by Chris Pow from Official Catchup

I think the majority of us expected a very competitive Lowland League this season, however, after the first three league games, we might not have expected the teams to be this competitive. Only one club remains with a perfect record and only three clubs overall remain undefeated. 

Clydebank sit top of the league, winning all three of their fixtures. Admittedly, the Bankies weren’t at their best in the opener against East Stirlingshire at Holm Park, winning 2-0. An even closer affair with Cumbernauld Colts followed midweek at Broadwood, ending with a 2-1 Bankies victory. On Saturday, Clydebank travelled to Christie Gillies Park, which arguably could have been seen as their toughest test yet. A close game ensued for the majority of the 90 minutes with the Bankies leading 1-0 through a Nicky Little penalty within the first half hour. With twenty minutes to go, Clydebank ran away with the game with a flurry of goals from Keir Samson, an Aaron Black brace and a Stuart McCann strike in stoppage time to round off an impressive 5-0 away victory against Civil Service Strollers.

Tranent, sitting in 2nd, kicked off their campaign against Hearts B at Ainslie Park. Belters forward Harry Girdwood was the star of the show scoring four in what would be a 5-1 win for Tranent. The Belters welcomed Berwick Rangers to Foresters Park midweek for their first home game in the new league campaign. Unfortunately, a serious head injury to Berwick keeper Liam Campbell delayed the game and likely had an impact on the momentum for both sides, with the fixture ending 0-0. Tranent were back at home yesterday afternoon, with Albion Rovers, the visiting team. Girdwood would open the scoring, a Cammy McKinley brace, and a Dean Brett penalty would lead to a 4-0 victory.

Linlithgow Rose are 3rd. A surprise 2-1 home defeat to 10 men Gala Fairydean Rovers at Prestonfield wasn’t the start that many were anticipating for Rose. Linlithgow would go on to pick up their first three points at Forthbank against the University of Stirling on Wednesday, with a 4-1 away win. Before the game, Rose would announce their “excitement” of signing former Bo’ness United favourite Lucas Stenhouse after the expiry of his contract with Livingston. Not quite on the same levels of Luis Figo to Real Madrid, but it certainly might add a little extra needle to the first Flints Derby of the new campaign in September at Prestonfield. Rose travelled to Gretna 2008 on Saturday. Rose won 6-0. Gretna going down to 10 men after only four minutes, likely helped Rose on their way, but they did look dangerous every time they went forward, and in truth, it could have been more. Alan Sneddon scored a hattrick and Olly Hamilton scored a brace in a lethal Linlithgow display.

Speaking of Bo’ness United, they are currently just behind their rivals, occupying 4th spot. A Tom Grant hat-trick got the BUs season off to a flyer against Civil Service Strollers with a 3-0 nil victory at Newtown. A tough 1-0 away loss to Cowdenbeath at Central Park on Tuesday would follow, before a 10 men Bo’ness side defeated East Stirlingshire 3-1 on Friday night at Ochilview, with Ryan Stevenson scoring two of the three goals.

The Caledonian Braves are 5th. Two wins from the opening fixtures with a 3-0 victory over Stirling Uni and 2-0 away win over Broxburn Athletic. Braves travelled to Netherdale on Saturday likely expecting another three points but Gala Fairydean Rovers would upset the momentum with a 2-0 win of their own. Braves are always well drilled when you watch them but weren’t at the races yesterday afternoon and Gala took full advantage, to their credit. There’s no panic buttons being pressed after only three games but it could be seen as a slight warning against complacency for Ricky Waddell’s side.

Anyone can beat anyone is a popular phrase used by managers in the Lowland League and Gala Fairydean Rovers are proving that early doors, sitting 6th. Upsetting the odds with 10 men away to Linlithgow, and beating the Braves at home on Saturday, their only loss this far was midweek to Bonnyrigg Rose, losing 3-0 at the Netherdale. Martin Scott’s side play good football and they can score goals, defending was the issue last year but if they can manage a few clean sheets over the course of this season, we might see the expectations rise from a bottom half finish to pushing top half. A lot of football still to be played though.

In a similar way to Gala, Cowdenbeath has perhaps surprised a few people with their start, in 7th place. Losing to rivals Berwick 2-0 down at Shielfield Park on opening day, the Blue Brazil have followed up with two home wins against Bo’ness United (1-0) and Bonnyrigg Rose (2-1). The word “potential” was used in describing a much younger Cowdenbeath side for this campaign, this could quickly turn into “exciting” if Cowden can make Central Park into a fortress. The away form wasn’t great last year either but if a few of the home draws can be turned into three points, we could see a decent campaign for the Fife side, especially given the work rate the Cowden players have given manager Paul McLean over the last few games. Max Williamson, formerly of Spartans, already looks to be an inspired addition, scoring the winners against the BUs and the Rosey Posey.

Celtic B and Hearts B occupy 8th and 9th spot, completing the top half. Celtic B edged out Broxburn 3-2 in their opening league fixture, before 3-3 draws with Civil Service Strollers and Cumbernauld Colts. Along with Clydebank and Tranent, Celtic B remain undefeated, however, Celtic have begun the process of loaning out their more experienced talents, most notably Celtic B captain Mitchell Robertson, who recently joined Inverness Caledonian Thistle. Hearts B lost to Tranent, before a cracking 4-4 draw with Gretna 2008, and on Saturday edged out Stirling Uni 2-1 at Forthbank.

It’s been a positive start for Albion Rovers, currently in 10th. A 3-3 draw with Lanarkshire rivals Cumbernauld Colts might have felt like a win with Grant Marchant equalising in stoppage time on the opening day and a 2-1 victory over old SPFL rivals East Stirlingshire at Ochilview will have sent Rovers fans home happy. A big early season test was seeing how Rovers would do against a very strong Tranent side on Saturday and they ended up losing 4-0 at Foresters. But all in all, with Sandy Clark at the helm, there’s always a quiet optimism going into games.

Berwick Rangers are currently 11th. Fans of the “Dream Team” would have revelled in their 2-0 win over rivals Cowdenbeath on the opening day, however, the game at Tranent would have been disappointing, not only for the drab 0-0 scoreline, but the worry over the seriousness of goalkeeper Liam Campbell’s head injury. Luckily, it wasn’t as severe as it may have looked for spectators, with Liam only missing a few games through concussion protocol. Another away trip on Saturday to Broxburn would have seemed like a good chance for another three points with the Brox losing their opening two fixtures, however, the return of Broxburn forward Errol Douglas to the lineup and a Shaun Brown masterclass ensured a 5-0 win for the Brox and a first loss of the campaign for the Borderers. 

