MATCH PREVIEW - BERWICK RANGERS (A)

This afternoon we head south to face Berwick Rangers in the opening round of the FC United to Prevent Suicide Lowland League Cup with a 3pm kick off.

Seventeen years ago today, when both clubs were in a better place, it was the climax of probably the best ever Second Division title race.

Stenhousemuir and Berwick had held the pole position for most of the campaign but come the close we had found our way to the top at the business end of the season with both us and the Borderers placed on 73 points. Berwick had a last day win 1-0 win over Queen’s Park while a crowd of 2646 assembled at Central Park to see us pip Elgin City to clinch our first title since 1939 on goal difference.

Scorer of our opening goal that afternoon was Liam Buchanan now of course with our hosts who is this season’s top scorer in the Lowland League with 22 goals. The veteran frontman has had a hand in Berwick’s two previous wins over us this season in the league.

Back in October Sam Newman had given us the lead at Shielfield early in the second half but with five minutes remaining Lewis Barr got an equalised before Buchanan grabbed the winner two minutes later.

The return game at Central Park in March saw the striker bag a hat trick along with Lewis Allan as we crashed to a 4-0 defeat in Maurice Ross’s last game in charge of the team.

A fine run which saw only two defeats in 2023 yielding 28 points saw the Borderers finish the league campaign in seventh place.

The winners of this afternoon’s tie will be at home to either Dalbeattie Star or University of Stirling in the Second Round next Saturday.

East Kilbride are the current cup holders after beating Bo’ness United 4-2 in last season’s final, their record breaking third win in the competition.

Other winners over the years have been University of Stirling, The Spartans, Cumbernauld Colts and BSC Glasgow (now of course OG Broomhill).



MATCH OFFICIALS

REFEREE – George Calder

ASSISTANT REFEREES – David Dickson & Steven King


ADMISSION

Adults - £10 | Concessions - £5 | Under 12s - Free with a paying adult


TODAY'S OTHER LOWLAND LEAGUE CUP FIXTURES

Civil Service Strollers 1-5 Tranent Juniors (played last night)
Dalbeattie Star v University of Stirling
Edinburgh University v East Stirlingshire
Gala Fairydean Rovers v Caledonian Braves
Gretna 2008 v East Kilbride
OG Broomhill v Cumbernauld Colts

Bye – Bo’ness United



Previewer: Andrew Mullen.