Pace-setting Grange beat contenders Edinburgh University 4-1 to maintain pole position in the men’s Premiership title race, taking chances which came their way.
Fraser Heigh put them 2-0 ahead in the opening six minutes but early on the students halved the deficit in the second through Tom Cahalin.
Their joy was short-lived as Albert Rowling made it 3-1 firing home a rebound after a penalty corner and the students missed from the spot before the break.
The third quarter was goalless but Jacob Tweedie`s open play strike in the final phase sealed the result.
Western beat Clydesdale 4-1 and remain only a point adrift of Grange. Fraser Moran scored in the first minute, beating two defenders before firing the ball into the roof of the net and the scoreline stayed that way until the half-time break.
In the third quarter Rob Harwood doubled the score but Clydesdale hit back through Sandy Craig for 2-1 but any comeback hopes were dashed when Andrew McConnell lifted the ball over the goalkeeper for 3-1 and Callum Duke completed the scoring.
Watsonians were held 3-3 by Inverleith and they are level on points and goal difference with Clydesdale but have scored fewer goals and remain in fifth spot.
Kyle Taylor, Charlie Jack and Joel Reid scored fort Inverleith while a double from Dan Coultas and a reverse stick strike by Sam Knight counted for Watsonians.
Hillhead maintained seventh after a 3-3 draw by Kelburne but Uddingston moved to within two points of Hillhead after a 4-3 win over Dunfermline Carnegie who remain in the relegation zone.
ESM claimed a survival lifeline with a 3-2 home win over Dundee-based FMGM Monarchs and ESM seemed to be strolling to a comfortable victory with a 3-1 lead with only a minutes left.
Fraser Sturrock netted double and Jack Collister the other while Callum Boag replied for Monarchs, his second coming from a converted late penalty for 3-2 and provided a nervy last two minutes for the Edinburgh club.
The result lifts the Edinburgh side to tenth in the table, two points ahead of Dunfermline who fall into second bottom spot and the play-off relegation position. It leaves Monarchs detached at the foot.
In the women’s Premiership, all-conquering Watsonians lost their perfect record took a dent when they were held to a 1-1 draw by Western Wildcats, but they still lead the division by three points from Edinburgh University.
The goals came in the first half, Becky Ward put Cats in front from a rebound at a penalty corner but the champions replied with an open play deflection from Sarah Jamieson (pictured playing for Scotland).
Watsonians` coach Keith Smith said: “Fair play to Wildcats, they defended well and disrupted our normal flow, They had the better of the first-half and we took the second-half but weren`t able to convert our pressure into goals.”
Edinburgh University took advantage of Watsonians slip with a 3-0 win over Clydesdale Western and are now only three points adrift at the top. Zara Kennedy, Louise Campbell and Amy Brodie were on target. Clydesdale to fifth.
In the other top six encounter, GHK were 2-1 winners at Glasgow University and Fiona Semple`s squad move to fourth in the table, level on points with Wildcats but with an inferior goal difference.
Hillhead and Grange are competing to finish top of the lower six competition, the former beat Uddingston 3-0 while the latter were 2-1 victors over Inverleith. Grange`s goals came from Becky Mill and Kirsty Buchan while Florencia Monte Burgos replied for Inverleith.
Inverleith slip into the relegation play-off spot as Gordonians beat Dundee Wanderers 3-1 and move up to tenth.
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