Dundee back at last but omens don’t look good

TENNENT’S LEAGUES: Kirkcaldy heading west again after Ayrshire mauling

After Dundee High kicking their heels for the month of February, league rugby returns to Mayfield tomorrow when Musselburgh pitch up in National 1.

Whether the break will have eased Dundee’s horrific injury problems enough to get a result remains to be seen but the portents are not good.

The home side are bottom of the table while Musselburgh, although seventh in the league, still have a chance of a topthree spot – which would be quite an achievement for the Stoneyhill men.

When the two sides met at Musselburgh, the home side won 32-17 and, on current form, it looks unlikely that Dundee will turn that around.

Colin Sangster, director of rugby at Dundee, said: “The break means that we will have two or three back but there are still long-term injured who will be unavailable.

“We are where we are for a reason and if it means that we drop down a league to consolidate and rebuild then that might be no bad thing.”

A jaunt to the seaside on a midFebruary day posing as early summer – what’s not to like?

Perhaps not the most diplomatic question to ask around Beveridge Park after Kirkcaldy retuned from a trip to the Ayrshire coast nursing a 63-5 mauling at the hands of National 1 leaders Marr.

Certainly, coach Quinten Sanft had cited his injury list before the trip and admitted that it would be difficult which, in light of the scoreline, was perhaps a slight understatement.

However, he did point out that they are now focusing on tomorrow’s game against Cartha Queen’s Park which, along with the one against Dundee High in the four-game run-in looks to be the most significant.

Kirkcaldy head west to face Cartha at Dumbreck.

Both sides are on 26 points, with Cartha ahead on differential, but Kirkcaldy will look back on their 52-24 win at home and attempt to go into the final three league games with at least a fighting chance of avoiding ending up in the drop zone.

Earlier in the season when things looked really bleak for Howe of Fife, they were at the wrong end of a 62-7 scoreline at the Gytes at a point of the season where Peebles looked as though a title challenge could still be on the cards.

That has faded but, nevertheless, they will be formidable opponents when they go to Duffus Park tomorrow although this time it will be to face a Howe side now beginning to turn things around.

In their last five games, Howe have beaten Whitecraigs, lost to potential title winners Biggar, lost by three points to Glasgow Accies, by two points to Lasswade and by five points to GHK.

The bonus points collected along the way may be scant consolation but it does show a remarkable turnaround from earlier in the season.

Club president Chris Reekie said: “Yes, the break has helped us regarding injuries up to a point but what is really important is that we learn to maximise the chances we are creating and through that build the confidence of a young side.

“In doing that they will learn what it takes to turn those narrow losses into wins.”

Yet again, it was a gloomy return north for Perthshire, whose match against St Boswells was lost by 36-26.

As coach Alan Clarke pointed out, they have four hard games in the run-in and the first of these comes tomorrow when they travel to Aberdeen to face league leaders Gordonians at Countesswells.