MUSSELBURGH ATHLETIC (Olivebank Stadium)

SJFA EAST REGION SUPERLEAGUE, MUSSELBURGH ATHLETIC 1-2 BROXBURN ATHLETIC, ATTENDANCE: 263 (h/c)

Once again it was another Saturday north of the border. The big attraction was the chance to get to a couple of games in one day as there was another game taking place later in the evening.

After consultation with the other members of my travelling party we opted for Musselburgh Athletic v Broxburn Athletic as our aperitif. Musselburgh is 6 miles east of Edinburgh so for the second time in a week it was a journey up the A702.

After the events of earlier in the month when rain scuppered our planned game in Scotland, there was no danger today as the sun was beating down and East Lothian was bathed in glorious sunshine.

Founded in 1934, Musselburgh play at the Olivebank Stadium which has a a large covered enclosure on one side and concrete terracing on the other. There is a grass bank behind one of the goals but this is not in use for spectators but a few, including myself, did walk around to take a few snaps. The snack bar was doing a roaring trade in stovies but had gone by the time I got served so I had to make do with a pie, not that I didn't mind that!

At the start of play Musselburgh were 12th (out of 16) whilst Broxburn were in 6th position. The home side could probably do with picking up a few more points between now and the end of the season but it was the visitors who consolidated their position, coming from behind to win 2-1. The game was a typical end of season affair but was entertaining enough.

Declan O'Kane gave Musselburgh the lead after 17 minutes when he found space in the area to guide the ball into the corner of the net. Despite a few efforts from Broxburn, the home side held on to be leading at the break.

The second half began with the visitors on the attack and on 47 minutes they were level. Alexander Nimmo headed home and, despite the valiant efforts of goalkeeper Kieron Renton to claw the ball away, the officials agreed the ball had crossed the line.

Broxburn went ahead on 52 minutes when Kieran Anderson smashed home a free kick into the top corner from 25 yards. A superb strike. Musselburgh had late chances to snatch a point but Broxburn held on to secure the victory.

After leaving Musselburgh, it was a journey down to the Borders where Hawick Royal Albert were entertaining East Stirlingshire in a Lowland League clash, which kicked off at 7pm in the evening.

FAULDHOUSE UNITED (Park View)

EAST OF SCOTLAND CUP SEMI-FINAL, FAULDHOUSE UNITED 0-1 DUNDONALD BLUEBELL, ATTENDANCE: 250 (est)

For my final domestic game of season 2015/16 it was once again another trip to Scotland. When I was offered a lift north of the border it seemed like a good idea at the time! Despite being a Bank Holiday south of the border, in Scotland in was a normal working day so the game at Fauldhouse United kicked of at 7.15pm.

Fauldhouse is a town situated just of the M8, roughly halfway between Glasgow and Edinburgh. The local club Fauldhouse United were hosting Dundonald Bluebell in the East of Scotland cup.

The East of Scotland Cup, for sponsorship purposes is currently known as the DJ Laing East of Scotland Cup, is open to all East Region clubs. The competition dates back to 1896 and is one the regions premier cup competitions, with the Junior Cup, obviously, being THE cup competition.

Fauldhouse United play in the East Region Superleague but have been struggling near the bottom of the table. They will not be relegated directly but after this game tonight they have two games left, which they have to win, to avoid the relegation play off.

Dundonlad Bluebell play in the East Region Premier league and last Saturday they travelled to Dundee Violet where a 5-0 victory clinched a top two Premier League finish and a first ever promotion to the East Super League, so you could say there is nothing between the teams. So it proved.

The first half was a tight affair with neither side giving anything, with chances few and far between. The game opened up in the second half with both sides spurning decent chances.

As the game wore on it seemed Fauldhouse were going to run out victors as they put Bluebell under intense pressure. However, the visitors from Cardenden rode the storm and the home sides profligacy proved costly when, in the 93rd minute, Calum Young popped up with a winner to set up a clash with Bo'ness United in the final.