Gretna FC 2008 opened their league campaign with a 2-1 win over Bonnyrigg Rose. They had an absolute classic against Hearts B midweek with the game ending 4-4, with Sean McKenzie scoring a hattrick for the Anvils. Unfortunately, Gretna went down to 10 men and Hearts equalised in stoppage time after Gretna took the lead minutes earlier. It was another sending off against Linlithgow Rose that might have Anvils gaffer Vinnie Parker sweating over suspensions. Albeit, the red against Rose did seem slightly harsh given the player was deemed as last man and denying a goal scoring opportunity when Gretna did have other defenders back. The Anvils currently sit 12th in the league table.

Unlucky for some and it has been for Broxburn Athletic sitting in 13th. The Brox had one of the harder openings, losing 3-2 to a Celtic B side that was at full strength before they began loaning out some of their better players recently. Their second league game against a fellow challenger Caledonian Braves ended in a 2-0 home loss. Having Errol Douglas back for Berwick would have been a relief for everyone and Broxburn showed exactly what they were made of, bouncing back with an emphatic 5-0 win.

It’s not been the best of returns to the Lowland League for Bonnyrigg Rose, who currently occupy 14th. A somewhat surprising 2-1 home loss to Gretna on opening day, was followed up by a solid 3-0 away win over Gala Fairydean Rovers. Coming to Cowdenbeath on Saturday, Rose fans would have felt their team had a decent chance of another three points, however, a lacklustre performance and facing a hungry Cowdenbeath side meant it’s two losses from three league games after a 2-1 defeat at Central Park. Rose have a solid team and like I’ve said with other clubs, there’s no panic after three games, but if the goal is to challenge at the top and get back to the SPFL for Bonnyrigg, they can’t make a habit of losing to teams they should be beating on paper when comparing the strength of the two squads, with respect.

Cumbernauld Colts are one of four sides still looking for their first win of the new league campaign. Currently sitting 15th, Colts might be the team to go and watch if you want to see goals in this division. Drawing 3-3 with Albion Rovers, narrowing losing to Clydebank 2-1, and another 3-3 draw with Celtic B on Friday night. Goals don’t seem to be the issue for John Doyle’s side but defending might be in the early stages of the season. Like other teams, there’s definitely players that will need time to gel, but with the fixtures coming thick and fast early in the season, it’s tough for managers with less time for training sessions.

Civil Service Strollers are 16th. They lost their opening league fixture to Bo’ness United 3-0, drew 3-3 with Celtic B midweek, and lost 5-0 at home to Clydebank on Saturday. It’s not been the easiest of starts for Strollers, playing arguably three sides that you would expect to be pushing top half or further. Strollers are one of those sides too, so I wouldn’t imagine it will be too long for Gary Jardine’s men to pick up some points and push up the table. 

East Stirlingshire are one of two sides yet to register a point in the league so far. Sitting in 17th, they have lost all three of the opening fixtures – a 2-0 defeat to Clydebank, a 2-1 loss to Albion Rovers, and a 3-1 loss to Bo’ness United on Friday. It’s been a bit of a theme over the past few seasons for Shire manager Pat Scullion, one that has frustrated fans, players, and Pat himself, no doubt. Slow starts aren’t as much of a worry this season given there’s no relegation but it’s obvious no club wants to be near the bottom. Shire have turned things round before, however, with the league getting stronger, it will get more difficult to pull off a good run of form for most sides. The move to Ochilview certainly helps Shire off the park but it remains to be seen if it will help them on it.

University of Stirling have lost all three of their opening fixtures and find themselves bottom of the league (18th). It’s been a tough start playing against some of the sides you’d expect to be challenging. The opening league fixture against the Caledonian Braves, Uni lost 3-0. Uni for large parts of that game looked decent, they were behind going into half time but the heads seemed to drop with Braves scoring just after the break. Uni in their second league fixture lost to Linlithgow Rose losing 4-1 and on Saturday they were narrowly defeated by Hearts B. It’s easy to look at results sometimes and think teams are going to struggle but in reality, they’ve had harder fixtures than others. I would fully expect the University of Stirling to pick up from here.

by Chris Pow from Official Catchup

The 2025-26 Lowland League season is almost upon us and it will be the final Lowland League season before it splits into two divisions – Lowland League East & Lowland League West, ahead of 2026-27.

Due to the split, there will be no relegation this season, which creates an interesting dynamic, from top to bottom. With no fear of relegation, teams at the bottom have some breathing space, a chance to try out younger players, and possibly build, or perhaps save some finances. With the perceivable harder task it will become in the near future. the teams expected to challenge at the top, will be pushing for promotion to the SPFL, more now than ever.

Albion Rovers

It’s difficult to fully assess Rovers at the moment, as we anticipate more signing news ahead of the opening league fixture against Cumbernauld Colts.

As it stands, Rovers lost the majority of their squad that finished an impressive 6th last season, with only Rovers legend and club captain Alan Reid, Barry Duncan, and Nathan Brown, remaining at Cliftonhill. Conor Duffy, Devan McColl, and Tylar Denholm have returned to Rovers for this season, after previous spells, with young keeper Alfie Halliwell joining on loan from Rangers. Barry Campbell joins from Greenock Morton, and Chris Neeson joins from Hamilton Accies, respectively. Midfielder, Daniel Hunter, comes back to the Lowland League, after spells with Broomhill and Cumbernauld Colts, and Sonny Aluko, joins from fellow Lowland League side, Civil Service Strollers.

There was real worry for Rovers going into this season, with the club rumoured to be on the verge of financial collapse, and budgets severely restricted. Rovers manager Sandy Clark and assistant George Paterson deserve massive credit for the job they’ve done so far, as they approach 100 games in charge of the clubs. It’s not been an easy ride, with fans voicing their discontent at some of the shareholders, however, credit to the Rovers fans, who have continued to back the team, despite everything going on behind the scenes.

At the moment, the squad isn’t anything too impressive, mainly due to numbers, but if Sandy Clark managing in the Lowland League has taught us anything, he knows how to get the best out of his players, and push them higher than expected. Alan Reid’s experience and leadership will be pivotal this season, as he approaches the all time appearance record for Rovers, which currently stands at 493 games, set way back in 1936 by Murdy Walls.

Berwick Rangers

If the ‘Dream Team’ are going to be successful this season, there’s one thing they definitely need to improve on from last year, and that’s the amount of goals they score. They averaged less than 1 goal per game last season, scoring only 32 goals in 34 league games, the worst goals for margin of any team in the league, finishing 16th.

