Fourth plays third in National Two on Saturday as Gordonians host Peebles at Countesswells with the Aberdeen outfit looking for their fourth win in a row.
Since they suffered a 29-27 home reverse to Falkirk on September 30, Gordonians have beaten Lasswade, Aberdeen Grammar and Berwick.
That run has left them fourth in the 10-team league just six points behind leaders Falkirk.
They are on 30 points while Peebles are on 32 points and this weekend’s game between the sides should be a cracker.
When they met on the opening day of the campaign in the Borders, Peebles won 27-17 and, ahead of the rematch on home turf, Gordonians’ head coach Ryan Morrice said: “We’ve improved a lot since that opening game, so Peebles will be a good test to see where we are at.
“Mitch Smart is missing from the front-row and both Struan Robertson and Sean Mills are away for a couple of weeks, so there is a bit of shuffling to do in the team.
“We have a lot of competition for places at the moment, so players will be wanting to take their chances whilst others are away.”
Peebles make the trip north off the back of a bonus point win over Kirkcaldy last time out.
In the same division, the Aberdeen Grammar squad are remaining positive despite sitting ninth, just one point above bottom side Berwick.
They are on the road to sixth-placed Stirling County this time around, a side who beat them 55-24 at Rubislaw earlier in the season.
“We are aiming to give a much better account of ourselves against Stirling second time around and the lads know exactly what’s required,” head coach Eric Strachan said.
Captain Jonny Spence said: “Last week (a 41-32 reverse at Stewart’s Melville) was a frustrating game to lose, we scored easily at times, but conceded just as easily.
“We’ll be looking to bounce back with a win versus Stirling, we haven’t beaten them in our last four attempts, but really should have won at least three of them.
“It’s getting to the point now where we can’t afford to lose many more games if we want to continue in this league – hopefully Saturday is the start of a good run.”
For this crucial game, Aaron Robertson moves forward into the front-row while his brother Cameron will be in the second-row with Callum Queen at No. 8.
Jack Burnett continues at nine trying to release the potent back three of Scott Byars, Ben Renton and Craig Shepherd.
Magnificent seven is the aim
Highland will be looking for a seventh National One win on the spin when the second-placed Inverness men travel to Edinburgh to take on seventh-placed Watsonians.
Second placed Highland are six points behind leaders Ayr and when they took on Watsonians earlier in the season at Canal Park they won 41-0.
“We’ve always found it tricky at Myreside, so it is really important we start better than the last two weeks when we have conceded early tries while we cannot think about the win we had against Watsonians at home because this will be a totally different game,” Highland head coach Dave Carson said.
For the capital trip, Rory Mighton and Euan Milton are out, so Grant Jameson will start along with Svend Dale Pedersen.
Ryan Appleby comes onto the bench to cover second/back-row after impressing with the second team of late.
Orkney are after win number nine from nine in National Three and are hosting seventh placed West of Scotland at Pickaquoy.
Darren McLean, who broke his nose in the Dumfries Saints game at the end of last month, is still unavailable for the second-placed side, but Duncan Gray is available for selection.
William Thomson and James Linklater are also available and Alex Kansour will probably start after his performance last week off the bench.
Top of the Caledonia One North Conference plays bottom as Aberdeenshire take on Aberdeen Wanderers while second placed Moray are away to fourth placed Highland’s second string in what should be an interesting affair.
Winless Garioch face a daunting trip to Edinburgh to take on unbeaten women’s Premiership leaders Watsonians, but can take heart from last week’s showing at Cartha Queens Park.
