​Peebles Rovers and Coldstream kick off 2024 with derby

​That East of Scotland Football League second division fixture at the Streamers’ Home Park ground, with kick-off at 2.30pm, is their second meeting of this season, the first having been a 2-2 draw in Peebles in November.

Kyle Kivlichan scored both Rovers’ goals that day, putting them 2-0 up at half-time, but Jack Storm and Thomas Grey hit back after the break to earn a point for the visitors.

It’s the two teams’ first match for three weeks as both had games scheduled for Saturday gone called off due to pitches being frozen, Rovers at home to Ormiston Primrose and Coldstream hosting Tweedmouth Rangers.

Manager Ger Rossi’s Peebles side go into that away-day sitting 12th in the table, on 17 points from 13 fixtures, with Coldstream, without a gaffer since Kieran Ainslie’s departure at the start of December, tenth, on 18 from 15.

Hawick Royal Albert’s scheduled EoSFL third division derby at home to Linton Hotspur at the weekend was also called off.

The West Linton side are back in action this Saturday at home to third-from-bottom Fifers Lochgelly Albert, with kick-off at 2pm, but the Royalists have to wait a week longer as their first fixture of 2024 is against Lochgelly away on Saturday, January 13, also at 2pm.

Manager Kenny Aitchison’s Hawick team are currently fourth in the table, with 25 points from 11 fixtures and Hotspur, with Chris King in charge, are second from bottom, on six from 13.

Saturday’s planned EoSFL first division trip to Whitehill Welfare for Vale of Leithen was postponed too.