Wee Gers manager Kevin Haynes is likely highly aware of these issues and as a sign he’s keen to add more goals to the side, forwards, Greg Binnie and Mikey Mbewe come in from Penicuik Athletic, while Taylor Hendry transfers from former club Dunbar United, with midfielder Liam Gregory also linking up with his former gaffer at Dunbar. Strengthening in other areas, goalkeeper Liam Campbell moves from Bo’ness United to add competition for Calum Antell’s number 1 jersey. Mark McConnell and Ben McCrystal move permanently after successful loan spells last season, and defenders, Callum Pitt (Edinburgh City), and Struan Mair (Gala Fairydean Rovers) also sign on at Shielfield for the upcoming season.

The surprise retirement of Borderer’s favourite Lewy Barr recently is a massive loss, however, the return of Callum Mackay, who missed the whole of last season through injury, is a boost. It’s difficult to place Berwick, on paper, they have a solid squad, with proven Lowland League players like Calum Antell, Jamie Pyper, Alfie Robinson, Scott-Taylor Mackenzie, Mark McConnell, and Liam Buchanan, but the lack of goals last season, plus where the club finished, and knowing how much other clubs have improved ahead of this campaign, makes me come to the conclusion that Berwick may find themselves in the bottom half once again.

It’s been said before, but in hindsight, there was maybe an over reliance on Liam Buchanan to score goals in previous seasons, and now with Liam taking a step back into a player/coach role, Berwick desperately need someone to step up on the goals front. If they can crack that this season, they might surprise people. It wasn’t that long ago, Berwick were considered a dark horse in terms of challenging for the league title.

Bo’ness United

I think for most people, Bo’ness United had a disappointing season last time round, finishing 12th. When they finished 3rd, the season before last, some of us might have been thinking – we might have another team challenging here. But the BUs couldn’t repeat the feat. Consistency was a massive issue in the league, but having said that, they did make it to another Lowland League Cup Final, their third in four years, again losing to East Kilbride.

There’s been a bit of an overhaul by manager Stuart Hunter for the upcoming season, bringing in Ben Fry (Pollok), Aldin El-Zubaidi (Darvel), Mark McLuckie (St Cadoc’s), Roan Fitzpatrick (Rutherglen Glencairn), Cameron Mulvanny (Gretna FC 2008), Jack Hodge (Stirling Uni), Jamie Watson (Berwick Rangers), as well as Kodi McKinstray from Stirling Albion, and Jordan Armstrong from Peterhead, respectively.

Many of Hunter’s new signings, outwith those signing directly from Lowland League clubs obviously, have played in the Lowland League before, so there’s no question of whether they are ready for the step up to tier 5, but it’s still difficult to place the BUs, especially with the teams that will be challenging strengthening their playing squads heavily. I don’t personally put Bo’ness United in the bracket of challengers, however, I would anticipate a better finish than 12th, but midtable, pushing top half, is likely a fair assessment at the moment.

A lot depends on Kieran Mitchell, who will be the BUs key forward for me this season. Kieran is a solid player, and contributes to the team massively, whether it’s scoring goals or creating chances. Sadly, he’s had his fair share of injury woes during his time at Newtown Park and we can only hope he manages to stay fit for the majority of the campaign this time around and help Bo’ness United push on.

Bonnyrigg Rose

There’s a tendency to think the relegated SPFL team will not be up to much, and will fall away into midtable mediocrity, like we’ve seen in past seasons, however, the former Lowland League champions are different, they should still considered in the bracket of challengers, simply because of the strength of their current squad.

Rose have retained key players such as Kerr Young, Neil Martynuik, Callum Connolly, and Lee Currie, who have very little to prove at this level, having won the Lowland League previously. Add in players like Kieran Somerville and Cammie Ross too, and you already have a strong contender. Rose manager Jonny Stewart has also strengthened his team with goalkeeper Ross Connelly coming in from Albion Rovers, and Kallum Higginbotham returning to the club from East Fife. Billy King moves from Arbroath, and Kian Spiers joins from Caledonian Braves. Corrie Fellows and the highly rated Rudi Bryce join on loan from Kelty Hearts, while Josh Laing joins on loan from Spartans.

Sean Murphy, won’t play for the majority of the season, and might possibly miss the entirety of the campaign through a serious knee injury, picked up during preseason. It’s a bitter blow ahead of the campaign, knowing how good Sean is as a player at this level. There’s been other distractions too with Rose having to play their Premier Sports Cup home games at Whitehill Welfare’s Ferguson Park as work is carried out on the pitch at New Dundas Park.

It feels like Jonny Stewart has been managing for years, but in truth, he was only appointed in his first management role at Tranent last September, before returning to Bonnyrigg, as manager, in March. Can experience be the difference between success and failure? Absolutely, it can, and it’s not meant as a knock on Jonny, but it’s only his second season in management. That’s a minus for me in terms of Rose going from challengers to Lowland League champions again. Regardless, Rose should be fighting it out with rest of the top 6, at minimum, with the squad they have at their disposal.

Broxburn Athletic

Broxburn had a decent debut season in the Lowland League, finishing in 7th place. The Brox were aided massively by top scorer, Errol Douglas, making a fine return to tier 5, with 22 goals in 28 league appearances, and standout performances from midfielder, Kyle Bell. No doubts it helps having players like Greg Page, Andy Rodden, Alassan Jones, Scott McCrory-Irving, and Shaun Brown in your squad too.

You have to be excited about Broxburn’s chances for the upcoming season. The players the club have brought in suggest they are looking to challenge at the top. Experienced goalkeeper, Michael Andrews, moves from Bonnyrigg Rose, Chris O’Kane comes in from West of Scotland Premier side, Pollok and a host of moves from fellow Lowland League teams includes Marcus Lavery (Albion Rovers), Robbie McGale (Cumbernauld Colts), Louis Kennedy (Bo’ness United), plus Matty McDonald, Jamie Docherty, and Ewan MacPherson all moving from Cowdenbeath, and Sam Gormley, Jon Robertson, and Robbie Hamilton come in from Edinburgh City. All these moves plus the players the Brox have retained, and you have the makings of a top team.

There isn’t much difference in terms in quality or depth, between many of the contenders. The one disadvantage the Brox may have is they’ve made so many changes to the squad, they might need more time to gel, although many of their signings have been teammates at previous clubs, so it shouldn’t be of major concern for the management team.

One thing to consider, and it’s the same at a few clubs looking to win the league, a lot of moves were for previously established first team starters, and not squad players, so regular squad rotation will be needed to keep everyone happy, and the club that can do that, while keeping their best players throughout the piece, have the best chance of winning the league.

Caledonian Braves

For a team that finished 3rd last season, went on a 15 game unbeaten run, while dealing with a few injuries to some important players, Braves manager Ricky Waddell has bolstered his squad ahead of this campaign. I believe the Braves could go one or two places better this year, and if they do that, they have to be considered as potential Lowland League champions.

