Grange host Clydesdale in bid to keep noses in front

The top three teams in the men’s National League Division 1 are beginning to separate themselves from the rest at the halfway stage of the season, with leaders Grange three points ahead of Kelburne and Grove Menzieshill.

But all three have dropped points when it has perhaps been least expected so it’s difficult trying to predict what will happen this weekend.

Grange will be looking to stay at the top of the division by beating Clydesdale, who are averaging just a point a game and slipped to defeat against Dundee Wanderers last week.

Kelburne also have a very winnable game against Inverleith, who are rooted to the foot of the table with only one point from their opening nine matches.

Grove Menzieshill reprise their opening-day encounter against Dundee Wanderers and will also be looking to repeat the 3-1 scoreline they achieved back in September. Menzieshill have improved since that triumph, but so too have Wanderers.

In the women’s top flight, Edinburgh University hold a one-point lead over Grove Menzieshill at the top of the table now that all Grove results have been submitted, and today GHK are unlikely to slow the progress of an Edinburgh team scoring at a rate of over five per game and conceding fewer than one.

Grove have a rematch with Dundee Wanderers and will be keen to improve on their earlier 3-3 draw.

Clydesdale Western should maintain their momentum in third place against a Grange side firmly in the bottom four.

Meanwhile, Great Britain lost the final match of their three-match Test Series against Germany in Mannheim, losing 5-2.

Germany established a 3-0 lead in the first ten minutes and Britain never really recovered. Phil Roper did pull one back from a penalty corner, but Germany restored their threegoal lead before half-time.

The Germans scored again midway through the second half before Scotland’s Gordon Grassick grabbed a late consolation.