Aberdeen Grammar and Ayr are the only two teams in the RBS Premiership, to have landed evenly on both sides of the coin at the start of the season.

The teams have won two games and lost two games apiece going into round five in the top-flight division.

Currently, Aberdeen Grammar sit in seventh place with nine points, while Ayr are slightly ahead in fifth place with 11 points. The defending champions travel north to Rubislaw tomorrow for the host’s second consecutive home match in a run of three.

Aberdeen Grammar captain, Greig Ryan, said: “We want to get back to winning ways this weekend and refine our form.

“The two matches we’ve lost in the league so far, we let slip through our fingers. We made basic errors and Edinburgh Accies and Gala capitalised. We also seemed to go through a slump in the second half so we’ll have to make sure we can keep the momentum after the break.

“Playing the defending champs is always a hard task, but we beat them at home last season, so we know we’re capable of getting the win. Plus, we have two Scotland internationalists in our side, in Fraser Brown and Moray Low, so what more can you ask for.”

There will be another Edinburgh derby this weekend as Currie and Heriot’s go head-to-head at Malleny Park. This match will have a later kick-off of 4pm.

In the Borders, Gala and Hawick meet at Netherdale at 3pm.

Elsewhere, Edinburgh Accies and Melrose meet at Raeburn Place and Glasgow Hawks travel to Bridgehaugh to play Stirling County. The hosts welcome former Scotland Club internationalist, AJ McFarlane, to Bridgehaugh for his first match.

Stirling County head coach, Graeme Young, said: “Everyone was disappointed with last weekend’s match in Aberdeen, in a game where we felt like we didn’t get out of third gear. We had several clear opportunities to win the match and couldn’t quite grasp them.

“Hawks will be buoyed by their performance against Gala, but we’re desperate to get our season back on track and win tomorrow.”

Glasgow Hawks head coach, Jamie Dempsey, said: “Stirling County are a formidable opponent anywhere, but especially at home at Bridgehaugh.

“We realise that territory and possession will be critical in attempting to win there for the first time in several years. Focussing on ourselves, we realise we have had a positive start to life in the RBS Premiership. However, we’re eager to improve by reducing our individual technical errors that will allow us to develop close games into victories in what is an extremely competitive league.”

From the pro-ranks this week, Fraser Brown, Moray Low (Aberdeen Grammar), John Houston (Edinburgh Accies), Alun Walker (Melrose), Peter Murchie, Gabriel Ascarate, Duncan Weir (Stirling County) and Finlay Gillies (Glasgow Hawks) will be turning out for a selection of teams.

All matches kick-off at 3pm, apart from Currie v Heriot’s which will start at 4pm. Please note in the National League Watsonians’ game against Dundee HSFP at Myreside will kick-off at 3.30pm

In the women’s RBS Premiership Hillhead/Jordanhill meet Stirling County in Glasgow; Watsonians welcome RHC Cougars and Melrose travel to Murrayfield Wanderers. All these matches kick-off at 2pm on Sunday.



Edinburgh Accies v Melrose, Raeburn Place, 3pm

Edinburgh Accies team: Josh Pecqueur; Jamie Farndale, Ewen Campbell, Iain Berthinussen, Nyle Godsmark; Alex Blair, Ruaridh Bonner; Alex Allan, Michael Liness, Phil Cringle, Greg Campbell (captain), Jamie McCarthy, Robin Snape, Neil Aitken and Andrew Findlater.
Replacements: Duncan Morrison, Shaun Strudwick, Tom Stuart, Stuart Evans and John Houston.

Melrose team: Austin Lockington; Damien Hoyland, Andrew Skeen, Joe Helps, Alan Dodds, Richard Mill, Bruce Colvine; Nicky Little, Alun Walker, Nick Beavon, James Head, Ross Ovens, Peter Eccles, Grant Runciman and Graeme Dodds.
Replacements: Richard Ferguson, Gary Holborn, Chris Keen, Ross Miller and Tom Wilson.

