It’s the penultimate weekend of fixtures and we’ve still got seven mouthwatering matches coming your way.
EAST KILBRIDE VS BSC GLASGOW
by Anthony Evans
The champions welcome BSC Glasgow to the K-Park Training Facility tomorrow as they look to extend their unbeaten Lowland League run to 18 matches.
East Kilbride will be presented with the title at full time in front of their home fans, but with a potential tie with Cove Rangers of the Highland League for a place in the League Two relegation play-off on the horizon, Kilby boss Stuart Malcolm will want his side to remain focused in their final two league matches.
BSC Glasgow bounced back from last week’s loss to Dalbeattie Star with a 3-0 win at Vale of Leithen on Wednesday to leapfrog Kelty Hearts back into second place in the table with a game in hand. Manager Stephen Swift will know the importance of taking points from their last three matches, with the Fife outfit hot on their heels.
Lowland League top goalscorer Craig Malcolm will look to add to his 23 goals for East Kilbride this season, whilst BSC’s Thomas Collins comes off the back of a brace on Wednesday night.
Ones to Watch
East Kilbride – Chris Humphrey
BSC Glasgow – Declan Hughes
UNIVERSITY OF STIRLING vs GRETNA 2008
A big win in midweek over Spartans sees University of Stirling welcome Gretna 2008 two points clear of their opponents.
The 4-2 victory moved the students up to ninth in the Lowland League table with Gretna currently sitting in thirteenth, however, only four points separate eighth placed Edusport Academy and Gretna.
Gretna’s last game saw them also hit four as they beat Vale of Leithen and have won two of their last three league fixtures as they aim to finish the season well.
The previous meeting between these sides saw a 1-1 draw at Raydale Park back in August.
Ones to watch
University of Stirling – Dominic Slattery
Gretna 2008 – Kevin Connelly
GALA FAIRYDEAN ROVERS vs DALBEATTIE STAR
Two sides in decent form meet at Netherdale on Saturday as Dalbeattie Star make the trip to Galashiels to face Gala Fairydean Rovers.
The hosts have drawn their past three games but haven’t won in the league since January. This form has seen them slip out the top half of the table and down to tenth.
Dalbeattie have found form at the right time, unbeaten in their last four and beaten the sides sitting in second and third place in the league. The eight points from twelve available secured their safety in the Lowland League for next season and closed the gap to the sides above them.
Dalbeattie won the meeting earlier in the season 4-2 and more goals may be on the cards this weekend.
Ones to watch
Gala Fairydean Rovers – Phil Addison
Dalbeattie Star – Scott Milligan
CUMBERNAULD COLTS VS CIVIL SERVICE STROLLERS
Cumbernauld Colts will be hoping to end what has been a relatively poor run of form recently with a win over Civil Service Strollers on Saturday.
The home side have only won one of their last nine games and have drawn five of those matches. They will be hoping they can take advantage of Strollers current two game losing streak and pick up three points.
However, the visitors will provide a very tough test despite losing in their last two. They travel to Broadwood well aware of the fact that a win will potentially put them within a point of third placed Kelty Hearts.
They will also take confidence from the fact that they won the previous meeting between the two 1-0.
Ones to watch
Cumbernauld Colts – Greg Pascazio
Civil Service Strollers – David Churchill
East Stirlingshire vs Spartans
It’s the second last game of the league campaign for both these sides as fifth place Spartans head to The Falkirk Stadium in the hopes of bouncing back against sixth place East Stirlingshire.
The home side will be desperate to cement that top six finish and look to continue on from a comfortable 3-0 victory over Whitehill Welfare a few weekends ago. Shire have already announced heavy financial investing in their squad for next season and will hope to finish the season positively to set their sights high next campaign.
Meanwhile, Dougie Samuel’s men will no doubt consider this season a disappointing one, especially if they don’t make the most of their chance to potentially climb back into the top four in the closing games. Their last game this past Tuesday saw a 4-2 upset from Stirling University at Forthbank which the Edinburgh side will be desperate to bounce back from and claim all six points in their last two fixtures.
Ones to watch
Spartans – Jamie Dishington
East Stirlingshire – Paul McCafferty
Vale of Leithen vs Edinburgh University
Chris Anderson’s Vale of Leithen welcome Dorian Ogunro’s Edunburgh University to Victoria Park in a match where goals will be anticipated.
Vale have been extremely hot and cold in recent weeks, with their last three results being a 4-1 loss to Gretna, 5-0 victory over Cumbernauld Colts and a 3-0 defeat to BSC Glasgow on Wednesday. Despite being inconsistent, the 5-0 demolition of a well drilled Cumbernauld side shows what Vale are capable of and will be looking to get back to winning ways on Saturday.
Goals have been well spread throughout the team recently, with top scorer Sean Stewart getting back amongst the goals. Brad Rixon, Marc Berry and Keith McLeod are just a few names that have found the net recently.
The visitors come into the match off the back of a 3-2 victory against Gretna 2008 a fortnight ago thanks to a brace from Ross Watters. That result brought an end to a long wait for three points that stretched back to November.
When the two teams last met at the beginning of October, the students ran out 4-3 winners in a thrilling contest packed with goals.
Ones to watch
Vale of Leithen – Marc Berry
Edinburgh University – Ross Watters
Whitehill Welfare vs Edusport Academy
Bottom of the table Whitehill Welfare welcome Edusport Academy to Ferguson Park for both sides penultimate game of the campaign.
Dalbeattie’s impressive run of results over the past fortnight prevented any slim hopes Whitehill had of survival. However, last time out Ian Little’s men refused to crumble and secured a 1-1 draw against an ever impressive Gala Fairydean Rovers side thanks to an equaliser from Mikey Hamilton. Little will be hoping he can give the home sides supporters something to shout about before their league campaign comes to a close.
Ricky Waddell’s side have been without a league fixture for three weeks, their last match being a 2-0 triumph over Edinburgh University. However, during the last two weeks they have been in cup action, including on Wednesday night when they defeated South of Scotland outfit Abbey Vale 4-2 with attacking midfielder Jordan Alexandre netting all four goals.
The two teams met on the opening day of the season, with Edusport running out 4-1 winners.
Ones to watch
Whitehill Welfare – David Maskrey
Edusport Academy – Jordan Alexandre
