GALA full-back Graham Speirs says he is confident his side can put in a shift to test Ayr, as the BT Premiership returns.

The Maroons stormed through the third round of the Scottish Cup last time out, with a 31-14 win over GHA in Glasgow, but Speirs knows a big effort is required to topple the second-place side.

He told the Border Telegraph: “We know this will be a difficult game, it is a really tough comeback to the league.

“It would have been good to get the Peebles game under our belts on Friday, but unfortunately it was called off.

“We know we have to improve and tighten up defensively, but when we click we are a really good team.

“The game against GHA was definitely a confidence boost, because in the first half we produced some excellent attacking play.”

Speirs also says the home crowd can help will the team on.

He added: “We will always back ourselves at home. We have had a few performances and on our day we are capable of scoring some good tries.

“We put in a good performance when we played at Millbrae and managed to come out with a losing bonus point.”

Ayr have won their last two league games, with convincing wins over Heriot’s and Currie, and sit just one point behind league leaders Melrose, who Gala are set to play a week on Saturday.

Speirs said: “We looked at the fixtures in December and we know it is going to be a tough month.

“But we have been training hard this past week and we will be looking forward to the trip to the Greenyards too.”

And the match also comes after the news that Gala will face Hawick in the next round of the Scottish Cup, to the delight of the full-back.

He said: “It’s a really good draw for us. Of course it will be really testing but they are always great occasions.

“We play them a few times over January and February, but obviously it’s good to get a cup draw at Netherdale.”

This Saturday’s league match against Ayr will kick-off at 3pm at Netherdale.

Elsewhere in the BT Premiership, Melrose will be hoping to extend their lead at the top, when they travel to Malleny Park to face Currie.

Robert Chrystie’s side have gone three games unbeaten in the league with wins over Hawick, Boroughmuir and most recently Glasgow Hawks.
That game is also a 3pm start.

And ninth-place Hawick host fourth-place Heriot’s, as the Mansfield Park side look to put some daylight between themselves and Boroughmuir who are bottom with 16 points. This is also a 3pm kick-off.

Meanwhile in the BT National 1, Selkirk are away at Hamilton and Jed-Forest host Musselburgh. Both matches start at 3pm.