Watsonians seeking league boost against West

Published on Friday 20 November 2009 22:53

WATSONIANS and West of Scotland will this afternoon bid to avoid the hype around Scotland's autumn Test match with Australia and focus on easing tensions in the big relegation battle developing in Scottish Hydro Premier One.

This game has been brought forward from next weekend and will kick-off at 2.30pm at Myreside. With just three points and three places separating the sides – 'Sonians currently second bottom – the winner this afternoon could take a significant step up the league.

"It's another important game," said John Beattie, the West coach. "It's against a team we respect and who have a raft of good players. We have gained confidence from good displays against tough teams in the last few weeks."

West include the talented centre, Peter Murchie, for the first time since he joined Glasgow in the summer, but lock Mark Jenkinson is unavailable. Watsonians have Mike Ker back from injury at stand-off and prop Scott Laird returns to Myreside after a spell working in London and starts on the bench.

On top of the handful of players out injured, Kian Coertze, Mike Hunter and Duncan Finnie are unavailable this weekend and back row Stuart McInally is playing for the Gael Force in tomorrow's British and Irish Cup match away to Cornish Pirates.

Garnock and Falkirk are due to meet this afternoon in a key Premier Three match (1pm) and, while the weather put paid to the Premier Cup meeting between Kirkcaldy and Boroughmuir last night, three preliminary round games are planned for today – Morgan Academy v Gala, Irvine v Dunfermline (both 1.30pm) and Kelso v Biggar (3pm) – alongside shield ties and other rearranged league matches.

Watsonians: N Montgomery; G Somerville, D Brown, A McCulloch, M Learmonth; M Ker, J Blackwood; D O'Connell, G Wood, G Holmes, T Weizman, M Rennie, R Dean, J Pelter, H Grant. Subs: S Laird, N Tunnah, C Masson, P Layfayeedney, M McKee.

West of Scotland: M Sim; B Wright, P Murchie, J Kerr, G Dempsey; C Thwaites, M McConnell; E McLaren, G Bulloch, R Kelso, G Perrett, R Harley, A Kennedy, D Young (capt), J Walker. Subs: D McKenna, C Johnson, D Mcfarlane, A Fisken, S Malone