Hawick Royal Albert get back to winning ways v capital city side

That victory, after having a six-match winning streak in the East of Scotland Football League’s third division halted by a 3-1 defeat hosting Newburgh at Albert Park seven days prior, leaves the Royalists nine points clear at the top of the table, on 30 points from 12 fixtures.

Next up for manager Kenny Aitchison’s team is a trip this coming Saturday to bottom-of-the-table Ormiston Primrose, with kick-off at 2.00pm.

That’s their second meeting with the East Lothian outfit of the season, the last having been a 3-0 win on the road in the league at the end of September, with another away-day there to follow a week later, for a second-round King Cup tie also kicking off at 2pm.

Albert’s division three rivals Vale of Leithen were beaten 1-0 away to Tweedmouth Rangers on Sunday, leaving gaffer Ger Rossi’s side eighth in the table, on 18 points from 12 fixtures, ahead of an outing to second-from-bottom Edinburgh Community this Saturday, with kick-off at 2pm.

That’s their second game of this term versus the capital city club, the last having been a 2-0 win in the reverse fixture at Innerleithen’s Victoria Park in July.

Sam Straughan got the only goal of the game for the Northumbrians at Shielfield Park on 53 minutes, lifting them up to sixth, on 19 points from 13 matches.

A division up, Coldstream won 6-4 at home to West Lothian’s Harthill Royal on Saturday to claim a top-four place.

That fourth win on the bounce in all competitions leaves manager David Brown’s side fourth in division two, on 17 points from 11 matches.

Matt Boyd scored twice for the Streamers, on 26 minutes and 60, and also on target were James Paxton on 35, Craig Bell on 38 and Koen Ross on 74, with a 72nd-minute own goal going their way too.

They’re away to league leaders West Calder United next, with kick-off in West Lothian this Saturday at 2pm, that being their first meeting since a 2-2 draw at Home Park last season in April.

Fellow Borderers Linton Hotspur were edged out 2-1 at home to Stirling University at the weekend, leaving co-managers Ruairidh Fleming and Paul Currie’s team 11th in division two, on 13 points from 11 fixtures prior to a trip to Fife this Saturday to take on second-placed Kennoway Star Hearts for the first time ever at 2pm.

Steven Tait scored Hotspur’s goal against the visiting students on Saturday on 54 minutes.