Edinburgh University had high hopes of making the top four this season.
Instead, injuries to key defenders former Great Britain squad player, Dan Coultas, a recent Scotland captain, and fellow international Chris Duncan, have hindered progress.
A series of disappointing results have followed and the students, who still have three current Scottish internationals and one former international player, in their squad, have plummeted to eighth spot in the ten-strong Division One table.
Saturday’s 3-2 home reverse to Hillhead, their ninth so far this season, was a massive blow.
Coach Graham Moodie and his men travel to improved Western Wildcats on Saturday (15.00) looking for a much-needed win to boost confidence.
Victory, and results going their way elsewhere, could move them up the league.
As it stands, Edinburgh have 15 points from 16 games while seventh-placed Watsonians have 17 from the same number of fixtures.
Watsonians, thumped 10-0 by Grange last Saturday, travel to former league leaders Bromac Kelburne, the defending champions, at 13.30.
Hillhead, who are sixth, are also on 17 points from 16 games and they face new pace-setters Grange at Fettes on Saturday (14.00).
So, the students have to claim the three points as their final game is at home to Kelburne on Saturday, April 22 and, on current form, they are unlikely to get anything out of that.
Grange continue to take one game at a time as they home in on the title.
Ed Irvine, the team’s manager, said: “We’re keeping our feet on the ground and working hard and we’re not looking any further than Saturday.”
The other game features a basement scrap between bottom club AAM Gordonians and the side just above them in the table, PSL Team Sport Clydesdale (13.00).
Experienced news, business, arts, sport and travel journalist. Food critic and managing editor of a well-established food and travel website. Also a magazine editor of publications with circulations of up to 200,000 and managing director of a long-established PR/marketing company with a string of blue-chip clients in its CV. Former communications lecturer at a Scottish university and social media specialist for a string of successful and busy SMEs.
