Students looking for fifth straight win

Scottish Premiership: Erskine Stewart’s Melville v Inverleith; Clydesdale v Grove Menzieshill; Dundee Wanderers v Watsonians (noon); Grange v Kelburne (13.00); Uddingston v The University of Edinburgh (14.00).

The University of Edinburgh can consolidate top spot in the men’s Premiership hockey if they beat Uddingston in Lanarkshire on Saturday and they go into the game with an unblemished four-game record.

Plus, the students are the top scoring side in the 12-strong division with 23 slammed into the opposition net in only four games. The university side have shipped three and they came last Saturday when they won 7-3 against a young Inverleith squad at Peffermill Playing Fields.

Uddingston are fourth in the table with two wins and two defeats so far having scored nine goals and let in six.

It’s been a busy week for the students who had a tough midweek clash with British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) against The University of Birmingham at Peffermill but coach Hamish Imrie has they firing.

They came back from 2-0 down against the Midlands combine, scoring in the final quarter, to draw.

Second-placed Grange are at home to struggling Kelburne on Saturday (13.00) at Fettes College and they have also won four straight to collect 12 points, scoring 12 goals and letting in six in the process.

Coach Stevie Grubb said they have a number of players returning from injury so selection will be challenging, but a nice challenge to have and he added: “We have been working on a few areas to strengthen our play going forward.”

Tenth-placed Kelburne are, however, boosted by their narrow 4-3 victory over FSEG Clydesdale last Saturday, a welcome three points against a side which went into the game on the back of a 2-1 win at Watsonians the previous Saturday.

Western Wildcats are third but they are on duty in the Euro Hockey League in Barcelona and so miss a Saturday while Watsonians, who are ninth travel to second-bottom Dundee Wanderers having lost three and won one so far.

Erskine Stewart’s Melville are seventh have lost their last two games and host city rivals Inverleith who are eighth with both teams having four points.

Paul Taylor, Inverleith’s coach, said that his men learned a lot from the first four games and he added: “We are looking to ensure that we build on these towards a positive result on Saturday.”

Fifth-placed Clydesdale who have six points host Tayside-based Grove Menzieshill who are one place and one point behind them.

Ciaran Crawford, Clydesdale’s coach, said: “We’re looking to bounce back after a disappointing result against Kelburne who defended well and took their chances.

“If we can convert the chances we make this weekend we will hopefully be finishing with a positive result.”

PICTURES: The University of Edinburgh v Inverleith at Peffermill. Pictures by Nigel Duncan