I think some people are forgetting that key midfielders Cammy Breadner and Zac Butterworth missed some games last year due to injury, and who knows what would have happened if they had them available. The Braves are always a well-drilled outfit, and If the full squad was settled and match fit, they might have given East Kilbride more of a challenge towards the end of the season. Lennon Walker and Ryan Walker did step up, it has to be said, and John Guthrie played in every league game. Braves had the best defensive record in the league too, with Dan Martin and Greig Stewart, Robbie Stewart, and Jack Brown all continuing to kick on and impress. Ross McNeil did exactly what everyone expected of him too – he scored goals.

It was somewhat surreal seeing the Braves play in Europe via the Fenix Trophy, which they went on to win, beating FC United of Manchester in the final in North Italy. I’m sure the experience was enjoyable for everyone at the club, however, I would like to see the Braves avoid any distractions this year and concentrate on winning the Lowland League, something which they are very capable of doing, especially with the returns of Jamie Walker and Marc Kelly to Alliance Park, and the signings of Dom McMahon and Bright Prince Okosun from Albion Rovers. No doubt one of the biggest tasks that Ricky Waddell will have this season is to keep everyone happy with playing time and that will be key to mount a serious title challenge.

Celtic B

It’s always difficult to place the B teams because we’re never quite sure if their best players will be playing at this level, the Bhoys often opting to loan them out, higher up the levels, to the SPFL. Celtic B have always competed at the top end of the league, finishing 2nd last season, and I don’t expect that to change, however, I do expect given how other top teams have strengthened, for Celtic B to maybe drop down a few places, but still remain pushing for the top 6, well within the top half.

Forward Daniel Cummings was a massive player for Celtic B over the past few seasons and they won’t have his goals to rely on anymore, after a much anticipated move to West Ham. We’re likely going to see a younger outfit this campaign with a few of the U18s coming up. I’m sure they’ll be a few gems in there, but lacking the experience of playing against senior sides, there’s a realistic possibility of a downturn in success.

Civil Service Strollers

How Strollers have consistently remained a top half side as the Lowland League has only gotten stronger over the years should be studied. Of course, Strollers manager Gary Jardine takes a lot of the credit, but the truth is, Civil has a solid group of players at this level. They have retained the vast majority of their squad from last season including mainstays Callum Yeats, Ross Clarke, Matthew Shaw, Euan Valentine, Marc Laird, and big Alieu Faye.

There’s not been too many transfers to talk about so far but that’s been the norm for Strollers over the past few seasons as Gary Jardine takes time to evaluate his squad. Forward Jamie Penker makes the move from East Stirlingshire, while defender Ross Pollock comes in from Heriot-Watt University. Strollers have a growing reputation as the ideal setting for young players to come in on loan and I’d expect some loan moves to happen in the near future.

On paper, Strollers should be safely midtable. I’d love to see them achieve top half again by the end of the season, it would be truly remarkable with the amount of teams challenging this year, but it’s going to be their toughest season to try and emulate that feat. I think if they have any chance to do that, they need to once again turn Christie Gillies Park into the fortress that we know it can be.

Clydebank

In many people’s eyes Clydebank are favourites for the title this season and it’s definitely warranted given they have the strongest squad to be promoted into the Lowland League for some time. However, it must be said there is a certain level of West of Scotland bias behind the belief that Clydebank will somehow walk the league. Losing only one league game in the West of Scotland Premier was some achievement last season but it took years to build. The Bankies come out of the regional bubble they’ve been accustomed to and travel to grounds they’ve never been to and play teams they aren’t used to. It’s a challenge that none of the other contenders need to worry about and it’s not going to be the walk in the park that some anticipate.

Regardless, the strength and depth of Clydebank’s squad can’t be denied. A majority of their players have played in the Lowland League or higher up the pyramid in previous seasons. Bankies manager Gordon Moffat has retained most of his title winning squad which includes the familiar names of Andy Leishman, David Syme, Matt Niven, Nicky Low, Dean Cairns, Nicky Little, and Keir Samson, to name a few. Coming in are goalkeeper Owen Stott from Beith Juniors, Arran Preston from Hamilton Accies, Neil McLaughlin from St Cadoc’s, Stuart McCann from Johnstone Burgh, and Billy Hutchison on loan from St Mirren, after a co-operative agreement was agreed with the Paisley club.

It’s definitely an exciting time for the Bankies, as they push to have the clubs name back in the SPFL and I don’t think the notion, taken to heart by some fans, of the Lowland League being easy is shared by the manager or the players. As professionals, the players will know how difficult challenging for a league title is and that’s genuinely where the Bankies should be – challenging for the Lowland League title this season.

Cowdenbeath

There’s not been a complete overhaul at Central Park coming into the new season but it’s close to it. Cowdenbeath manager Paul McLean has retained Sam Newman and Jack Denham from last season. Scott Cameron joins from Bo’ness Athletic, along with a host of other new arrivals coming in for the new campaign. Goalkeeper Dion Gear joins from fellow Fife club, Kirkcaldy & Dysart. Challenging Dion for the number 1 jersey will be Owen Hayward, who comes in on loan from Falkirk. Former Dunfermline Athletic U18s defender and Cowdenbeath fan, Conley Adamson joins his boyhood club for this season, with fellow defenders Harvie Petrie joining after a spell with Blantyre Victoria in the West of Scotland last season, and Jackson Innes makes the move from Bonnyrigg Rose. While Raymond Reddington joins from Kelty Hearts.

Two-time Midlands League champion, Jack Allan joins from Dundee North End, while 23 year old midfielder Finlay Ness makes the step up from the amateurs. Dylan Mauchin and Max Williamson come in from Livingston and Spartans respectively. Zack Tomany joins from Motherwell and Liam Watt and Stuart McDowell join from fellow Lowland League clubs Gala Fairydean Rovers and Linlithgow Rose, with Darren Downie joining from Broxburn Athletic. There’s also a return to Central Park for Blue Brazil favourite Nat Wedderburn, who transfers from Stenhousemuir.

We’ve seen a few of the players mentioned play in the Lowland or Lowland development previously, but it’s tough to judge Cowdenbeath at the moment, as some of the players are a unknown quantity, at this level. The club have tied down some of the younger talent to two year deals, hopefully building for the seasons ahead. Solely based on the strength of the other teams, Cowden are likely going to be in the bottom half but there’s definitely potential there. The Central Park pitch makes it difficult, especially in the winter months, to play decent football, so it’s always a challenge for managers to get round that obstacle.

