GAVIN EMERSON has made the case for the defence as his Dunfermline Rugby Club, men’s first XV aim to further close in on title glory.

The McKane Park side are scheduled to travel to Hillfoots this Saturday in their penultimate Tennent’s Men’s Caledonia Region League, Division One, fixture and know that bonus point wins from each of their remaining matches will secure the title, and promotion to the national leagues.

Emerson’s team have not played since a vital victory at Caithness, on January 14, with their match at home to Aberdeen Wanderers a week later, which would have been their second last encounter of the league season, being called off because of a frozen pitch.

That will now be played on February 25, and they hope to be going into it with the destiny of the championship in their own hands following their trip to Clackmannanshire.

Their opponents are second bottom, and lost 62-7 at McKane in the reverse fixture, but head coach Emerson knows his players must remain focused on the task at hand.

Two victories without a bonus point could also be enough for Dunfermline depending on results achieved by nearest challengers Ellon, who defeated Grangemouth Stags at the weekend but failed to achieve a bonus point.

Following the win at Caithness, Emerson praised his side’s defensive work, commenting: “Our defence is something we’ve really worked on this season to improve. Over the last two games (at Ellon and Caithness, 24-8 and 28-5 wins respectively) we’ve only conceded two tries, and that’s just down to a slip in concentration, not by the other team getting on top of us.

“Our defence is real good. It’s put us in a really good position going forward, and looking into next season, but the main thing is the guys just need to continue enjoying it and growing and, week by week, we’re seeing that now.

“I think, since the defeat by Grangemouth (17-12 in December) the guys have stepped up a level. They’re taking a lot more responsibility for their own development, and also their fellow players.

“For a coach, it’s really refreshing. It doesn’t make the job easy – it just makes the job less stressful because you’re seeing they’ve bought into it.

“I must also say that the strength of the first XV is due to the strength of the second XV.

“The guys have come down over the last few weeks and, each session we’ve had, we’ve had two full scrums. We can do live scrummaging, we can do live lineouts, we can get the backs running against the other backs, instead of unopposed, so you can get as realistic as possible.

“That’s testament to the belief and the team-work we have in the club.”

Kick off in Tillicoultry is scheduled for 1pm.

Dunfermline’s second XV, who were 14-6 winners at Bannockburn in Caledonia Midlands Region League, Division Three, on Saturday, host Perthshire seconds at 2pm.