Edinburgh University lost their 100 per cent record when they stumbled at Titwood and emerged with a 3-3 draw against Clydedale, leaving them two points adrift of the top two, second-placed Grange and early-season pace-setters, Western Wildcats, who are in pole position on goal difference.
The draw is an early-season blow to player/coach Hamish Imrie (pictured by Nigel Duncan), particularly as the students battled back from 2-0 down to lead 3-2 only to give up a goal four minutes from time.
Clydesdale, however, have started the season well with two wins and a draw, a 4-1 home success over Hillhead followed by a 4-1 win at struggling FMGM Monarchs and now Sunday’s draw, leaving them with seven points, the same as the students, and in fourth position. The Glasgow club have scored 11 goals and conceded five while Edinburgh University have scored 14 and lost five.
Before Sunday’s draw, Scottish international Imrie, who has played for clubs on the Continent, had guided his men to back-to-back home wins over Inverleith (3-0) and Kelburne (8-2).
They are third in the table and now play a friendly against Cambridge University at Peffermill on Wednesday and then have next weekend off as Scotland men hold a training weekend.
Their first British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS), Premier National, league game is against Oxford the following Wednesday and Imrie said: “The boys have worked hard and deserve some days off this weekend. Yes, Sunday was disappointing after we fought back from 2-0 down to lead 3-2, but we’ve had a good start to the season.”
Four new players have joined the team now captained by Iain McFadden and Imrie admitted: “We have a lot of hard work still to do, but we have a number of experienced players to help bed the newcomers in.”
The students are next on duty in Scotland’s Premiership at newly-promoted and pointless FMGM Monarchs at Dalnacraig in Dundee on Saturday, October 8 (13.30).
Finally, a nice touch last Saturday for their win over Kelburne was an invitation to pupils from Imrie’s old school, Cargilfield at Cramond in Edinburgh to join the team at Peffermill for their pre-match talk and to act as ball boys for the game.
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