Referee: James Matthew



Gala v Hawick, Netherdale, 3pm

Gala team: Graeme Speirs; Gavin Young, Chris Auld, Ewan Scott, Grant Somerville; Andy McLean, George Graham (captain); Rory Sutherland, Russell Anderson, Ewan McQuillin, Opeta Palepoi, Craig Borthwick, Gary Graham, Steven Cairns and Tom Weir.
Replacements: Callum MacIntosh, Euan Dods, Chris Weir, Gregor Mein and Craig Russell

Hawick team: Neil Renwick; Steven Anderson, Scott McLeod, Lee Armstrong, Greg Anderson; Rory Hutton, Jake Evans; Shawn Muir, Lindsey Gibson, Liam Launders, Bruce McNeill, Rob McAlpine, Nick MacTaggart, Rory Scott and Keith Davies (captain).
Replacements: Matthew Landels, Wullie Blacklock, Kieran Willison, Neil McCombe and Ali Weir.

Referee: Rob Dickson



Aberdeen Grammar v Ayr, Rubislaw, 3pm

Aberdeen Grammar team: Angus Rennie; Calum Gordon, Will Wardlaw, Harry Duthie, Erland Oag; Mark Ryan, Luke Earle-Wright; Moray Low, Sean O’Connor, Struan Cessford, Ed Nimmons, Jamie Metcalfe, Greig Ryan (captain), Tony McGuiness and Tom Preece.
Replacements: Fraser Brown, Matt Schosser, Callum Harvey, Sam Ryan and Morgan Ward.

Ayr team: Grant Anderson; Craig Gossman, Robbie Fergusson, Dean Kelbrick, Kerr Gossman; Finn Russell, Peter Jericevich; Denford Mutamangira, Fergus Scott, Nick Cox, Scott Sutherland, Callum Templeton, Graham Fisken, Andrew Dunlop and Calum Forrester (captain).
Replacements: Stuart Fenwick, George Hunter, Peter McCallum, Murray McConnell and Ross Curle.

Referee: Lloyd Linton



Stirling County v Glasgow Hawks, 3pm

Stirling County team: Peter Murchie; Ben Addison, Gabriel Ascarate, Brian Archibald, Rory Hughes; Stuart Edwards, AJ McFarlane; Jamie Bhatti, Alex Moffat, Ross Murray, Craig Deacons, Matt Larsen, Struan Robertson, Sean McDonald and Jamie Swanson.
Replacements: Reyner Kennedy, Kris Burney, Will Bordill, Bengy Bersanti and Duncan Weir.

Glasgow Hawks team: James Gormley; Tom Steven, Ally MacLay, David Milne, Robert Beattie; Mike Adamson, Haddon McPherson; Steven Findlay, Finlay Gillies, Brendan Cullinane, Andy Linton, Rory McKay, Andy Kirkland, Mateusz Bartoszek and Ross Miller.
Replacements: Jack McFarlane, Craig Bachurzewski, Stephen Leckie, Andy White and Jack Steele.

Referee: Andrew McMenemy



Currie v Heriot’s, Malleny Park, 4pm

Currie team: Ruaridh Smith; Harvey Elms, Alex Penman, Ethan Pollock, Callum Kerr; George Horne, Richard Sneddon or Joe Stachan; John Cox, Isaac Miller, Alastair Hamilton, Gary Temple, Michael Vernal, Mark Cairns or Karl Main, Malcolm Peacock and Ross Weston.
Replacements: Joe Roe, Reece Patterson, A N Other, A N Other and Adam Alexander.

Heriot’s team: Liam Steele; Colin Goudie, Keith Buchan, Cameron Ferguson, Harry Boisseau; Max Nimmo, Graham Wilson; Craig Owenson, Kevin Bryce, Stuart Mustard, Murray Douglas, Russell Nimmo, Jack Turley (captain), Alex Henderson and Jason Hill.
Replacements: George Turner, Malcolm Welch, Chris Mulligan, OJ Brown and Max Learmonth.

Referee: Graeme Wells

This article was posted on 20-Sep-2013, 10:52 by Hugh Barrow.