It’s the roundup and since we go straight into a whole new set of midweek fixtures tonight, it’s a little bit of a preview too, so we’ll go through each club in turn, looking at their weekend result and midweek prospects!
Albion Rovers
We picked out Albion Rovers’ fixture with Caledonian Braves as our neutrals’ pick at the weekend and we stand by it after a last minute equaliser for Rovers saw an eruption at the Reigart Stadium and Braves’ manager Ricky Waddell sent off for remonstrating. A 1-1 draw against a Braves team who had seemed free-scoring is nothing to sniff at, but Sandy Clark’s side will feel like they could have more than four points after two matches.
Callum Home popped up at the end with a goal before issuing a rousing message to fans ahead of Tuesday night’s match against Broxburn Athletic. Rovers will be looking to build on two positive results but this is their first match against the East of Scotland League champions and Broxburn have had a mixed bag so far, winning 3-1 against Broomhill before going down 6-2 in the derby match against Linlithgow Rose.
Berwick Rangers
Berwick are the only side outside the B teams to have a 100% record after two hard-won victories against Linlithgow Rose and Tranent. They will be hoping to continue that as they visit Christie Gillies Park to take on Civil Service Strollers. Matty Collins turned in a last gasp winner at Foresters Park on Saturday – will he be on hand to do the business again on Tuesday night?
Bo’ness United
Bo’ness United travel to Foresters Park looking to take the misfortune of their last two matches and turn it into a win against Tranent, who themselves will feel hard done by having taken only a point from their opening two matches. Gregor Nicol got the BU’s goal in a 1-1 draw with East Stirlingshire on Saturday, and he will be looking to have a hand in a win against Tranent.
Broomhill
Zander Diamond’s Broomhill have conceded seven goals in their opening two matches. A tough opening run featuring a 3-1 defeat to Broxburn, a 5-0 loss to Celtic B isn’t made much easier as they welcome last season’s champions East Kilbride to The Rock on Tuesday night. They will be buoyed by Kilby’s disappointing loss at home to Cumbernauld Colts, but Broomhill supporters will be under no illusions at the size of the task that their new-look squad face this midweek.
Broxburn Athletic
The Albyn Park side were on the wrong end of a 6-2 defeat to Linlithgow Rose at the weekend, and a trip to Coatbridge to meet Albion Rovers will be an interesting challenge for last season’s East of Scotland League champions. The two sides have never met before, and Broxburn will be looking to prolific striker Errol Douglas – who has two goals in two games – to give them the edge in Lanarkshire on Tuesday evening.
Caledonian Braves
Braves boss Ricky Waddell was sent off in the dying moments of Saturday’s match with Albion Rovers and that probably gives you an idea of how the Alliance Park side were feeling when Callum Home’s equaliser hit the back of the net for Albion Rovers. That game finished 1-1 but Braves will be keen to lean on their opening day scoreline of 6-0 when East Stirlingshire visit Bothwellhaugh on Wednesday night. The fixture was originally slated to take place at The Falkirk Stadium, but due to ongoing work on the floodlights, the fixture has been switched and, even without their boss in the dugout, Braves will feel as though they have a real chance with home advantage.
Celtic B
Celtic B won again at the weekend with a 5-0 victory over Broomhill. They welcome Gala Fairydean Rovers, a side with one of the leakiest defences in the league so far, to Airdrie on Tuesday evening. Daniel Cummings netted a hat trick at the weekend – he might fancy finding the back of the net again this midweek.
Civil Service Strollers
Many people in group chats had been writing Civil Service Strollers off following their opening day thrashing by East Kilbride, but writing off a Gary Jardine side is always a risky move. Their win over Cowdenbeath at the weekend was impressive and any side travelling to Christie Gillies Park knows that they’ll be in for a tough game. Berwick Rangers and their 100% record make the trip up the A1 on Tuesday. Alieu Faye is back in goalscoring form for Strollers and honestly, his goals are always a lot of fun to watch.
