Currie have not given up on play-Offs '“ Ben Cairns

Currie head coach Ben Cairns expects his men to bounce back against Hawick. Pic: TSPL

Cairns saw his side surrender fourth spot in the table after going down against Heriot’s and knows that there is little wriggle room over the remaining three weeks of the league programme in the race for a play-off spot.

“We were very disappointed with our performance against Heriot’s and although the fight for the final play-off position is now not in our own hands, we are determined to show we have learned from last week and keep the pressure on Heriot’s as we enter the final few matches of the league season,” said Cairns who expects Hawick to be brimming with confidence after beating Glasgow Hawks.

Heriot’s face an equally tough test as they travel to meet Gala, whose defeat at Watsonians left them occupying the basement slot.

The Goldenacre men head for the Borders in fine fettle after last week’s showing but, although coach Phil Smith is delighted to have gained an advantage over Currie, he knows that tomorrow’s trip to Netherdale is the first of three difficult fixtures in the concluding weeks of the regular season.

“After a good performance, last week, we are now looking to maintain this level,” said Smith. “Gala will no doubt be looking at home advantage to get a performance after a disappointing result at Myreside last weekend.”

Boroughmuir, who were beaten at Ayr last week, head west for the second successive weekend, this time with New Anniesland the destination as the Meggetland men seek precious league points against Glasgow Hawks.

Coach Peter Wright is calling for his men, who effectively lost last Saturday’s match with a poor first-half effort, to be competitive for the full 80 minutes, saying, “If we start as badly as we did against Ayr then it will be a long day.”

Meanwhile, Watsonians coach Marcus Di Rollo insists that, despite last week’s five-point haul, his side is not yet safe from the relegation battle. And he is warning his players to expect a tough afternoon as they travel to face pacesetters Melrose. “We know how good a team Melrose are and we will have to up our game even further to win at The Greenyards,” he said.