Park View is a tidy ground, surrounded by trees on three side, with an enclosure "the coo shed" on one side of the ground. There is a seated stand, fashioned from a lorry trailer, parked behind one goal. It looked splendid bathed in the evening sunshine. Despite arriving home just after 1am, it was a great way to round off the season at 'home'.

PENICUIK ATHLETIC (Penicuik Park)

EAST REGION SUPERLEAGUE, PENICUIK ATHLETIC 2-4 SAUCHIE JFC, ATTENDANCE: 163 (h/c)

As is now tradition at this time of year, I headed North to Scotland to watch Penicuik Athletic wrap up their season with a home game against Sauchie Juniors.

2014/15 was Penicuik's first season back at the top table of East Region football after being reformed in 2002. The club were originally founded in 1888 but went into abeyance in 1990 after their Eastfield Park was sold off to a supermarket chain in order to clear the club's debts.

After efforts throughout the 1990's to keep the name alive, and find a new home in the town, the club finally secured a pitch in Penicuik Park. 

This ground is fully enclosed (though you can watch through the fence if you are that way inclined, as indeed some tightwads were doing) and has cover down two sides of the pitch. There is a food hatch in the changing room block where you can get the usual football fayre.

There is no social club so pre-match supping took place in the nearby Navaar House, where a pint of Ossian went down well in the glorious Scottish sunshine.

Considering both teams were playing for nothing but pride, the game was a superb watch and a fine advert for Junior football.

Neil Jancyzk gave Penicuik the lead after 29 minutes before Iain Diack levelled for the visitors after 42 minutes (left). 

To compound Penicuik's misery moments later they were reduced to 10 men when was sent off after receiving his second yellow card.

Sauchie began the second half with a bit more urgency and they soon raced into a 4-1 lead. Goals from Gary Bonnes, Daniel Ashe and ex-Falkirk striker Collin Samuel (right) who also played in the 2006 World Cup for Trinidad and Tobago. Jancyzk scored his and Penicuik's second with 10 minutes remaining.

A great afternoon at Penicuik Park was made complete, for my good self anyhow, when I scooped up £20 star prize in the half time raffle. Happy Days!

Highlights of the game can be viewed here and if you look closely you may be able spot yours truly in the crowd. 

CAMELON JUNIORS (Carmuirs Park)

SCOTTISH JUNIOR CUP SEMI-FINAL 1ST LEG, CAMELON JUNIORS 2-1 GLENAFTON ATHLETIC, ATTENDANCE: 1,200 (est)

It was a journey North of the Border today as I made my way to the Forth Valley for the semi-final first leg of the Scottish Junior Cup.

Camelon Juniors FC are based in Camelon, a district of Falkirk (about 2 miles west of Falkirk itself) and play in the East Region Super League.

Camelon, Junior Cup winners in 1995, were taking on Glenafton Athletic for the right to play either Hurlford United or Irvine Meadow in the final in May.  This is a competition that is taken very seriously in these parts and are usually blood and thunder affairs that tend to attract decent crowds. Today was no exception.

There were over 1,000 fans present and Glenafton brought a fair few up to the game. It was the Glens fans who made most of the noise and provided the spectacle of regular pyro displays before and during the game!

The match itself was an absorbing encounter with both teams playing some good football, especially given the conditions were awful with a strong wind blowing from one end of the pitch to the other and persistent heavy rain throughout the 90 minutes.

The visitors from Ayrshire started the strongest and took the lead after 4 minutes when Cameron Marlow burst through the home defence, rounded the 'keeper and fired the ball home from a very acute angle.

Camelon worked their way back into the game and were level after 26 minutes when a corner kick into the box fell to the feet of Colin Leiper who prodded the ball home from a few yards out.

After an even opening 45 minutes, Camelon, with the wind at their backs, had the better of the second half exchanges. They eventually scored their second goal after 77 minutes when Craig Menzies headed the ball into his own net. In the celebrations that followed Camelon's Andy McGown was shown a straight card for gesturing to the travelling Glenafton fans.

Overall though there was nothing between the teams and the game is set up nicely for next Sunday's second leg in New Cumnock. I'll be honest, I can't predict the eventual winner......