HAWICK ROYAL ALBERT (Albert Park)

LOWLAND LEAGUE, HAWICK ROYAL ALBERT 2-4 EAST STIRLINGSHIRE, ATTENDANCE: 287

From Musselburgh it was a trip down the winding, but very scenic, A68 to the borders town of Hawick. Built around the River Teviot which flows through the town, Hawick is more famous for it's Rugby (legendary commentator Bill McLaren was born, and died, in Hawick) but I was here for purely for the round ball game.

Hawick's Albert Park is adjacent to the Rugby ground and has a large old wooden seated stand, with the other three sides of ground grass banked. The stand was constructed using steel remnants left over from a fire at the Wilson & Glenny wool factory in 1959.

 photo courtesy of Lee Vaughan 

At the top of the stand there is the social club, which was absolutely rammed this evening, and the snack bar were selling absolutely superb Haggis pies. I know I shouldn't have, but...

Hawick Royal Albert were founded in 1947, after separating from Hawick Railway FC, and get their name from Larkhall based Royal Albert FC, Larkhall being the home of Hawick RA co-founder William Bunton.

The club have spent most of their history in the East of Scotland League but in 2016 they were one of the successful applicants for promotion to the expanded Lowland League, though they are currently near the foot of the table.

Hawick's opponents tonight were East Stirlingshire, who dropped into the Lowland League last year after losing the relegation play-off final to Edinburgh City. The Shire are up near the top of table but still well adrift of runaway leaders East Kilbride. A victory tonight will, mathematically anyway, keep the title race alive for another week.

It was a tremendous game to watch as both teams went on the attack from the off. Given the respective league positions of the teams, a Shire walkover was expected but it was The Royalists who took the lead after 13 minutes. A free kick was parried into the path of Hamish Hunter, who was on the spot to turn the ball home.

Andy Rodgers headed home East Stirlingshire level after 33 minutes, and it was scenes behind the goal as the dozen or so Shire fans celebrated. Shire had chances to take the lead but it was all square at the break.

After 58 minutes Kris Mitchell latched onto a through ball and just about generated enough power to prod the ball home to restore Hawick's lead. Shire applied the pressure but they couldn't find a way past Andy Jack in the Hawick goal, who pulled off a string of fine stops. However in the 76th minute substitute Jamie Glasgow finally found the net when he headed home an equaliser.

Shire finally got themselves in front for the first time with 10 minutes remaining when Hawick failed to clear their lines after a corner and the ball eventually found it's way to Rodgers whose shot nestled in the bottom corner of the net for his second of the night.

There was then an amusing moment when Hawick goalkeeper Jack went from hero to villain. Clearly feeling there was a foul in the build up to the goal, he was shown a yellow card for protesting to the referee and continued to vent his spleen, so was promptly shown a second yellow. He then had an almighty wobble as he walked off the pitch which involved kicking the post, hurling his shirt to floor and tossing his gloves away.

This obviously handed the initiative to Shire but it wasn't until stoppage time that they finally secured the points when Paul Sludden fired home their fourth goal.

A fine evenings entertainment and, as this was a "groundhop" game there were plenty of familiar faces amongst the crowd, so it was also good to have a catch up and a chat with those who had travelled from far and wide to be here. Until next time!!

EDINBURGH CITY (Meadowbank Stadium)

SCOTTISH LEAGUE PYRAMID PLAY-OFF 1ST LEG, EDINBURGH CITY 1-1 EAST STIRLINGSHIRE, ATTENDANCE: 1,090

As the season draws to a close, it becomes more difficult to find games that actually matter but, for this particular groundhopper, there was one game in the UK today that stood out head and shoulders above any other - Edinburgh City v East Stirlingshire.

They were playing each other in the 1st Leg of what has been dubbed "the pyramid play off" for the right to play in League Two next season. Edinburgh City (champions of the Lowland League) beat Cove Rangers (champions of the Highland League) 4-1 on aggregate in the two-legged semi final to meet East Stirlingshire (who finished bottom of League Two) in the two-legged final. Edinburgh City lost to Brora Rangers in the semi-final stage of the inaugural play-off last year (for the record Montrose retained their league status by beating Brora in the final).

No pyramid system had existed in Scotland prior to The 2013 Scottish Football reforms, but the winners of the Lowland and the Highland league have a chance to progress to the League on merit, rather than on the old method of election. This would mean history for this incarnation Edinburgh City as they would play league football for the first time or it would bring an end to a run of 61 consecutive seasons of league football for The Shire.  

Another pressing reason for my trip north today is that the Meadowbank Stadium is soon to be demolished and replaced with a brand new sports centre. Plans were announced earlier this year to that the site is to be completely bulldozed and replaced with a new multi-million pound sports facility. Work is scheduled to commence in 2017.

The plans include a 3G football pitch and a 500 seater stand. All fine you think, but this would make the ground suitable for the Lowland League but not the Football League. This could leave Edinburgh City with a problem should they achieve promotion, as they will obviously need to find a new home for league football. Watch this space as they say.

The Meadowbank Stadium was built for the 1970 Commonwealth Games (they also hosted the 1986 games) and was home to Meadowbank Thistle from 1974 until they controversially relocated to Livingston in 1995. Edinburgh City moved in soon after.

Edinburgh City was first formed in 1928 and the club had ambitions to become the Edinburgh equivalent of the Glasgow club Queen's Park. They joined the Scottish Football League as an amateur club in 1931 but left in 1949. Edinburgh continued as a Junior club but eventually folded in 1955 when the local council refused to renew its lease on its then home ground, City Park.

A new club, Postal United, adopted the Edinburgh City name in 1986. The club have twice applied for election to the Scottish League, in 2002 and 2008, but were rejected on both occasions. The club were founder members of the Lowland League in 2013, and were champions in both 2015 and 2016.

The game could hardly be described as a classic, with so much at stake it was always going to be a tight affair. Edinburgh City had the better of the opening 45 minutes. They took the lead after 15 minutes when Douglas Gair smashed home a penalty (pictured right) after an unfortunate slip from Shires' Kristopher Faulds, handling the ball as he fell. There was also an effort from Ross Allum which was tipped onto the crossbar by Darren Dolan.

East Stirlingshire could consider themselves lucky to be only one goal down going into the closing moments of the half but, against the run of play, after 43 minutes, they were level. After a scramble in the box, Max Wright was on hand to fire the ball into the net (pictured below).

The Shire were much improved in the second half, and were at least threatening the Edinburgh goal, but in truth there were very few gilt edged chances for either side in the second period. Most of the goal threat, from both sides, came from dead ball situations.

Edinburgh's cause was not helped when Joe Mbu was sent off after 78 minutes for violent conduct and perhaps The Shire could have took advantage of their extra man but the game petered out to an inevitable draw.

East Stirling were also reduced to 10 men in stoppage time when Reece Donaldson kicked out, but the game is set up nicely for the second leg at Ochilview next Saturday.