Derby encounter of the close kind

Jan 30 2009 by Our Correspondent, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

TOMORROW’S fixtures are all in the respective league campaigns.

Jeanfield Swifts have pushed their way into contention for the central league championship which looked like being a two horse race between Rosyth and St Andrews.

Swifts are, however, very much in the equation and are in third place five points behind the leaders Rosyth, with a game in hand.

Only one point separates them and the Saints but Swifts have played a game more.

Swifts are at home to Bankfoot who are third from the bottom of the league table.

Obviously, they will go into this derby encounter with the odds stacked against them if form is anything to go by.

Bankies have made four visits to the stadium in the league and league cup games and have recorded three wins and a draw.

Can they extend this unbeaten run to five games or will Swifts do the business this time?

The points at stake are valuable to both teams which will help to make this an interesting derby encounter.

Swifts will be without their central defender Mike Gow who is on holiday and there’s a doubt about Scott Lafferty who is nursing bruised ribs.

He may have a late fitness test. Recent signing Chris Dodd from St Johnstone is in the squad and he could make his home debut tomorrow.

Eddie O’Connor will make a late selection.

The Bankies have two definite non starters – John Mitchell (damaged ankle ligaments) and Scott McCabe (suspended).

There’s also a question mark at Kenny Hynd’s name.

He has a back injury but a late fitness test could again be the order of the day.

Manager Robin Wood may have a trialist in his squad which is expected to number 16 or 17.

Kinnoull after their away win at Oakley last week are now in the third top spot in the premier league table.

Tomorrow Kinnoull take on Ballingry Rovers at Tulloch Park in the premier league and this could be an intriguing encounter as both teams have a touch of Jekyll and Hyde about them as far as results are concerned.

Last week while Kinnoull were excelling in their game with Oakley, Ballingry were being thrashed to the tune of 6–0 in their Scottish Cup replay with Glenrothes and it was a game they had been tipped to win.

Kinnoull will be looking to take the points from this game to keep them within touching distance of the league leaders.

Kinnoull will be without Ross Gunnion, Mark Gordon and Gary Sweeney. Gunnion and Gordon are unavailable and Sweeney has a knee injury.

The better news is that Chris Anton, Andre Tang and Neil McCallum have recovered from their injuries and are back in the squad, which manager Scott Brown says could yet include a new signing.

They hope to have a squad of 17 to choose from.

Ballingry’s leading scorer Craig Smart, on the bench last week after being out of action for some weeks through injury, could return to the fray in tomorrow’s game.

Luncarty and Scone Thistle have home games in the central league while Coupar Angus are also at home in the north league.

The Bleachers entertain Thornton Hibs and while the Hibs are well into the top half of the league table the Bleachers are anchored on the second bottom rung.

Barrie Malcolm has his team playing good football but they aren’t finishing it off with goals.

They aren’t being helped in this direction by the fact that they have two strikers on the injury list, Fraser Stirling (hamstring problem) and Kyle Warner (leg injury).

Barrie Malcolm includes two trialists in his squad of 18 for this game they are both midfield players.

Ross Laing will make his farewell appearance for the Bleachers tomorrow and then he is off to Australia.

Thornton Hibs haven’t announced a squad for the trip to Brownlands Park.

It will be a late selection from the Fifers.

Scone Thistle take on bottom of the table Steelend Vics at their RDM ground.

The Thistle came home with the three points when they met Steelend in the corresponding fixture and now they are looking to complete the double despite the fact they won’t have a full strength squad available.

Goalkeeper Steve McKimmie is out with a hamstring injury.

David Winton is the stand-in goalkeeper. Grant McGregor (back injury) and Paul Anderson (virus) also miss the game. On the plus side David Pennycook returns. Thistle boss Derek Adam expects to have a squad of 15 available.

Steelend have a potent strike force in Darren Seath and Alan Kirkwood and they are players Scone will have to keep an eye on if they are in the Fifers lineup tomorrow.

Coupar Angus have Lochee Harp as their guests at Foxhall Park.

The Harp were tipped as likely contenders for the championship but they have slipped down the table after a promising start and are now out of the race.

Coupar are currently two points behind them in the table.

Coupar have no player problems for this game and co-manager Derek Grier should have a squad of 18 available.

Blairgowrie are away to Arniston Rangers in the premier league.

The Rangers are quite a few places above Blair in the league table but they are only four points better off and Blair have a game in hand.

Both teams are involved in the relegation zone and this could be classed as a six pointer.

Blair boss Billy Mackay’s main worry is lack of action due to the continual cancellations.

Billy said: “While the players train hard it doesn’t replace playing games.”

The Blair boss is confident that they can pull away from the drop zone given a run of games.

Hopefully they will be as successful tomorrow as their last visit into the Lothians when they thrashed Penicuik to the tune of 6–1.

No doubt they would be happy to settle for a lesser margin as long as its a winning one.

Billy Mackay will be without Nairn Gellatly (unavailable) and Jamie Duncan (suspended).

He expects to travel with a squad of 16 tomorrow.

Bankfoot have placed midfield/forward Drew Fleming on the transfer list, at his own request.

Enquiries to the secretary, Ian Wood on 07818440774.

TOMORROW’S fixtures: Bukta Teamwear.co Leagues: Premier League – Kinnoull v Ballingry R; Arniston R v Blairgowrie.

Central League – Jeanfield Swifts v Bankfoot Athletic; Luncarty v Thornton Hibs; Scone Thistle v Steelend Vics.

North League – Coupar Angus v Lochee Harp.

Kick off’s – 2pm.