THE SCOTSMAN REPORTS
Mather won't take Stirling at face value

BILL LOTHIAN


WATSONIAN player/coach Cammy Mather has warned his side to beware slipping on the banana skin that is Stirling County when the former champions visit Myreside in the BT Premiership tomorrow.

Virtually the length of the table separates the sides - 'Sonians are second while Stirling are in the basement position - but Mather remains wary.


"During my last stint at 'Sonians before going off into the professional ranks I came to expect Stirling always to be title contenders rather than relegation candidates and that is the only mindset to adopt in a league where every team seems to be capable of beating any other on the day," said the ex-international flanker.

In looking to bounce back from the disappointment of being held to a draw by an injury-time goal at Boroughmuir, Mather is set to shake up his squad.

Adding to the 19 on duty last week are forwards Stephen Gray, Murray Bringhurst and former national sevens skipper Darren Burns while captain Alan Nash could return from a hand injury at some stage as a substitute.

Also in the Capital, Heriot's face Biggar with coach Jock Bryce in little doubt as to what to expect.

"In the past Biggar have sought to play a positional game against us and force penalties which they then hope to kick," said Bryce.

Key could be the way Heriot's impose themselves with a pack among whom flanker Scott Newlands made an instant impression after his move from Borders Reivers with a fine performance in the win over Currie last week.

For Boroughmuir the task will be to do what no side has managed this season and defeat champions Glasgow Hawks at Anniesland.

Centre Malcolm Clapperton will attempt to notch a try for the fourth match in succession in a 'Muir side looking to build on a storming finish to snatch a point from Watsonians, manager Grant Wilson says.

"While satisfied with the determination that earned a draw that bench-mark must be at least equalled," maintained the former Scotland A prop.

Poised to debut for Stewart's/Melville at Aberdeen Grammar FPs is utility back Alex Cox while full back Richard Borthwick is pencilled in for a return after two weeks out with an arm injury.

Borthwick's possible return is timely given Peter Jorgensen's call-up to the Edinburgh Gunners squad.

As his side prepare to confront Hawick in the Borders, Currie coach Ally Donaldson is adamant fine tuning may only be required to get the team back to winning ways. He said: "Against Heriot's last week we conceded two soft tries whereas all four of ours had to be worked for," recalled Donaldson, who added: "A tighter defence could make all the difference because we managed four last weekend."

In Division Two Murrayfield Wanderers aim to break their duck at home to Kelso while second place Edinburgh Acads head for Berwick.

In Division Three Musselburgh, RHC Cougars and University are all away to, respectively, West, Cambuslang and Dunfermline.

• DOUGIE FLOCKHART'S cross-code flirtations are set to continue with Scottish rugby league's 100th internationalist retaining his place in the squad for a Nations Cup match with Ireland at Anniesland on Sunday.

The winger started the season with Currie rugby union club to whom he is expected to return shortly after helping the Scots take the back door route into the final (against either Georgia, Russia or France) by hoping the Irish then lose to the Welsh in the final qualifier.

This article was posted on 22-Oct-2005, 09:02 by Hugh Barrow.