Boost for Edinburgh Accies’ survival bid

Accies No 8 Callum Reid, right, will return to action today after a long-term wrist injury. Picture: Robert Perry

With just two fixtures remaining, the Raeburn Place side are in a lot of bother, sitting five points below second-bottom Boroughmuir.

Depending on how things go today their relegation could be confirmed by 5pm, but, while there is a chance of survival, they will not be giving up.

And two players – Callum Reid and Tom Drennan – are more eager than most to get a run out at Mansfield Park.

Reid, 22, will start at No 8 and has not played a competitive match since the play-off win over Stewart’s Melville at the end of last season. In the months leading up to that, the former Scotland under-20 cap had  impressed many and had earned a call-up to the Scotland Sevens set-up and was training with Glasgow Warriors.

As such, the injury sustained to his right wrist could not have come at a worse time and he has been a frustrated spectator during 2014-15.

He said: “Things were going so well for me last year and I was getting involved with the sevens and training with the Warriors.

“The injury had happened a few weeks before, but it was not until I was at the Warriors that someone told me I would need to get it operated on.

“I was gutted, but I just had to get my head around the situation and try and focus on my rehab. I have played for the seconds at Accies and in a friendly for the firsts in recent weeks, so now I just cannot wait to try and help the club stay up.

“We know the task is difficult, but we have targeted two bonus-point wins from our remaining fixtures and then we’ll see what happens.”

Meanwhile, back-row Drennan, 25, has been out of action for 17 months following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction in a knee. He will be on the bench today and, having played for the club pretty consistently since he left Trinity Academy, he admits it has been a very frustrating period.

“I have tried to stay involved with the team by videoing the matches and helping out and such like, but nothing beats playing,” Drennan said. “Like Callum, I have managed to get a couple of games under my belt recently and the knee has been feeling good.

“The guys all know what a tough situation we find ourselves in, but we are determined to give it everything we have got in the next two matches.

“We have been unlucky in some matches this season, but the table doesn’t lie and it has been a tough learning curve for some of the younger players.”

Hawick head into the match on a high and still have a top-four finish in their sights.

For that to happen they could very much do with Melrose  defeating Gala today at  Netherdale.

Fourth-placed Gala are five points clear of Hawick currently while, for the Maroons, winger Grant Somerville plays his last match before relocating to London.

Currie, who have three matches remaining, also still have a chance of finishing fourth and they are on the road to Stirling County.

County, in seventh, will still be looking over their shoulders at second-bottom Boroughmuir, as will Glasgow Hawks.

Hawks and Boroughmuir meet today at Old Anniesland with the former on 31 points in eighth and the latter on 28 points.

Leaders Heriot’s are on the road at third-placed Ayr with both sides gearing up for the play-offs.