Season: 2023/24

The 2022/23 season of The Park’s Motor Group Scottish Lowland Football League.

Linlithgow Rose vs Cumbernauld Colts

This will be the first time Linlithgow Rose and Cumbernauld Colts come up against each other.

East of Scotland Champions, Linlithgow Rose have enjoyed a solid start to their inaugural Lowland League campaign – winning three of their four opening games, and losing the other.

Nine players have contributed to the Rose’s 13 goals, making them a threat from a variety of positions.

Having gone their first three games without losing or conceding, Cumbernauld Colts tasted their first defeat, last weekend – falling to a 5-1 defeat v Tranent at Broadwood.

Billy Mortimer has scored all of the Colts’ goals, and is currently the joint-top scorer with five goals.

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Tranent vs Broomhill

It was Tranent who came out on top on both occasions, last season – defeating Broomhill 4-0 at home, and 2-1 away.

Tranent have won three of their first four fixtures – losing 2-1 to the only team who have been the victors on every outing, Bo’ness United.

The Big T have goals in them and are the league’s top scorers, at this moment – with comprehensive 6-2 and 5-1 victories coming against Edinburgh Uni and Cumbernauld Colts, as well as their opening day 2-1 win away to East Stirlingshire.

Broomhill have also won three of their four fixtures. Since losing 2-1 on the opening day to East Kilbride, The Broom have defeated both Linlithgow Rose and Caley Braves 2-0, followed by a 4-0 win v Edinburgh Uni.

Broomhill have the joint-best defence, alongside Bo’ness United – only conceding two goals (both on the opening day), and have kept three consecutive clean sheets.

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University of Stirling vs Caledonian Braves

University of Stirling and Caledonian Braves had equal share of the points, last season – with Stirling Uni winning 3-1 at Alliance Park, and The Braves leaving Forthbank with a 1-0 win.

After a phenomenal 22/23 campaign that saw them finish 4th and exiting the Scottish Cup Fourth Round to Dundee United, it was always going to be difficult for Stirling Uni to be able to emulate that – particularly when losing key, senior players.

Having lost their two opening games 3-1 and 3-0 to Linlithgow Rose and Cumbernauld Colts, the Uni followed that up with 1-1 and 2-2 draws with East Kilbride and Berwick Rangers, and are looking for their first win.

A difficult start for Caledonian Braves, who, like Stirling Uni, have also had to deal with losing key players.

Since their opening day 1-0 win over Berwick Rangers, The Braves have went on a three-game losing streak of 5-1 to Celtic B, 2-0 to Broomhill, and 1-0 to Linlithgow Rose, and will be desperate to get back to winning ways.

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Heart of Midlothian B vs Cowdenbeath

Last season was the inaugural season for both Hearts B and Cowdenbeath in the Lowland League – and it was Cowdenbeath who got the better of the results, drawing 1-1 away, then winning 3-1 at Central Park.

The Wee Jambos are undefeated in their first four games of the 23/24 campaign, and have only dropped points once with a 1-1 draw away to Gala Fairydean Rovers.

Makenzie Kirk is the Lowland League’s joint-top scorer, with five in four games, and he’ll be looking to add to his tally.

Cowdenbeath have played two league games – which both ended in 2-2 draws v Celtic B and Civil Service Strollers, and will be disappointed not to have a win under their belts, considering they were ahead in both games.

With The Blue Brazil’s four goals coming from four different scorers, means they have multiple threats in finding the back of the net.

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Albion Rovers v Heart of Midlothian B

This is Albion Rovers first outing in the Lowland League, following their relegation from League Two via the play-off, at the hand of last season’s Lowland League Champions, The Spartans.

Rovers have been in cup action, hence their delay in kicking off their league campaign. They lost three of their four Viaplay Cup Group Stage matches – 2-0 to Raith Rovers, 3-0 to Dunfermline Athletic, and 2-1 to Kilmarnock. Their only victory came thanks to a 2-1 win over Annan Athletic.

They also progressed to the next round of the SPFL Trust Trophy, having won on penalties v St Mirren B – where they will now face fellow Lowland League side, Tranent.

Hearts B will be pleased with their start to the 23/24 campaign, sitting in 2nd with two wins and a draw – 7-0 v Gretna 2008, 3-2 v Civil Service Strollers, and 1-1 v Gala Fairydean Rovers.

The Young Jambos have scored the second highest amount of goals, with eleven – one behind top scorers, Linlithgow Rose.

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Berwick Rangers vs University of Stirling

Stirling Uni didn’t lose to Berwick Rangers, last season – with the games ending 2-2 and 3-1. But, The Wee Gers haven’t lost at home to the Uni since 2019.

Both teams come into this with identical form – having lost their opening two games, they both picked up their first point, last weekend.

Berwick Rangers lost their opener 1-0 to Caley Braves, followed by a 2-1 defeat to the only team to have won all their games, so far, Bo’ness United.

Their first point came against Cumbernauld Colts, with both sides cancelling each other out for it to end 0-0.

Stirling Uni lost 3-1 to newly promoted Linlithgow Rose on the opening day, quickly followed by a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Cumbernauld Colts.

They picked up their first point thanks to a 1-1 draw with East Kilbride, a side they didn’t lose to in last season’s league campaign.

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Bo’ness United vs Gretna 2008

Last season, Bo’ness United took maximum points off Gretna 2008 – thanks to 4-1 and 3-0 wins.

Both clubs will be looking to secure the three points, for very different reasons.

So far, United are the only team to have won all of their games – an opening day 3-0 win over Gala Fairydean Rovers, a 2-1 win away to Berwick Rangers, and a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Tranent.

Five players have contributed to the B. U.s seven goals – with Ryan Porteous and Scott Dalziel scoring two apiece, with Finn Malcolm, Shaun Rutherford, and Tom Grant also getting their name on the score sheet.

Gretna 2008 have leaked 23 goals in their opening three fixtures – being on the wrong end of two 7-0’s at the hands of Hearts B and East Kilbride, as well as a 9-2 defeat to Linlithgow Rose.

The Anvils will be hoping for a moment of magic to break the hoodoo – having seen Robbie Ivison score a stunning solo goal against Linlithgow Rose, last weekend.

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Broomhill vs Edinburgh University

Last season, Broomhill defeated Edinburgh University 4-1 on both occasions.

Broomhill have had a confident start to the campaign – losing 2-1 to East Kilbride on the opening day, with Calvin McGrory’s ‘Goal of the Month’ being the decider five minutes from time.

They have since defeated newly promoted Linlithgow Rose and Caley Braves 2-0, both at their new surroundings of Dumbarton.

Edinburgh Uni have seen a total of 15 goals over their two fixtures played. Unfortunately for The Students, they have been on the wrong side on both occasions – losing 4-3 at home to Civil Service Strollers, and 6-2 away to Tranent.

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