​Fifth-tier opposition next up for Hawick Royal Albert

​That was the West Lothian side’s fourth win out of four games this campaign, leaving them in pole position on goal difference from Bathgate Thistle, also on 12 points.

Their scorers at Albert Park were Steven Jackson on eight minutes and 52, David Mitchell on 40, Andrew Jackson on 42 and Jason Gregory on 63 after Kieran Grant had put their hosts in front with six minutes on the clock.

That was Albert’s third game in their new division, following on from a 3-1 opening-day win at Pumpherston at the end of July and defeat by the same scoreline hosting Edinburgh Community on Saturday, August 5.

Things aren’t about to get any easier for manager Kenny Aitchison’s side either as they host another table-topping team playing four divisions above them this coming Saturday.

Their visitors are Bo’ness United, currently top of the fifth-tier Scottish Lowland Football League, on a 100% haul of 15 points from five fixtures, and it’s an East of Scotland Qualifying Cup second-round tie bringing them to the Borders, with kick-off at 2.30pm.

Albert’s next league match, their fourth home fixture in a row, is against West Lothian’s Livingston United next Tuesday, with kick-off at 7.30pm, and they go into that sitting eighth in the table, two places and two points better off than their visitors and with a game in hand on them.