Skippers miss Goldenacre crunch

SOMETHING has to give. Table-topping Stirling County and Heriot's, both unbeaten, go head to head in today's First Division match of the day at Goldenacre.

Preparations in both camps, though, have been overshadowed by injuries to the respective skippers, Heriot's Steve Knox and County's Phil Rees, who will undergo late fitness tests. Heriot's, who have Ally Edington back for Gur Singh, have placed late middle-order bat Toby Hardwick on stand-by should Knox, bedeviled by a troublesome thumb injury, fail to make it. 'We're a really good bowling unit just now', highlights Knox, 'but we need to improve our batting. We faded badly again last week, slumping from 124 for 4 to 145 all out'.

Third-placed Arbroath United travel to Glasgow to face mercurial Poloc on the back of three straight wins. Captain Fraser Burnett misses out with a knee injury, and last week's batting hero Peter Clarke is unavailable, but they are bolstered by the return of Calvin Burnett, John Salmond, and Saltires keeper Marc Petrie, who replaces the unlucky Chris Shepherd. Poloc bring back Scott Millen for unavailable Dan Walton.

Free-scoring Drumpellier, buoyed by last week's away win at Ayr, bring in left-arm spinner Ally Rawlinson for Alan Goodwin for visiting Falkland, who are unchanged.

Winless Stenhousemuir travel to Ayr to face a home side wounded by two successive home defeats Ex-Scotland batting legend Iain Philip makes a welcome return for Stenny, replacing Aaron Williamson.

Elsewhere Stoneywood-Dyce and Penicuik, both still winless, meet at People's Park. Stuart Coetzer returns for youngster Andrew Rayner for the Aberdeenshire side while Penicuik bring back experienced bowlers Ian Kirkhope and Jamie Mitchell for Dougie and Ross Liddle.