Cartha men hunting vital points against doomed Dundee

Cartha Queen’s Park need six points to be certain of staying in Tennent’s National Division 1 and they could see five of those being on offer when Dundee High pitch up at Dumbreck on Saturday.

Dundee are doomed for the drop and Cartha won the earlier contest at Mayfield in November by 35-25, although it is one of those which Dundee surrendered, having been 22-18 ahead only for Cartha to mop up in the final 10 minutes.

It is bit gloomy to go into your last four games knowing relegation is inevitable but Dundee president Gerry Tosh claimed they would keep battling.

He said: “Our goal is not to finish bottom and at least that would put a bit of pride back in the club.

“We have blooded a lot of youngsters at National 1 level this season and we have no divine right to stay in that league.

“The youngsters have shown confidence, commitment and technical ability.

“What they need now is the experience which will turn the sort of matches we threw away this season into wins.

“Colin Sangster has done a great job as coach with the young players we have brought in and hopefully that continues next season and we bounce back.”

National 2 leaders Dumfries play secondplaced Stewart’s Melville so, whatever happens there, a bonus-point win for Kirkcaldy over Glasgow Accies at New Anniesland could put them back in contention after the mess they made of their last home match against Newton Stewart.

When Accies came to Beveridge Park, they were at the wrong end of a 45-23 scoreline with Kirkcaldy running in seven tries complemented with five Finlay Smith conversions.

Coach Quinten Sanft would undoubtedly settle for that again.

In National 3, Howe of Fife travel to Murrayfield Wanderers who caused a bit of a scare at Duffus

Park when they pulled back a Howe first-half lead of 31-12 and it took secondhalf tries from Sean Murray and Will Howley to stem the Wanderers fightback.

Howe lost last week 33-20 to Strathmore and Howe president Chris Reekie admitted Strathmore had played the conditions better.

However, with that result putting a dent in Howe’s promotion challenge – despite the fact there is still a fair chunk of the run-in to go – Howe cannot afford to let this capital opportunity slip.

At the beginning of the month, Strathmore won at Maybole by 39-7 and, with Carrick due at Inchmacoble this weekend, they will be looking at another fivepointer which could hoist them into the top half of the table if Hillhead Jordanhill lose to West of Scotland.

After raking in the spoils against Howe last week, Strathie have to be confident of taking the points from the Ayrshire men who face certain relegation.

It is another tough one for Perthshire, who take on a Berwick outfit who turned them over at North Inch to the tune of 32-20, and they travel to Scremerston to face a side who now sit top of the table.

Berwick are looking good after their mauling of Hillhead Jordanhill a fortnight ago and it could be a long afternoon for Shire.

Dundee High president Gerry Tosh.