1st XI looking for a repeat win over Stirling

The 1st XI approach the final quarter of this season's league programme this week embroiled in a relegation battle with Hillhead, Helensburgh and Mearns. There are five fixtures remaining and the need to gain some wins, perhaps two or three, will be essential for the team to retain a place in the Western Premiership Two Division.

This Saturday at Glenpark, Stirling County are the opposition. Earlier in the season County provided the team with an important win through at New Williamfield in Stirling.

Batting first, Stirling County scored 206 all out in 46.1 overs. A number of rain interruptions meant that the Duckworth Lewis Stern (DLS) method had to be introduced to help determine the result with the 1st XI set to score 188 in just 40 overs to win. It led to a very exciting finish with the team gaining the win by just one wicket and with only eleven balls of the match remaining.

At one point, the team had slipped to 109 for 7 after 25 overs had been bowled and the DLS target of 188 seemed a long way off. But a 36 run partnership between Adam McGuirk and Jack Matthews took the team to 145 before Matthews (22) became the 8th wicket to fall.

McGuirk then became the key player as the target was in sight. But his innings of 64 runs, which included five sixes and a boundary, ended with the team tantalisingly close to the winning line. He was caught with just 12 runs needed and his dismissal left just one wicket to fall.

In an exciting finale, Greg McDougall (12 not out) and Fahim Dinarkheil (5 not out) held their nerve and batted confidently to take their side to a deserved and important win with Dinarkheil hitting a winning boundary with just eleven balls remaining.

The win against County at the end of May was the team's second of the season and since then only one other win has been recorded, which was against Mearns at Glenpark at the end of June.

County are currently sitting comfortably in mid-table with six wins and six losses. The Stirling side has recorded wins against Mearns (twice), Hillhead (twice), Langside and Helensburgh.

They are generally a good batting side and in recent weeks a number of players, Aaron Gairns, Cameron Silva, Eliott Bunn, Euan Smith and Bryce Carnegie, have all scored well. Therefore, the 1st XI will need to bowl and field well to keep Stirling in check.

It will take a good all-round team effort to overcome Stirling. So as well as tight, accurate bowling and tidy fielding, they must bat well. And there lies the team's real problem this season. There has been a lack of consistency from the batting with too few players showing the patience and skill, out in the middle, to build a good innings for themselves and partnerships with others.

If just a few of the team can score well at the weekend, then a second win over County is certainly possible and would ease a little of the pressure at the bottom end of the table.

Five matches to go and every one must be a cup-tie for the team. They have still to play league leaders Kilmarnock, but also have matches against each of their three main relegation rivals and each one massively important.

Glenpark on Saturday afternoon against Stirling County must be the start of an end of season revival for the team. It should be an exciting match for supporters to watch.

The team which is set to play on Saturday looks likely to be the same as the one that lost to Uddingston.

The Glenpark XI are away on Saturday to Stenhousemuir's second eleven, The Tryst, still looking for that elusive first win of the season. No team selection has been announced at time of writing which sums up the issue that has dogged the team all season, a lack of availability.

Neither the Hillend XI nor the Senior XI have a fixture this weekend.

The Club is grateful for the continued sponsorship from Ethos Group.