​Coldstream lose 7-0 away to table-toppers Bo'ness Athletic

Michael Weir scored four goals for their hosts at Newtown Park, including a hat-trick in the space of four minutes – netting on 34 minutes, 36, 38 and 70 – with Godwin Kangni-Soukpe, Jonny Mitchell and Finlay Shearers getting their others, on six minutes, 12 and 75 respectively.

That was the Streamers’ first game for three weeks after having planned fixtures away to Thornton Hibs and at home to Burntisland Shipyard called off because of the weather at the time but it wasn’t the return to action they’d have hoped for, having not lost by more than a three-goal margin in the league previously and outdoing even their thumpings by 6-0 away to EoSFL premier division outfit Musselburgh Athletic in the Scottish Cup’s second preliminary round in September and 6-1 at fellow top-flight side Jeanfield Swifts last month in the East of Scotland Qualifying Cup’s third round.

Failing to pick up points against Athletic won’t have come as too much of a shock, however, as their hosts, managed by Willie Irvine, have won 13 of their 14 league games so far this campaign, scoring 67 goals in the process and conceding only 11.

Next up for Coldstream as they look to get back to winning ways is a visit from Tweedmouth Rangers on Saturday, December 30, with kick-off at 2.30pm.

They go into that fixture, their last of 2023, sitting tenth in the table, on 18 points from 15 matches, three league places and nine points better off than their Northumbrian visitors, though they’ve played two more games than them.

They won the reverse fixture at Berwick’s Shielfield Park in September by 4-2, thanks to goals from Regan Graham, Stuart Coyle, Miguel Freire and Owen Renton, with Sam Straughan and Evan Smith on the scoresheet for their hosts.

The Streamers’ first match of next year is a Borders derby at home to Peebles Rovers on Saturday, January 6, with kick-off at 2.30pm that time round too.