Arbroath next to test Heriot's resolve

CAN anyone halt Heriot's? The season today reaches the halfway mark, and still the inexorable Goldenacre surge to the First Division title continues apace, as closest challengers Drumpellier and Stirling County betray signs of faltering. "I don't check the papers now," proclaims Heriot's stalwart Gavin McIntyre. "Last season I was always anxiously scanning the results and tables to see how our relegation battle was shaping. Not now. We know where we are."

Today it's the turn of improving Arbroath United to test the Heriot's resolve. The Lichties, who have surreptitiously crept up to third slot, and are boosted by the long-awaited return of skipper Fraser Burnett, whose niggling knee injury is responding to a steroid injection, obviating the need for surgery, will again look to Benny McGill for his customary early breakthroughs. Heriot's reintroduce Chris Goddard and Jamie Innes for Johnny White and Ali Farooq, whilst talismanic seamer Andre van Nierkirk will return for Sunday's eagerly anticipated Scottish Cup quarter-final at Premier League Uddingston.

Stuttering Stirling County and mercurial Ayr clash in a crucial match neither side can afford to lose. The unchanged Alloway men, captained again by Andi McElnea in the continuing absence of Mark Renny, once more look to the league's leading run-scorer Kiwi pro Michael Papps (425 runs) and prolific Dougie Johnstone to provide a challenging total, whilst Stirling attempt to arrest their recent decline by turning back the clock with the reintroduction for unavailable Gavin Anderson of evergreen ex-Scotland B batsman Jon Taylor after a 90 and a hundred in the seconds.

Buoyant Stoneywood-Dyce, bolstered by four straight wins, welcome back Stuart Coetzer for unlucky Lawrence Wattie for the visit of a Falkland team, still smarting from last week's home thumping from Stenhousemuir.

Graeme Watson returns for Alan Hamilton Jnr for the Scroggie Parkers, again looking to free-scoring Sri Lankan pro Harsha Cooray, currently boasting an SNCL average of 115.

Drumpellier, deeply disappointed by Sunday's home loss to Stoneywood, introduce ex-Scotland star Alan Stevenson for his first SNCL outing of the season, replacing young Darren Pryde, for the visit of toiling Poloc. Drumps got back on track midweek with a convincing West League Cup victory over an admittedly weakened Shawholm side but Poloc will be strengthened today by the return of all-rounders Dan Walton and Keith Sheridan, and batsman Jeremy King, although keeper Paul Flanagan misses out, Walton deputising behind the stumps.

At Kirkhill, winless Penicuik take on a Stenhousemuir side revitalised by last week's run spree at Falkland. Penicuik make three changes, Matt Foulds, Grant Davidson and Dougie Liddle coming in for Alfie Pace, Chris Ashforth and Andy Harrison.