Cumbernauld Colts

Every time I predict the Colts to do well, I seem to jinx them, so out of respect for Colts manager John Doyle and assistant David Gormley, I won’t be making any bold predictions. That being said, I do like what I’ve seen from Colts in the off-season. Billy Mortimer and Callum Home return to the club from Albion Rovers. In addition, defender Adam Fernie also makes the move from Cliftonhill. Liam Allison and Ji Stevenson are also back at Broadwood after loan spells last season from Linlithgow Rose and Annan Athletic. Josh Jack joins from Cumnock Juniors, while goalkeeper Harry Broun joins after playing in the Lowland League with Broomhill last season. Josh Farquhar and Lyle Hunter move on loan from St Mirren. Also, bolstering John Doyle’s backroom staff, is former Broomhill manager Zander Diamond, who comes in as a first team coach.

Colts lacked experience last season, having one of the youngest playing squads in the league. I still believe they shouldn’t have been in a relegation fight with the talent they had but it was difficult though with a few injuries to players like Cole McIntyre and Cameron Dickson during the season. John Doyle steadied the ship when he was appointed manager in January and I think Colts can go on a push this season. They have a luxury that some clubs don’t have in the shape of a decent development squad, that they can call on, if there were to be any injuries.

I said I wouldn’t make a prediction and I won’t, but it’s not out the realms of possibility that Colts can push top half. It’s not going to be easy but if Billy Mortimer can get back in amongst the goals, the defence settles, Colts will at minimum do better than last season, where they finished 14th.

East Stirlingshire

East Stirlingshire did well to finish 9th last year, after what can only be described as a truly awful start to the season and I’m sorry to disappoint the Shire fans reading this, but I think they’ll do well to finish 9th this season too, bad start or not. Simply based on the other squads, Shire won’t be a team pushing top half for me.

The Shire announced a co-operative club agreement with Ayr United, which sees Luca McRoberts return to the club for at least the start of the season. with Kenzie Mitchell and Jamie Hislop also joining from the Honest Men. Ben Hobbs joins on loan from Kelty Hearts, while Ben Lamont and Chris Inglis move permanently from Spartans after their loan spells last season.

Goalkeepers Jay Cantley and Neil Mitchell also return to the Shire after spells away. East Stirlingshire announced the signing of a well known name to Scottish fans, James McFadden, that would be junior though, not senior, signing from Partick Thistle. It’s a young team, boosted by the experience of players such as Mark Docherty, Morgaro Gomis, Stephen O’Neill and Matty Flynn, Is that enough for the Shire to be successful? We’ll find out.

More importantly, moving back to Ochilview does allow the club better sponsorship and revenue opportunities going forward, which is a good thing to ensure the clubs future, which has been in doubt for many of years, if not for the fantastic work of the club secretary Andy Williamson and club director Ian Fleming, and now chairman Simon Dickerson.

Gala Fairydean Rovers

Gala were fortunate to stay in the Lowland League last season and if Broomhill didn’t have such a depleted squad by the latter stages, Gala might have been playing their football in the East of Scotland Premier Division this year. 31 points in a season used to be enough for teams to be nowhere near a relegation fight, now it may become the norm and it will be a concern for clubs that are desperate to hold on to their status in tier 5. Luckily, it’s not something clubs like Gala have to worry about this season, with no relegation.

There’s actually a lot to like about Gala manager Martin Scott’s team. They try and play decent football, and there was never an issue of scoring goals, it was their defending that let them down and got them into trouble. Conceding 86 goals over 34 league games, meant Gala finished the season with the worst defensive record. It’s something that Scott will desperately need to address.

Key players, Danny Galbraith, Lewis Hall, Kieran Dolan, Keaghan Jacobs, and Jamie Semple have been retained. Che Reilly appears to be back at the Netherdale also, after his loan from Livingston last season. Defender Liam Fagan joins from Albion Rovers, while the versatile Gregor Lamb joins from Peebles Rovers. We’ve not seen the full picture of signings from Gala but I would expect another bottom half finish is the likely outcome this season.

Gretna FC 2008

Gretna 2008 finished 15th in the Lowland League and if it wasn’t for injuries to defender Jack Dickinson and forward Iain Anderson, they might have not fallen away towards the end of the season. 15th doesn’t sound too impressive but for a club whose days in the Lowland League seemed numbered going by previous seasons, it’s certainly progress.

Anvils manager Vinnie Parker has done a fine job, securing his first silverware by beating the Caledonian Braves in the Southern Counties Challenge Cup Final in May. The majority of last season’s squad was retained, which shows belief from the players in what Vinnie is trying to build at the club. Jack Dickinson and Jordan Wooding-Holt were surprise exits ahead of the new campaign, but the signing of forward Sean McKenzie from Nithsdale Wanderers, should add extra fire power this season.

The top half is going to be so difficult for some clubs to achieve, but Gretna should be there or there abouts, I certainly expect them to push higher than 15th, but like every season, injuries and transfers make a difference.

Heart of Midlothian B

Hearts B finished 11th last season and I would expect another bottom half finish for this campaign. There was certainly a few standouts in the team such as Gregor Crookston, Matthew Gillies, Gus Stevenson, and Mackenzie Ross, but with one or two seasons under their belt playing at this level, the club might want some players to get experience higher up in the SPFL.

That’s essentially what makes predicting anything for B teams more difficult, because you never know exactly what players will be involved or what the plans are. Unlike Celtic, for the most part, Hearts have also gave some of the B team players a chance to be involved in the first team, which I hope continues. You’ll also get the natural progression of the U18s stepping up to be more involved in the B team as older lads are loaned out.

I can’t personally see any of the two B teams making waves in terms of challenging at the top of the division this season.

Linlithgow Rose

Linlithgow finished 5th last season and I think they have an excellent chance to improve on that this year. I was really impressed by a lot of the Rose team. You’re always going to have your standouts in any top side but there was Rose players that really seemed to kick on. Louis Maguire never looked like he had a poor game, Dylan Paterson made the difference, and Greg Skinner was solid at the back. Of course it helps having Cammy Binnie between the sticks, and Connor McMullan and Gary Thom leading the team.

The majority of last season’s squad has been retained with only a few additions. Paul Kennedy, who had an excellent season, comes in from fellow Lowland League team, Albion Rovers, Ciaran Greene moves from Gala Fairydean Rovers. Reuben Lamont, previously at Stirling Albion, moves into the first team at Prestonfield, and Joseph Smith, who was on loan at Broxburn Athletic last season, joins from Queen’s Park.

Rose have a solid squad and this season they will be aiming for a high finish. I fully expect them to be challenging at the top end. Former Whitburn manager, Darren Wilson, coming in as Rose manager Gordon Herd’s assistant is a good move in the backroom. The top 6 is going to be tough, but Linlithgow should most definitely be in the mix.

