Our latest league game sees us line up against a team familiar in location rather than in opposition, as this is the first time since the 1990-91 season that we will lock horns with Midlothian neighbours Dalkeith Thistle in a league encounter at New Dundas Park.
The Jags were one of the first teams to declare their interest in moving to the East of Scotland League along with Blackburn Utd, I don't imagine that they (or indeed us) could have envisaged what was to follow in the following months. The two aforementioned teams are also ahead of the curve in that they managed to get their SFA membership applications in before the current embargo which the SFA imposed shortly afterwards on new applications, and for that both should be commended.
The summer saw a changing of the guard in the management team at Dalkeith with the appointment of Darren Smith & Kenny Rafferty after Kevin Haynes had called it a day. Both Darren & Kevin achieved silverware of note in their last management role at Tranent, winning the Fife & Lothians and East of Scotland Cup double two seasons ago (which included a victory over the Rose in one of those). There will be a few familiar faces who used to ply their trade at New Dundas Park in the Dalkeith squad and management team, in the form of Connar Easton, Craig Meikle, Neil Janczyk and Ross Combe.
They have had a good start to their life in the Seniors, achieving a 100% record in their Qualifying League Section with wins over Heriot Watt Uni, Coldstream and Haddington and are at home to Penicuik in the first round. They have also safely progressed to the Alex Jack Cup Quarter Finals (Which offers a Scottish Cup place) with wins over the Athletics of Leith & Musselburgh and will play Camelon at Carmuirs in the last eight. They bowed out at the first hurdle in the Qualifying Cup at the hands of Kelty Hearts and in the league Haddington got their revenge for an earlier defeat at Millfield with their only other league game to date ending in a victory over Dunipace at Kings Park.
The Rose have played eight matches with seven wins and one draw to date following last Saturday's victory in the Scottish Cup. Some eyes may be looking ahead to the game on September 22nd at Deveronvale and the excitement of another potential Cup run but both the management and players will be very much focussed on securing a vital three points tomorrow, as in a thirteen team league every point will be vital come the end of the season. Stevie Thomson's short term departure to Newtongrange Star sees the current playing squad available down to 18 (although both Thomson and Cammy Watson can be called back immediately) but that makes the manager's job no less difficult in selecting a starting eleven, as every player in the squad can make a case for being in it.
With the international break currently in place a decent crowd is expected. Half time entertainment will be provided by the 2011 age group of both the young Rose and young Jags.