Under-18 title up for grabs

Bells Sports Centre in Perth hosts the last indoor action of the season tomorrow as Scotland’s young hopefuls vie for the under-18 title.

Last year Midland’s hopes of a third Scottish U-18 crown on the spin disappeared in the cruellest of fashions. Finishing level with West on points, it was the latter who lifted the silverware courtesy of a goal difference of one.

Rachel Strachan, Ellie Stott, Michaela McCarthy and Izzy Folan return as the “seasoned campaigners” looking to inspire their new team mates.

With the new coaching/management team of Iain Strachan and Vikki Bunce at the helm, Midland get their challenge under way against South, before facing East and West in the afternoon session.

Midland squad – Corrie Hay, Michaela McCarthy, Ellie Stott, Izzy Folan, Nicola McArthur, Flora Hamill, Lucy Smith, Rhiannon Carr, Annie Neil, GKs: Rachel Strachan, Kara MacRitchie.

Elsewhere today, Western Wildcats are the only premier side in action and taking their place in the last eight of the Scottish Cup should be a formality when Second Division Aberdeen University come calling at Auchenhowie.

Dundee University entertain their peers from St Andrews in a Division 2 fixture at Riverside tomorrow.

Grove Menzieshill II shake off the festive excesses with a home game against Championship 1 opponents Waverley Inveresk Trinity while there’s plenty of Midland involvement in Championship 2 with Perthshire, Kinross and St Andrews Uni II hopefully enjoying the benefits of home advantage over Erskine Stewarts Melville II, CALA II and Falkirk & Linlithgow respectively.

Midland clubs should be back in full swing in divisions 1 and 2, the exception being Blairgowrie v Perthshire II who have elected to rearrange their league fixture in favour of getting last week’s weather-hit KO Cup game out of the way.