With the indoor sticks put away for another year, the first teams return to the 11-a-side version of the sport against Edinburgh University at Peffermill on Saturday.
On first are the girls (1300) who sit third, a point ahead of Dundee Wanderers in fourth. The students are five points above Wildcats and level with top-of-the-table Clydesdale Western. Kaz has identified a top three place as the team's target for this season and points here would help in a big way. Our girls have an agonising record of close games but dropped points against the uni. Hopefully we'll see a change in their fortunes this weekend.
The boys have a very important fixture at 1600. Western must simply keep winning games so as to apply as much pressure as possible to Grange who sit top, four points ahead of them and due to visit Auchenhowie next Saturday. The squad are in a great place following their indoor heroics and have been working hard in training since the indoor season finished. That said, they were mugged at home by the students earlier in the season and Graeme Moodie is an astute coach who knows how to set up his side to make life difficult for Western. This will be a tough game but one which Western are more than capable of winning if they play to form.
The 2s had a rotten run in their final few games before Christmas and finished the first half of the campaign on a bit of a downer. They resume their season at Watsonians (1430), a team they sit level on 21 points with after 11 games. In truth, Central 1 is an extremely competitive league with plenty of close games and this, too, is likely to be very tight. Joining the 2s are Adam MacKenzie and Roddy McConnell, both of whom excelled before Christmas for the 3s. They should be confident of making an impact at the higher level.
Despite losing two of their most impressive youngsters to the 2s, the 3s have a decent looking side for Saturday when they welcome Glasgow University 3s to Aucnehowie (1300). Western won the away fixture comfortably in the Autumn and it will be interesting to see how this one goes.
Straight after the 3s are the 4s who, following a great run of form, are third in Division 3. They play Uddingston 5s (1430) who are six points ahead in second. This should be a good game given both teams' recent good results.