Having failed to pick up any points on Saturday, our first teams face stiff challenges in their second games of the league season.
The girls took a lot from their 2-1 defeat at Grove. They played well and bring a great deal of confidence to their first home game of the season in which they face Dundee Wanderers (1530). Wanderers beat Western Ladies 3-0 in their opening fixture and are surely keen to reclaim the top four spot they lost to Wildcats last season. This is another tough match in a demanding start to the season, compounded by the fact that the girls go to CALA on Sunday (1300).
The boys simply did not show up in their opening day defeat to Hillhead and, to give them their due, were very honest about that after the fact. This Saturday sees them making the tricky trip to Peffermill where Edinburgh University await (1600). The 'students' boast a wealth of international experience with Dan Coultas the latest addition to their ranks and Western must seriously up their game if they are to get their season of the ground here. Adam MacKenzie makes his competitive debut and this should add some much-needed experience to the back line. However, Ross Clunie remains on the naughty step as he serves out his suspension.
The Women's 2s are at home to Kelburne 3s (1400). Wildcats have played some reasonable hockey without getting a result in their first couple of fixtures. Let's hope they knock something off here. The 3s play Hillhead 5s at Lower Windyedge (1430).
The Men's 2s had their eyes opened to what they can expect in Central 1 during their 6-0 defeat to Grange 2s. The boys' ability has been enough to see them hold their own in any competition they have entered up till now. This season, though, they really need to acclimatise fast if they are to cope in what is a very tough division. They are at Edinburgh Academy to play Inverleith (1230) on Saturday and it will be interesting to see how they respond to last week's disappointment.
The 3s take a road trip to Dumfries (1230) who are currently leading West 1 on goal difference. Western look pretty strong, though, and we would be hopeful of them bringing three points back up the M74. The 4s finally get a game of hockey, at home to East Kilbride 2s (1100), while the 5s enjoy a jaunt to Largs to plat Greenock 2s.