Tranent

Tranent finished 4th last season and the Belters are always there or there abouts when it comes to challenging but the big difference for me going into this season is Robbie Horn coming in as manager. Robbie, having won the Lowland League previously with Bonnyrigg Rose, is a big coup for the club. Tranent have been frustrating in previous seasons, they’ve had good teams in past seasons but never really lived up to hype. Robbie’s appointment changes that, in my opinion.

Similiar to other top sides, most of the squad has been retained, with only a few additions. Sam Jones comes in from Edinburgh City, Cammy McKinley, who was on loan at East Kilbride last season, comes in from Stirling Albion, and it’s a return to Forester’s Park for Broque Watson as he makes the move from East Kilbride.

Tranent have struggled for goals from open play in the past and have made the most of their chances from set plays, if this is starting to sound familiar, it’s because Bonnyrigg Rose under Robbie Horn were not too dissimilar their first few seasons in the Lowland League. I’ve never been the biggest fan of Robbie’s style (and he knows it!), but I can’t argue with the results.

Hence, under Robbie (for me), Tranent go from potential challengers to potential champions this season.

University of Stirling

I think Stirling Uni might be the team that benefits most from no relegation this season, and it’s not because I think they would have finished bottom. The primary objective of the Uni is to develop players and with no fear of relegation, we might see some more players from the development side feature this year. It also perhaps gives the Uni the chance to focus on the BUCS competitions a little more.

Knowing Chris Geddes, he’ll still go out to try and win games, whoever the Uni plays, but there’s certainly less of a battle at the bottom half than the top, simply because there is no relegation. It’s a ideal opportunity to build for future seasons by giving some players experience a little bit earlier than they might have had it if there was added pressure.

Tomorrow marks the first leg in the marathon SPFL Pyramid Playoffs as our very own East Kilbride FC welcome Brora Rangers of the Highland League to K Park.

Of course, those of you who frequent these pages will have heard us banging on about the silky skills and goalscoring prowess of Michael Kennedy’s Kilby all season long, so instead of a boring ol’ preview, we thought we’d do something a little different.

We’ve enlisted everyone’s favourite Lowland League pundit, Chris Pow of the Official Catchup podcast, to bring you a scouting report on EK’s playoff opponents Brora Rangers…

by Chris Pow

Brora Rangers, as the name suggests, hail from the village of Brora, Sutherland. Nicknamed The Cattachs, the club was founded in 1879, and play their home games at Dudgeon Park.

The Highland League side won their first ever domestic treble this season under manager Steven Mackay, winning the Highland League, Highland League Cup, and the North of Scotland Cup.

Brora Rangers are a strong side for the level, with a formidable front four, who are interchangeable, when it comes to positions. Scoring 117 goals in the Highland League this season emphasises the threat they could pose to any team. Shane Sutherland and Tony Dingwall have an effective partnership upfront and Max Ewan and Connor Bunce have excellent technique, and are good dribblers of the ball.

Brora Rangers, similar to East Kilbride, aim to keep possession, and like to work the ball into the box, when on the attack, with a lot of their opportunities coming from the central areas of the pitch. Brora will press the opposition to claim possession back and create chances in the final third by closing down defenders, and sometimes the opposition goalkeeper, something which Kilby will need to be wary of, given their own style of play. 

The game will be an interesting tactical battle between two top sides. Both are somewhat similar in approaches, so it’s difficult to predict the outcome. We could see a very close encounter, with both teams cancelling each other out, or an absolute shootout, considering the goal scoring prowess of the respective forward lines. 

The Scottish Lowland Football League are delighted to announce that our Eagleview Event Center-sponsored Match Balls have arrived in time for the 2025/26 season.

This partnership has something of a transatlantic flavour, with Eagleview Event Center being the premier wedding venue in Southwest Virginia, USA!

Owners Chris and Joy Butler are used to working hard to ensure that visitors to the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains have the perfect wedding day, and now they have been bringing their passion to providing matchday footballs to teams in the Scottish Lowland Football League. From next season though, our Mitre Match Balls will carry their branding too!

The three-year agreement sees a significant five-figure investment from the venue commonly known as ‘The View’.

Chris Butler, owner of The View, said: “We could not be more excited about teaming up with the Park’s Motor Group Scottish Lowland Football League. With eighteen great clubs set to battle it out for the league championship, we hope to make numerous trips to Scotland throughout the season to catch as many matches as possible! To be locked in as the Official Match Ball Sponsor for the next three years, and to be part of the Lowland League for that amount of time, is exciting for us personally and for our wedding venue.

“Eagleview sits in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, an area that has long maintained a proud connection with the Scottish Highlands. Many of this area’s ancestors hailed from Scotland before making their way to Virginia. You see signs of Scotland in the music and dance all around our area. My grandfather was born in Perth and I’m excited about getting all of us, including our three children, back to my Scottish roots. Joy and I invite all Scots, and especially fans of the Scottish Lowland League, to check out our website and consider having a destination wedding with us in Virginia, USA!”

League chairperson Thomas Brown said: “We are delighted to have Chris and Joy sponsoring match balls for our teams for the next three years.

“Chris and his family are passionate about football and Scotland so this partnership this is a perfect fit for us.

“Everyone involved in the League would like to thank them for their vital sponsorship.

Hello everybody! It’s Lowland League Weekly time again. For now we’re going to be ignoring any elephants in any rooms and looking at the relegation picture in the Park’s Motor Group Lowland League.

Albion Rovers vs Berwick Rangers

It’s a battle of the former SPFL clubs (stop me if you’re bored of that patter, Albion Rovers and Berwick Rangers fans) as sunny, sparkling Coatbridge plays host to a match that sees Sandy Clark’s men pushing on to cement a top six finish in the Park’s Motor Group Lowland League. On the back of an impressive 2-1 victory over Linlithgow Rose in midweek, they come into this one looking to put a bit of daylight between them and 7th placed Broxburn Athletic.

Looking at the league table Berwick Rangers will know that Saturday is a simple proposition for them. Win and they’ll avoid automatic relegation from the Park’s Motor Group Scottish Lowland League. 

Don’t really need to say much more than that, really…

Broomhill vs East Stirlingshire

Broomhill did the first of their big hard job last weekend when they took three points away from Foresters Park with a 2-1 victory over Tranent. They welcome East Stirlingshire to Dumbarton this weekend knowing that every point will be vital as they compete with Cumbernauld Colts, Berwick Rangers and Gala Fairydean Rovers to avoid the automatic relegation spot.

East Stirlingshire sit in 12th place, looking down from a place of safety. There’s a place in the top half there for the taking should they make the most of their last few matches!

