Peebles, Hawick and Innerleithen teams set to get back on pitch after time out

Hawick Royal Albert United are up against fellow Borderers Eyemouth United at home this Saturday, January 2.

That’s an East of Scotland Football League first division conference B game, kicking off at 2.30pm.

Hawick, managed by Geo Shepherd, are second bottom of conference B with three points from eight games, and Eyemouth are below them, without any points after nine games.

Hawick’s three points were earned by draws against Lochore Welfare in October and Peebles Rovers and Easthouses Lily Miners’ Welfare last month as the proceeds of their only victory of the season to date, a 2-1 win on Saturday, October 10, against Glenrothes, were wiped out by a three-point deduction for having fielded ineligible players.

This weekend’s game will be their first since a 5-1 defeat away to Kinnoull on Saturday, December 19, and it will be followed on Saturday, January 16, at 2pm by a visit to Fife’s Newburgh Juniors, in sixth place in the league with 15 points after nine games.

Fellow conference B side Peebles Rovers have been idle even longer, not having kicked a football competitively this month and not being about to until next weekend.

Their last game was a 3-1 away win at Glenrothes on Saturday, November 28, and, unless a new date is fixed in the interim for their already-twice-postponed game against Fife’s Oakley United in the second round of the Soccer Shop Direct Challenge Cup, Mikey Wilson’s ring-rusty side won’t be playing again until Saturday, January 9.

That’s a second Borders derby in the space of a week for Eyemouth United, kicking off at 2pm.

Rovers are five league places above their Berwickshire hosts at present, in 10th spot with 11 points from eight games.

Their next game after that one will be against Fife’s Lochgelly Albert, in 13th place with five points after eight games, away on Saturday, January 16, at 2pm.

A Borders derby is also looming for Vale of Leithen, out of Scottish Lowland Football League action since a 9-0 loss to Motherwell’s Caledonian Braves on Tuesday, December 15.

The Innerleithen team, managed by Chris Anderson, are up against Gala Fairydean Rovers on Monday, January 4.

Their Galashiels rivals are 11 places above them in the league at present, with 22 points after 12 games, Vale still being without a single point to their name after the same number of fixtures.

That game is scheduled to be played at Vale’s Victoria Park home ground at 3pm.

It will be followed by a trip to South Lanarkshire on Saturday, January 9, to play East Kilbride.

Their hosts that time round are in second place in the league, with 29 points after 12 games, seven behind table-toppers Kelty Hearts.