Cowdenbeath
Two penalties in two games for Cowdenbeath have improved their goalscoring record but the Blue Brazil faithful will have been a bit disappointed by their start to the season. They travel to Forthbank on Wednesday, looking to get the better of University of Stirling who themselves were on the end of a disappointing result at the weekend. If Cowdenbeath can get Matty MacDonald on the scoresheet again, they’ll have the basis for a strong performance but there are no guarantees in this league.
Cumbernauld Colts
David Proctor’s Cumbernauld Colts beat champions East Kilbride at the weekend thanks to an excellent defensive performance. Danny Hatfield was instrumental in their attacking performance, netting one and assisting the other. He will be important this midweek as they welcome Gretna 2008 to Broadwood. It’s a chance for Colts to put a serious marker down as they look to improve on last season’s fourth place in the league. Gretna got the win against University of Stirling on Saturday and Colts will have to be aware of the threat that they pose going forward.
As an aside, is it not wild how we’re ten teams into an eighteen team league and we’re not even at D in the alphabet?
East Kilbride
Some East Kilbride supporters bemoaned their opponents at the weekend for playing ‘anti-football’ as they suffered a 2-1 defeat to Cumbernauld Colts at Broadwood. Needless to say the supporters of the current Park’s Motor Group Lowland League champions will be expecting an attacking masterclass from the Navy & Gold when they make the short trip to Dumbarton to take on Broomhill on Tuesday night. Former Berwick Rangers defender David Ferguson got Kilby’s goal at the weekend but it will be Cammy Elliott and Calum Biggar who the East Kilbride coaching staff will be looking towards as they look to get back to winning ways.
East Stirlingshire
Shire’s match with Caledonian Braves has been switched to Alliance Park following floodlight issues at The Falkirk Stadium. Shire’s start to the season hasn’t been too bright (sorry) but a 1-1 draw with Bo’ness United will give them cause for optimism. Jamie Penker, whose goalscoring exploits for University of Stirling a couple of seasons ago are legendary, found the back of the net in that match and Pat Scullion will be hoping that the boost to his confidence will see him (and Shire!) go on a bit of a run.
Gala Fairydean Rovers
GFR have had a tough start to the Park’s Motor Group Lowland League season. Travelling to Airdrie to face Celtic B after two heavy defeats against Caledonian Braves and Hearts B respectively is a tough ask for the Borders side but you can never rule out one of the league’s most interesting attacking sides. Manager Martin Scott was impressed with his charges despite the result at the weekend and is looking positively towards Tuesday night’s match.
Gretna 2008
Vinnie Parker got the perfect birthday present from his side on Saturday as they got their first three points of the season away to University of Stirling. Former Dalbeattie Star striker Dean Brotherston got the goal that sealed the three points and proved a point to doubters who had tipped Gretna to struggle this season. They’ll be hoping for more of the same as they face a tough trip to Broadwood to face Cumbernauld Colts.
Hearts B
Liam Fox’s Hearts B have been scoring for fun so far this season having netted nine in their last two outings. Things might be tougher for them this week when they face Linlithgow Rose, who themselves have found goalscoring form at the weekend.
Linlithgow Rose
Rose smashed rivals Broxburn Athletic at the weekend and Gordon Herd’s side will be after more of the same as Hearts B visit Prestonfield. Whether that will be the case against the free-scoring B team remains to be seen but Laurie Devine will be the danger man for Rose as they look to make it two wins out of three.
Tranent
The Big T have struggled to get going in the Park’s Motor Group Lowland League this season with a draw and a late defeat to Berwick Ranger for their troubles. They’ll be keen to see off Bo’ness United at home to give their season a kick start.
University of Stirling
Chris Geddes’ Uni might have been surprised to find themselves on the end of a defeat at home against Gretna on Saturday but truth be told it was 90 minutes to forget for the students. They welcome Cowdenbeath to Forthbank on Wednesday night, looking to produce a performance closer to their opening day win over Bo’ness United. Their defence will be the focus with the Uni looking to avoid the shakiness which has punctuated their opening two fixtures.
