Berwick Rangers vs Albion Rovers
A midweek draw with Bo’ness United was the tonic that Berwick needed after a tough run of results in the Park’s Motor Group Lowland League. Ben McCrystal netted for Berwick and will be hoping for more of the same on Saturday as they come up against an Albion Rovers team on a strong run of form.
It was tough going for Rovers on Tuesday night as Civil Service Strollers proved tough opposition. It looked like it was destined to be a 1-1 draw until Peter Mendy popped up in the dying moments of the match to convert and, as Strollers social media put it, smuggle all three points onto the bus back to Coatbridge.
A trip to Tweedmouth is no small task and both sides will be itching to take all three points.
Broomhill vs Gala Fairydean Rovers
Broomhill’s biggest test of their mettle so far comes this week and they got it off to the best possible start by beating Cowdenbeath at The Rock on Tuesday night. The win took them level on points with the Blue Brazil and they’ll be itching to keep it going as they welcome their Park’s Motor Group Lowland League rivals Gala Fairydean Rovers on Saturday.
Gala Fairydean Rovers have had a similarly tough season so far and find themselves one point ahead of the automatic relegation place, albeit with a game in hand over Cumbernauld Colts.
This one is huge for both clubs. Whoever wins takes another step away from danger while consigning their vanquished foe to another week of worry. A real six pointer, if you will.
Caledonian Braves vs Linlithgow Rose
Caledonian Braves lost to Broxburn in midweek to lose the momentum in the title race and give East Kilbride a game in hand over them. This match against Linlithgow Rose will be vital to keep up the pressure.
Rose took points away from East Kilbride at home before a shaky midweek performance against Gala Fairydean Rovers secured them another three points. Their form hasn’t been world-beating, but on their day Rose are one of the strongest teams in the Park’s Motor Group Lowland League.
Both know the importance of three points in this one, and it will almost definitely be worth a look for any neutrals in the area.
Celtic B vs Broxburn Athletic
Broxburn Athletic’s strong season had a boost in midweek with a tight 1-0 win over Caledonian Braves. That has put them in pole position to overturn Celtic B, who could only manage a draw with struggling Cowdenbeath last weekend, and move into 4th place in the league with a win in Airdrie on Saturday.
Cumbernauld Colts vs Bo’ness United
Things have picked up in terms of goals for Cumbernauld Colts since Craig Malcolm has taken over, but the results still aren’t coming for the Broadwood side who have now lost each of their last four matches.
Bo’ness United have hit a little run of troubling form themselves, although being comfortably mid-table means that you won’t find this writer speaking about them as anything other than ‘solid’. They can’t move out of 8th place from this match, but they’ll be itching to keep the pressure on Albion Rovers who currently sit in 7th place.
The onus is very much on Cumbernauld Colts to arrest the slide here as this relegation battle, in which the entire bottom half of the Park’s Motor Group Lowland League could find themselves in trouble, is hotting up.
East Kilbride vs Tranent
Could our Neutral’s Pick be any other game this weekend? Hell no.
Top of the table East Kilbride and 3rd placed Tranent have five wins and a draw in their last six games and they will both be fighting tooth and nail for all three in this one.
This fixture is always pretty feisty and Tranent go into it two points back from Kilby, knowing that the could supplant last season’s Champions at the summit if results elsewhere also go their way.
If you have nothing on this Saturday afternoon, you want to get yourself to K Park because this game could be a classic (now watch it be 0-0…).
Gretna 2008 vs East Stirlingshire
Gretna 2008 have three losses a draw and a win in their last five matches. Two of those losses were their last two, both 3-1 losses against Civil Service Strollers and East Kilbride respectively. Their season has been one of growth and had you given Vinnie Parker’s men this fixture a month ago they would have had confidence of taking all three points at Raydale Park.
However, they now sit three points behind their opponents this weekend as Shire have gone on a run of four wins on the bounce to move them clear of the relegation mire that they found themselves in from the beginning of the season.
I guess you could say…
This one ought to be fascinating.
University of Stirling vs Civil Service Strollers
Sunday sees 11th meet 9th at Forthbank. Civil Service Strollers are four points ahead of their hosts and will be confident that their form will see them through. Four wins in their last five against Uni’s record of four losses in their last five would give any casual onlooker a view of what they can expect…
…but this is University of Stirling we’re talking about here. Anything can happen, and it often does. You can expect goals in this one!