Broxburn Athletic vs Celtic B

Broxburn welcome Celtic B this weekend with their place in the top 7 all confirmed. That’s quite the achievement for a newly promoted side, but the Brox will be looking to do everything they can in pursuit of finishing as high as fourth in the Lowland League this season.

Caledonian Braves vs Bo’ness United

Caledonian Braves’ title hopes have been dashed a bit in the last few weeks but a result here could see them claim their highest finish in their Lowland League tenure, which is nothing to be sniffed at. To do that though, they have to take on 9th placed Bo’ness United who will be keen to ensure that they end the season in the top half of the table. 

Cowdenbeath vs Hearts B

Cowdenbeath currently sit two points above Hearts B in 10th place in the Park’s Motor Group Lowland League. They’re one of the sides that could supplant Bo’ness in the top half If things go their way, and given their terrifying dive that would give the Oblivion at Alton Towers (not sponsored, call us Alton Towers!) a run for its money, they’ll probably be happy with that.

Cumbernauld Colts vs Tranent

Cumbernauld Colts, despite a series of impressive results in recent weeks are still in relegation trouble, sitting six points clear of bottom side Gala Fairydean Rovers and level on points with Broomhill. They’re in a similar situation to their former housemates and relegation rivals – they need to pick up points in their remaining games to cover off Rovers own potential.

For Tranent, they lost to Broomhill last weekend and are looking to finish as high as they can in the Park’s Motor Group Lowland League this season. They could finish as high as 3rd if results go their way and they make the most of their last few matches.

Gretna 2008 vs Civil Service Strollers 

Gretna 2008 have stunned a lot of their detractors into silence this season, and while their recent results might not have lit things up, they’re safe from relegation and have already started building ahead of the 25/26 season. Anything else they pick up this season is a bonus.

Civil Service Strollers are in a similar boat. Comfortably mid-table, they only have to look below them as Broxburn are 9 points ahead of them in the league table. Gary Jardine’s side have been what they always are: solid and hard to beat with a few impressive attackers.

This might be a bit of a dead rubber, but it’ll probably be a fun game to watch!

University of Stirling vs Gala Fairydean Rovers

University of Stirling might not have hit the heights that many people would have expected from them this season, but they can still turn it on when the conditions are right for them.

Gala Fairydean simply must win. It’s as simple as that.

Good luck too, to this season’s Champions East Kilbride as they take on Auchinleck Talbot in the South Challenge Cup Final on Sunday!

Ahead of the Lowland League Cup Final, we asked Official Catchup’s Chris Pow to take a look at both side’s chances in the match.

It’s a case of Déjà vu ahead of this Sunday’s Lowland League Cup Final at Broadwood, as East Kilbride meet Bo’ness United in the final, for the third time in four seasons. 

East Kilbride have come out on top on both occasions over the BUs, with a 4-2 victory during the 2021-22 final, and a 5-4 penalty victory in the 2022-23 final. EK are already the record holders of the competition and will be looking to lift the cup for the fifth time. It is also EK’s fourth straight Lowland Cup Final appearance, however, last season’s final ended in a penalty defeat to Tranent.

Kilby sit top of the Lowland League and are officially two league wins away from claiming a record fourth league title. If records are your thing, EK are also one league goal away from surpassing East Stirlingshire’s most goals scored in a Lowland League season record from 2016-2017.

Ultimately, another crack at promotion to League 2 will be the club’s main objective after last season’s disappointing defeat to Stranraer. The Lowland League Cup will just be a chance to add to the K Park trophy cabinet.

EK go into the final carrying a few knocks, so don’t be surprised to see assistant manager Simon Ferry suited up on Sunday, like he was in the recent midweek league fixture against Civil Service Strollers. Mick Kennedy has bemoaned the number of chances his team has squandered in recent games, so will be looking to lean on the likes of talisman Cami Elliot, Jack Leitch, and John Robertson to make the most of their opportunities in Sunday’s final.

From the highs of finishing third in the Lowland League last season, it’s been a somewhat disappointing year for Bo’ness United, who currently sit ninth in the league. The cup final will be a massive boost for supporters, who likely expected a wee bit more from their club.

It’s fair to say, a few BU fans and neutrals may have preferred a Flints Derby final, which was a possibility, before East Kilbride put out BUs rivals Linlithgow Rose in the semis. Alas, Bo’ness United will be hoping it’s third time lucky against East Kilbride.

It’s pretty obvious East Kilbride come into the game as favourites, going by league positions, previous meetings, and the strength of the squads, however, it’s a cup game and we all know anything can happen. Bo’ness United haven’t scored much from open play recently, which I’m sure manager Stuart Hunter would have been working on at training. The BUs will come in with a game plan and with a good backing on Sunday at Broadwood, no one should be ruling them out. 

FRIDAY
Hearts B vs Gretna 2008

Heart of Midlothian B’s pursuit of a top half finish have been dented by five losses in their last six matches. They are currently level on points with their Friday night visitors, Gretna 2008.

Vinnie Parker’s side have struggled for results in their last four match, losing two and drawing two, but they’ll be confident travelling to Ainslie Park for this match against a Hearts B side that have struggled for consistency this season. The opportunity to leapfrog them in the Park’s Motor Group Lowland League table and push into the top 10 (if results go their way), will be plenty of incentive.

SATURDAY
Berwick Rangers vs Cumbernauld Colts

Two teams who have been threatened by the DROP ZONE all season meet this weekend at Shielfield Park and you know that this one is our Neutral’s Pick. Some sections of the Berwick faithful have turned on each other after a disastrous season has seen them drop to just four points clear of relegation after a strong start to the season had them sitting top of the pile after a few matches.

Cumbernauld Colts on the other hand are six points clear of the drop but know all too well thanks to their own time spent rooted to the bottom of the table that a couple of slip-ups can end with them in the mire pretty quickly. 

Both sides are under extreme pressure in this one, and it’s going to be a fascinating match.

Celtic B vs Caledonian Braves

Second welcome third to the Excelsior(!) this weekend as Celtic B host Caledonian Braves. Three points separate the sides who both had title aspirations as recently as a few weeks ago. That looks to be in their rear view mirrors now, as East Kilbride look to be champions-elect (although it’s not over until it’s over!).

There is no doubt though, that this one will be an interesting affair.

East Stirlingshire vs Albion Rovers

Going by the group chat I’m in, this match will be a feisty one between two former SPFL clubs with a lot of history and a lot of #respect between the sides. While there are 8 points between the sides, there is plenty more than bragging rights to play for when they meet this Saturday. 

Sandy Clark’s side have the Top 6 in their sights as they look to capitalise on their games in hand over their nearest rivals. East Stirlingshire on the other hand would see a top half finish as a good end to a season which they spent the first quarter of rooted to the bottom.

