BT Premiership PREVIEW: Mansfield Park hosts survival of the fittest

The penultimate round of the BT Premiership gets underway across the country this weekend with a bottom of the table clash and the top four going head-to-head, the pick of the fixtures. A Borders derby and battle between Gala (10th) and Hawick (9th) at Mansfield Park provides a survival dual with a loss for the Maroons relegating them to BT National League Division 1 and a win for the greens moving them away from the relegation play-off.Gala overcame their local rivals last time out, recording a 23-15 victory in the latest round of the BT Cup to progress to the quarter-final stages.Gala Head Coach, Chris Dalgleish, said: “The second  meeting between us in two weeks and one that carries much more significance, as anything other than a win and we will drop out of the top tier.”Although we gained some much needed confidence in our BT Cup win two weeks ago, we are well aware that to get a victory at Mansfield is something completely different and is one that will require a much better performance.Hawick are notoriously difficult to beat at home and it will take a composed display to end up on the winning side.”Hawick Head Coach, Nikki Walker, said: “Hawick versus Gala at Mansfield Park doesn’t get much bigger but with the consequences of the result in this match being so important it has been a long time since Mansfield has seen such a massive fixture.We have played Gala twice already in the last month and we should really know what to expect of each other, however with the added pressure of Gala needing to win to stay in the BT Premiership it will be whatever team manages to use their top two inches along with their given attitude, passion and desire who will live to fight another day in what is a very competitive league.”In the West, Glasgow Hawks will host Ayr at Old Anniesland and with the visitors sitting level on points with league leaders Melrose, the Millbrae men will be searching for a win to catapult them into top spot.Both sides enjoyed comfortable victories in their latest league outings, Hawks overcoming Boroughmuir 34-19 in scintillating fashion and Ayr pushing past Stirling County 29-14 after a resilient second-half performance.League leaders Melrose travel to Goldenacre to face Heriot’s, who they recently drawed for the quarter-final of the BT Cup competition, and with Heriot’s sitting in fourth a win would settle their play-off inclusion.A close encounter with Watsonians at The Greenyards proved testing for this season’s most consistent club and Melrose will be looking to undo defending champions Heriot’s in lessThe Edinburgh club have performed well in recent rounds, defeating Gala 26-0 at Netherdale in round 16 with an impressive defence keeping out a steely Borders outfit.Elsewhere, Watsonians host Stirling County at Myreside as the battle of the mid-table commences before entering the final round of competition next weekend. BT Premiership, Round 17, Saturday 11 February, 3pmHawick v Gala, Mansfield ParkGlasgow Hawks v Ayr, Old AnnieslandHeriot’s v Melrose, GoldenacreWatsonians v Stirling County, Myreside