide open. The current top six are St Andrews University, GHK and Grange, who have all played ten games and are on 17, 16 and 15 points respectively. Uddy are on 14, while eighth-placed Wildcats are on 12, but there’s an extra game to come – so it’s all up for grabs.
You’d want St Andrews to beat Inverleith and GHK to beat Hillhead, so that leaves the crucial Grange v Wildcats clash in Edinburgh. It’s very much a winner-takes-all scenario. A win at Grange would see them safe on 18 points, while a Cats win would allow them to jump from Edinburgh to sixth place – and they still have an excellent match against Glasgow University to follow.
Current form would suggest a Grange triumph, they won three in a row until last weekend’s 5-1 defeat at St Andrews. In contrast, the Cats have taken just two points from their last five games, but they can rise to the occasion when necessary. Should be an interesting meeting!
A bit complicated, but Saturday should ultimately determine the top six formation.
Finally, the all-university clash sees Glasgow make the long journey to Aberdeen – both looking for their first win of the season.
The Men’s Premiership is also competitive going into the final match of the first phase. Edinburgh University, after recent impressive wins and striker Jamie Golden on fire in front of goal, are on 25 points, three points ahead of Watsonians with Western Wildcats a further two points behind – but the students have still played a game or two.
Then ESM Lions and Uddingston are on 20 points with only one match to go. All five are already assured of a top ranking.
Will this change on Saturday? Edinburgh complete their program at home to Grange. A year ago that would have been a challenging encounter, but sixth-placed Grange is having an up-and-down season and will need to be in top form to stem the Golden and co-scoring wave.
That brings us very nicely to the final top six position for the second half of the season. Grange are on 16 points, three ahead of Hillhead, but with a significant goal advantage. And the Glasgow side are at Watsonians for their final match, a challenging prospect. Hillhead enjoyed a late surge, unbeaten in their last four games, and will need to continue their top form in the hope of beating the side in second place.
Wildcats are the only undefeated team in the league and if they win their last three games they can jump to the top. However, Saturday’s away match at ESM Lions could be a challenge for the Wildcats in a jungle encounter. ESM are back in the top six with six wins from ten games, but once again couldn’t make a winning impression against Edinburgh University or Watsonians… so will they do better against the Wildcats? Saturday will tell!
So that could allow Uddingston to regain fourth spot as they welcome St Andrews University home. Uddy’s bubble was somewhat deflated last weekend by four goals from Jamie Golden, only their second defeat of the league season, and they will hope to avoid another upset against the bottom of the division.
And so to the bottom level of the Premier League. There is the drama of the Tayside derby between Grove Menzieshill and Dundee Wanderers. Points are still needed to stay clear of the bottom two places, and there is Tayside pride at stake, and it is never a meeting for the faint-hearted. So an interesting afternoon in Dundee is expected.
The Clydesdale management will look to lift their side from second place, and the chance falls to Titwood against Inverleith. The incentive is that the Dale would move ahead of Edinburgh on goal difference if the three points were secured… but as always there is no guarantee.
The match card is certainly exciting.
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