Gala Fairydean Rovers vs Broxburn Athletic

The league’s bottom side are the ones that I feel least confident in predicting their results. Gala Fairydean Rovers currently sit three points off Broomhill, but they score a lot of goals. Broxburn will feel that this one is a winnable game, but at this stage of the season there are no easy matches. 

Tranent vs Broomhill

Tranent have won their last four league matches to arrest their slide and put them comfortably in the top 5. A hard-fought victory over struggling Berwick Rangers last time out will give them confidence going Into this one.

Broomhill’s travails are noted of this parish, and going in ahead at half time against University of Stirling at the weekend, one might have thought they would earn a valuable three points. However, such has been the story this season, they ended up coming away with a 3-3 draw against the University side. 

Broomhill are very much in the relegation picture, sitting just three points ahead of bottom side Gala Fairydean Rovers. They will know full well that they need to pick up as many points as they can, starting at Foresters on Saturday.

Linlithgow Rose vs University of Stirling

Broxburn Athletic proved too tough for Linlithgow Rose last weekend as they shunted Rose out of the way. Linlithgow still have a reasonable chance of finishing third if results go their way, and they will be conscious of the need to dispatch teams lower in the Park’s Motor Group Lowland League table to do it.

Enter University of Stirling. Chris Geddes’s side have disappointed based on their usual high standards and find themselves in 14th place in the league table. They are probably safe from relegation danger at this point, but they will be looking to finish the season strongly following a 3-3 draw with Broomhill last Sunday.

SUNDAY
The Park’s Motor Group Lowland League Cup Final
Bo’ness United vs East Kilbride

This Sunday… SunDAY… SUNDAY!!! It’s the Park’s Motor Group Lowland League Cup Final.

But you’ll have to wait. Official Catchup’s Chris Pow will be bringing us a special preview of the big match at Broadwood. Keep your eyes on our social media for its release.

Hearts B vs Caledonian Braves

Hearts B suffered a 4-0 defeat at home against Gala Fairydean Rovers last weekend as they continue their slightly disappointing season in the Lowland League. A tight midweek defeat to the league’s second placed side, East Kilbride, won’t have helped much.

Caledonian Braves could have capitalised on their title rivals East Kilbride’s defeat against Celtic B last weekend, but conspired to lose 3-1 at home to Albion Rovers instead. Celtic B might be on top of the pile at the moment but Ricky Waddell’s side will be acutely aware that the battle for the playoffs is only between his side and Kilby. Dropped points from here on in? They just won’t wash.

East Kilbride vs Gala Fairydean Rovers

East Kilbride beat Hearts B in midweek to allay any fears that they might have had after two defeats on the bounce to top of the table rivals Caledonian Braves and Celtic B respectively. 

They still hold two games in hand over first placed Celtic B, but the East Kilbride management team will know that they need to keep up the pace in order to find themselves with a chance of making the SPFL at the fourth attempt.

Gala Fairydean Rovers have their own end of the table to worry about but put some tension to bed by beating Hearts B last Friday night. They are currently sitting three points ahead of Broomhill, but they’ll have Broomhill’s three games in hand firmly in mind as they look to make the most of their run-in.

Albion Rovers vs Linlithgow Rose

Albion Rovers’ Top 6 push received a boost last weekend as they put Caledonian Braves down 3-1 at Alliance Park. A win in that particular Lanarkshire derby will have been sweetened by a chance to visit Prestonfield this weekend and look for a result against Linlithgow Rose that would take momentum from the 4th placed side going into the run-in.

For Linlithgow’s part, they enjoyed a tight 3-2 victory over their own local rivals Bo’ness United last weekend and will be looking up the table rather than down as they look to reel in third placed Braves.

This one should be a cracker. To be honest, it had a good shout of being Neutral’s Pick but we had Albion Rovers last week… so don’t get greedy.

Berwick Rangers vs Celtic B

Berwick Rangers. Berwick Rangers. Berwick Rangers. Maybe saying their name three times might unjinx them. The Shielfield Park side find themselves in 15th place in the Park’s Motor Group Lowland Football League with a miserable return of one win in their last eight games. While club media might be happy to put their tough run of results at everyone else’s door, they’ll need a serious turnaround to arrest a nosedive towards the bottom of the table. 

Celtic B are probably the last side that you want to come up against in that kind of form. The league leaders have won their last six matches and will be looking for another scalp this weekend.

Bo’ness United vs Broomhill

Bo’ness United lost out narrowly to local rivals Linlithgow Rose at the weekend and could do with a win to keep pace with the teams above them and keep them just a little ahead of the teams chasing them. The return of Lucas Stenhouse is timely and will add impetus to their struggling attack.

Broomhill are another side who look to be in serious trouble, but perhaps it’s more due to their pitch than results on the park. The Dumbarton Stadium pitch has claimed many victims this season (in terms of postponements, it’s not quicksand or anything) and means that Broomhill face a compact fixture schedule in their battle for survival. Good results against Berwick Rangers and Cumbernauld Colts in their last six matches may mitigate some of the worry that comes from losing elsewhere, but dropping points at this stage in the season will put them in even greater danger. Almost all of Broomhill’s remaining matches could be described as six-pointers now…

Civil Service Strollers vs East Stirlingshire

Get yourself to Embra this week for the Neutral’s Pick! You wouldn’t call either Civil Service Strollers or East Stirlingshire form teams (start the music) at this point in the season, but this is BIG JUMP TERRITORY.

One point separates 9th and 13th place in the Park’s Motor Group Lowland League and if East Stirlingshire can take three points here they will leapfrog Civil Service Strollers in the league table. 

And you might be thinking… why would that matter? Well this is a chance for both teams to put some impetus back into their seasons with relegation a distant memory for both, a top half finish would be an encouraging way to go into 2025/26.

Cowdenbeath vs Broxburn Athletic

Cowdenbeath would have expected to beat Berwick Rangers last weekend but neither side were able to break the deadlock at Shielfield Park. That being said, Cowdenbeath have done enough to put themselves beyond relegation danger and will be hoping to push on for the top half. 

Broxburn’s slump will be troubling for their fans and a 5-2 defeat away to similarly rocky Tranent last weekend won’t have done much to help. A good result here is vital. 

Tranent vs Gretna 2008

Tranent arrested their slump somewhat with that 5-2 win over Broxburn but they will want to put a marker down with another win as we head into the business end of the season. Gretna for their part are safe as houses having enjoyed their best season for a while, but will be looking to finish as high as possible. 

University of Stirling vs Cumbernauld Colts

Stirling Uni are probably the side who are the end point for relegation danger in 14th place on 31 points. Colts sit two places and 8 points behind them and know that they have to keep getting results to steer themselves clear of relegation.