Dundee HSFP’s chance of a top three place just about ended when their depleted side lost to champions Currie last week, making the visit of Hawick this week largely about pride.
Like many clubs the sting seems to have gone out of Dundee’s season after the big freeze, and the momentum gained by the excellent victory at Ayr and the run of home games when they were scoring like a basketball team was lost when the snows descended in late November.
Injuries in the course of a long season have taken their effect, but on the other hand the club have blooded a number of new names and the production line to maintain high-level Premier rugby seems as active as ever.
Dundee won the corresponding fixture at Mansfield Park with a last-minute try and conversion, and with the Greens at the bottom of Premier A it shapes up as a dogfight for late season honours.
Stirling County have no game this week and don’t play their final Premier B game until April 2, but the necessary business has been completed, with last week’s crushing victory over Peebles securing Premier One rugby for next season that is, if Ayr’s reported proposal to reduce the top division to eight teams fails to gain enough support.
The rain put paid to Kirkcaldy’s crucial match against Kelso at the bottom of Premier C and the Blues now turn their attention toward Stewarts Melville, who torched Falkirk at Inverleith as a warm-up. At least no further damage was done to the Fifers’ cause with GHA losing again, and the Southsiders now have only one game to play to Kirkcaldy’s four.
Even then, the rescheduled fixture against Kelso would still appear to be the biggest match left on the card for the Blues, and anything they can take from this, their only other home game, would be vital in the run-in.Premier ThreeMusselburgh’s surprise win at Morgan in Premier Three last week has placed both Dunfermline and Perthshire in a perilous position, and the East Lothian side’s visit to McKane Park takes on crucial importance for Dunfie, who went down to Cartha QP last week. Anything other than a win would make their task to stay in Premier rugby just about insurmountable.
‘Shire drop to second bottom but can point to their game in hand and the fact that five of their remaining seven games after this week’s trip to Dumfries are at the North Inch suggesting they can pull away if they get their act together.
Morgan have been drawn back to the fringes of the relegation zone but can pull away if they win at Haddington and, like Perthshire, they have a game in hand and five to play at home before their schedule is complete.
Howe of Fife have crept quietly up the table into third and this week are at Hamilton, who lie in the promotion place above. Howe are nine points adrift having played a game more. They beat the Lanarkshire side comfortably in cup action at the start of the month and could set up an interesting run-in with another win.
The Hillfoots-Strathmore double-header in Caley One and the Bowl last week was full of incident, the sides drawing after 80 minutes to share the league points before ‘Foots prevailed in extra time to proceed on the road to finals day.
In league terms it leaves Hillfoots on top by three points over their rivals, who have a game in hand. Both clubs host student sides this week, and nothing less than bonus-point wins will suffice.
Two bowl matches postponed due to the rain last week will try again, with Harris hosting Madras at Elliot Road while Glenrothes are at Forthill to take on Panmure.This week’s matches:Premier A: Dundee HSFP v Hawick.Premier C: Kirkcaldy v Stewarts Melville FP.Premier Three: Dunfermline v Musselburgh, Haddington v Morgan, Dumfries v Perthshire, Hamilton v Howe of Fife.SRU Bowl: Harris Academy FP v Madras, Panmure v Glenrothes.Caledonia League One: Hillfoots v St Andrews University, Aberdeen University v Grangemouth, Strathmore v Stirling University.League Two: Fife Southern v Arbroath, Blairgowrie v Crieff and Strathearn.League Three: Bannockburn v Waid Academy FP, Montrose and District v Stobswell.