Davidson returns at right time for Hawick

Some time has elapsed since their meetings with Hawick automatically featured as the most important on any first division schedule, but when they did, back in the 70s and 80s, it was the men inspired by Jim Renwick, rather than those led by Andy Irvine, who generally won the day.

Today's match at Mansfield Park is unlikely to be a repeat of one of those classic encounters, but there is every sign that it will be a highly significant fixture.

Since the turn of the year the worst of the winter weather has taken its toll on this exciting, young Heriot's side. A win at Goldenacre over West of Scotland has been sandwiched by defeats at Currie and, perhaps more significantly in the context of this forthcoming fixture, in the Borders at Melrose.

Even more ominously, the day they beat West that Melrose side, which had looked to be running into excellent form, lost at Hawick.

Admittedly, Hawick have subsequently missed out on a quarter-final Tennent's Velvet Cup meeting with Heriot's after losing at home to Boroughmuir two weeks ago.

However, they may have resolved one of the big difficulties they encountered that day. Boroughmuir had done their homework and knew that if they could match Hawick up front, the Borderers lacked a cutting edge.

Today SRU contracted utility back Keith Davidson, the former Langholm player who has a genuine turn of pace, is in the Hawick side, having had his first run for some months in last week's Border League win over Peebles.

Laid up with various niggling injuries stemming from a back problem, Davidson has been hugely frustrated by the amount of time he has spent sidelined, not least being on the bench during that cup-tie against Boroughmuir.

''I had the same problem last season, playing a few games then getting injured,'' he said. ''I was probably my own worst enemy because I wouldn't be 100% fit, but was so desperate for a game that I would play and then pick up another problem. But, hopefully, we've got to the bottom of it now and for me it feels like the season is just beginning.''

Selected originally at centre, injury problems elsewhere in the side, notably to Ross Cook - one of Hawick's more impressive backs during Davidson's absence - have seen him switched to the wing and Heriot's will have to watch him closely.

That said, they have several outstanding finishers of their own, notably Stuart Walker and Gregor Lawson, but Hawick are hopeful that their highly combative pack can prevent them from seeing too much of the ball.

Their last meeting was back in October, when Heriot's were on an impressive run, but Davidson, inevitably watching from the stand that day, remembers that Hawick were very much in the game.

''We're confident this time because we really should have beaten them up there,'' he said.

Nor are Hawick merely playing for pride. It was generally accepted that their cup exit ended their hopes of finishing the season with some silverware, but the way the sides ahead of them have all been dropping points has kept them interested in the title race, if from a distance.

Seventeen points may be a long way back and very strange things would have to happen for them to take the title, but with two games in hand on the top three, a win with a bonus point today could just about bring them within reach.

For their part Heriot's know that a slip-up today would put them under real pressure and needing to beat Boroughmuir twice in eight days at the beginning of next month to keep alive their hopes of a cup and league double.

Boroughmuir backs' coach Sean Lineen has put those two matches into context.

''If we could only win one of them I would settle for it being the league game,' he said.

There are strong suggestions that no-one will be relegated at the end of the season, with yet another league re-structuring being mooted so that clubs would have enough fixtures to play throughout next season, during the World Cup, the European Cup and the Six Nations' Championship.

However, neither Lineen, nor his old Boroughmuir midfield partner Brian Edwards, whose West of Scotland side are just below them in second-bottom spot, can afford to place too much weight on such talk.

Consequently, Edwards' latest return to Meggetland today is crucial in terms of relegation, with fourth-bottom Watsonians just about in the clear after their draw with Glasgow Hawks a fortnight ago.

The fixture schedule has thrown up a re-match of that one today, with Hawks very much aware that they cannot afford another slip-up.

Of the four realistic title contenders they alone have home advantage and, indeed, among the top three, they are also alone in having two home matches in their last three fixtures.

That said, both Melrose and Heriot's have trips to Stirling from which they would expect to claim full points, since the bottom side have managed to avoid defeat only once this season, when they drew with Jed-Forest.

Melrose have their turn to go to Bridgehaugh today, and it is not inconceivable that, if they run up a big enough score, they could move to the top of the table on points differential.

Currie, meanwhile, with a third of their matches still to play, know that they have to start gaining ground immediately, but will do well to return from Jed-Forest with a win, let alone a bonus point.