After a wee week off for some cup action, we’re back with a full card of GeoSonic Lowland League action! The boys are here to preview all the action, starting off in Fife as Kelty Hearts welcome Edusport Academy to New Central Park.
KELTY HEARTS VS EDUSPORT ACADEMY
Kelty Hearts welcome Edusport Academy to New Central Park in the RockSport Match of the Week with both sides looking for their first league victories of 2019.
The home side has seen their title charge very much halted with only one win in their last five that has seen them slip eleven points behind leaders East Kilbride.
Last weekend’s Football Nation Qualifying Cup victory over Camelon was overturned following the admission from the Fife club that they had fielded an ineligible player.
Their two league games in 2019 have seen a total ten goals shared after a frantic 3-3 draw away to East Stirlingshire was followed by a two goal comeback to rescue a point at home to University of Stirling
Edusport Academy are also struggling for form of later having failed to win any of their last six games. That run has seen them slip from fourth to ninth in the GeoSonic Scottish Lowland League table.
Conceding goals have certainly been the problem for Ricky Waddell’s men having let in sixteen goals in their past five matches including five twice.
Goals have definitely not been in short supply in recent weeks for either of these sides and more could be expected at new Central Park on Saturday but only one goal separated the sides at Galabank when they met earlier in the season as Stuart Cargill fired in from the edge of the box to keep Kelty top at that time.
Ones to watch
Kelty Hearts – Stuart Cargill
Edusport Academy – Matthew Flynn
GALA FAIRYDEAN ROVERS VS EAST KILBRIDE
Gala Fairydean Rovers face a very difficult task at the weekend when they host league leaders East Kilbride. Kilby have been the standout team in the league this season, having only lost once and many will be tipping them to win again in this fixture.
Gala are currently 7th in the league and have won their last two games. However, Kilby have won their last ten league games in a row and they boast the league’s top scorer in Craig Malcolm.
In the past three meetings between both sides, Gala have failed to score a single goal whilst Kilby have scored seven. The hosts will be hoping to end this run and will look towards players such as Hibs loanee Ruari Paton, who along with goalkeeper Patrick Martin has extended his loan to the end of the season, to grab the goals.
Ones to watch
Gala Fairydean Rovers – Ruari Paton
East Kilbride – Craig Malcolm
VALE OF LEITHEN VS CIVIL SERVICE STROLLERS
An in-form Civil Service Strollers travel to face a Vale of Leithen side that have seriously struggled to put results together this season.
The hosts have shown they are capable of scoring goals this season and they beat Edusport 5-4 last time out, however they have conceded far too many goals this season which has contributed to them losing matches and they find themselves in lowly 13th place in the league as a result.
The visitors have been flying recently and are on a great seven game unbeaten run. Strollers are the only side that have beaten league leaders East Kilbride this season and they currently sit three points behind Kelty Hearts, in 4th place.
Ones to watch
Vale of Leithen – Brad Rixon
Civil Service Strollers – Steven Froude
GRETNA 2008 VS EAST STIRLINGSHIRE
Gretna 2008 welcome East Stirlingshire to Raydale Park on Saturday with both sides looking to take strides towards making it into the top half.
The hosts are still in search of a new manager, with Stuart Rome continuing as caretaker boss with the side looking to bounce back from their 5-0 defeat to East Kilbride a fortnight ago. They have goals well spread around the team with strikers Daniel Smales finding the net eight times and Kevin Connelly seven. Ashley Kelly has also chipped in with eight from midfield.
Shire have looked steadier under Derek Ure in recent weeks having only lost one of their last five games, seeing them rise to eighth in the table. Their last game was also a fortnight ago when Andy Grant netted a late winner to defeat Edinburgh Uni 2-1. But Shire have kept their fitness levels up after playing a friendly against Livingston Reserves, where the Lions ran out 2-0 winners.
Shire were victorious 4-1 when the teams met here last season.
Ones to watch
Gretna 2008 – Ashley Kelly
East Stirlingshire – Connor Greene
WHITEHILL WELFARE VS CUMBERNAULD COLTS
Bottom club Whitehill Welfare have shown glimmers of improvement under new boss Ian Little but must find that elusive first victory if they are to have any hope of staying in the division as they face Cumbernauld Colts on Saturday.
Draws with Dalbeattie Star and Spartans haven’t been enough for Welfare as you need to go back to September to recall their last league win. However, they have signed Ainslie Hunter from Vale of Leithen and Anthony Laing from Edinburgh University to boost their ranks.
Cumbernauld come into the match in sixth place off the back of a 1-0 victory against Dalbeattie Star two weeks ago. They’ll be aiming to consolidate their consistent season and continue pushing the sides at the top of the table.
Ones to watch
Whitehill Welfare – Ainslie Hunter
Cumbernauld Colts – Stephen O’Neill
THE SPARTANS VS EDINBURGH UNIVERSITY
Fifth place Spartans will be desperate to return to winning ways as they welcome Edinburgh University to Ainslie Park. Dougie Samuels’ boys have struggled for form recently, but the same can be said for their visitors who have lost their early season momentum and now find themselves in 10th.
The Champions’ last league fixture was a tight 0-1 defeat to second place BSC Glasgow, and the week before, they barely managed to grab a point away to relegation battlers Whitehill Welfare. A victory this weekend could get them back to their expected form and see them kick-start their 2019.
The Peffermill squad will hope to get back into the top half of the table, especially after their last league game which saw East Stirlingshire get a 2-1 victory over the university side. Even a point could see them move to 8th if other results go in their favour.
Ones to watch
The Spartans – Aaron Scott
Edinburgh University – Mark Waters
UNIVERSITY OF STIRLING VS DALBEATTIE STAR
A battle in the bottom four where Stirling Uni will hope to climb away and head back to mid-table while a Dalbeattie victory could be vital to their relegation fight.
The Forthbank side have had an extra week off to refresh themselves due to their Football Nation Cup match with Penicuik Athletic being postponed last Saturday. Their last league outing saw an impressive 2-2 draw with third place Kelty Hearts, a result that will no doubt bolster the confidence of the squad.
Dalbeattie Star have had a miserable couple of fixtures with their last game a 1-0 defeat by Cumbernauld Colts. A win or even a point in this game could help put some more distance between them and bottom of the table Whitehill Welfare.
