FEW TEAMS can have experienced the dramatic turnaround in form than that enjoyed by Kirkcaldy in the lead-up to tomorrow’s much-awaited Fife derby clash with Dunfermline at McKane Park, writes Steve Scott, rugby correspondent.

Two defeats to start the season seemed to plunge most at Beveridge Park into more despair to follow three seasons in which wins were rare and relegation battles were common.

However, sparked by the win at East Kilbride last month, the Blues blossomed by adding two more wins—against Ellon and Cambuslang—in successive weeks.

You know something must be happening when lock Stuart Oliver, a veteran of 95 league appearances—many of them in Division One—scores the first try of his career, as he did against Cambuslang last week, by way of a 40-yard rumble.

The rehiring of former head coach Doug Wyllie to motivate the forwards in his usual style is credited with the turnaround, as is the blending of Colin Harvey and Chris McConnell at half-back and the pace of more young recruits from the Blues’ Colts in the backs.

They now face rivals Dunfie, with Wayne Barr’s team featuring one or two former Blues players who defected during Kirkcaldy’s fall from Division One.

There should be a good deal of inter-Fife passion on show and, with both teams now safely placed in mid-table, the game may indicate which side—if not both—can challenge pacesetters West of Scotland.

Meanwhile Dundee HSFP have almost repaired all of the damage caused by the defeat in their league opener to Edinburgh Accies, pulling to within only a point of the leading Raeburn Place side after the 59-point romp over Hillhead/Jordanhill last week.

Even missing Cameron Ferguson and having to remove Graham Thomson early in the game didn’t stop the flow of points, which suggests that the Accies loss is an aberration that can now be written off.

This week High are over the border in Berwick, who challenged for promotion in the last two years but have slumped at the start of this season.

Scremerston is a tough venue to win at but High School did so last week and will be looking to maintain pressure on Accies.

In the National Leagues, Division One looks far more competitive than last year, when Hamilton and Ellon ran away with the promotion places.

Perthshire suffered their second defeat of the campaign against Preston Lodge last week and will be looking to bounce back against another ambitious outfit, Dalziel, at the North Inch this week.

Hillfoots also got back to winning ways last week and host third-placed Preston Lodge at Tillycoultry.

Morgan won a real arm-wrestle of a match at Irvine which cemented their hold on Division Two last week, but there was a healthy dissatisfaction with the 7-3 scoreline.

The same XV get a vote of confidence for a match against Ross High which should be a good deal different, given that the Tranent team have conceded 138 points in their games so far.

Howe of Fife take on Glasgow Accies at Duffus Park in the same division.

Glenrothes continue to struggle in Division Three and meet Lismore this week but Kinross have found their feet in Division Four with a couple of good wins, including a super away victory last week at Leith.

They should stretch to a third this week against hapless Cumnock, while Madras, who handed an 80-point beating to the Ayrshiremen last week, are away at Lismore.

The first clash of the unbeaten teams in Division Five’s Pool A comes at Inchmacoble where Strathmore take on Aberdeenshire, but a back-to-strength St Andrews University are a dangerous floater in this league despite a tough start due, in part, to term having not yet begun.

Weekend fixtures:

BT Premiership Division Two—Berwick v Dundee HSFP.

Division Three—Kirkcaldy v Dunfermline.

BT National League 1—Perthshire v Dalziel, Hillfoots v Preston Lodge. League 2—Howe of Fife v Glasgow Accies, Ross High v Morgan FP. League 3—Lismore v Glenrothes. League 4—Lenzie v Madras FP, Kinross v Cumnock.

League 5 (Caledonia) A— Alloa v Fife Southern, RAF Lossiemouth v Orkney, Mackie FP v St Andrews University, Waid FP v Stirling University, Strathmore v Aberdeenshire, Montrose v Crieff and Strathearn.

League 5 (Caledonia) B—Carnoustie HSFP v RAF Kinloss, Blairgowrie HSFP v Aberdeen Wanderers, Ross Sutherland v Garioch, Panmure v Lochaber, Shetland v Huntly.