GroundhopScot Posted November 17, 2023 Share Posted November 17, 2023 (edited) Hi everyone. I really enjoy promoting non league football on social media, so I thought I'd post a preview of my picks on the weekend's games. I'm planning a weekly post (and a bit earlier than Friday afternoon) but I hope it's a welcomed post nonetheless. With Scotland playing on Sunday and lots of SPFL fans twiddling their thumbs on Saturday, see if any of these take your fancy. Feedback welcome. Nairn County v Forres Mechanics Station Park, Nairn 3pm - Highland League Derby day in the Highlands as Nairn look to continue their great form. Currently 6 unbeaten and with the North of Scotland Cup a new addition to the trophy cabinet, they'll be pretty confident. Nairn have also beaten Forres 5-0 the last time the teams met but it's worth mentioning that last season, that scoreline was reversed. I've visited over 100 clubs in Scotland, Nairn are in my top 5 - certainly worth a visit. McBookie: Nairn County 4/9 Draw 9/2 Forres Mechanics 3/1 Previous meeting: Forres Mechanics 0-5 Nairn County 13/9/2023 Banks O'Dee v Formartine United Spain Park, Aberdeen 3pm - Highland League I'd back Banks O'Dee to beat anyone at home, but Formartine are top of the table. Okay, there are games in hand all over the place, but at present 6 teams can realistically win the league from here - about 3 more than usual. Banks O'Dee smashed Formartine 5-0 in the cup just a few weeks back, but Formartine beat them home and away in the HL last season. McBookie actually have Formartine down as favourites, I'm not so sure. McBookie: Banks O'Dee 13/8 Draw 4/1 Formartine United 5/6 Previous meeting: Formartine United 0-5 Banks O'Dee 18/10/2023 Broxburn Athletic v Auchinleck Talbot Albyn Park, Broxburn 2.30pm - South Challenge Cup Broxburn flying in the east and Talbot toiling in the west - although signs of recovery are there for Talbot. This should be close, but realistically Broxburn won't get a better chance to turn Talbot over. They met in this cup last season, Talbot won 7-0... time for revenge? McBookie: Broxburn Athletic 13/10 Draw 18/5 Auchinleck Talbot 11/10 Previous meeting: Auchinleck Talbot 7-0 Broxburn Athletic 04/02/2023 Pollok v Linlithgow Rose Newlandsfield, Glasgow 1:30pm - South Challenge Cup Two clubs I regard as similar in terms of stature, I don't fancy calling this one. Linlithgow a division above and rightly favourites, but Pollok have become famous in the last few seasons for taking big scalps at home and have already defeated LL opposition at home is season. McBookie: Pollok 4/7 Draw 21/5 Linlithgow Rose: 12/5 St Cadoc's v East Kilbride New Tinto Park, Glasgow 1.30pm - South Challenge Cup If you look at the two squads, many of the players have played for the other team in the last few years! EK are seen as the big guns of non league football at the minute, but St Cadoc's are a force to be reckoned with and have a realistic shot at going through. If you want to see two teams play a high level of football, this is the one for you. McBookie: St Cadoc's 3/1 Draw 9/2 East Kilbride 4/9 Gartcairn v Clydebank MTC Park, Airdrie 1.30pm - WOS Premier League Clydebank top and one of the front runners but need to win to keep pressure on Beith who have games in hand. Gartcairn have assembled a side littered with SPFL talent and will be a tough nut for anyone to crack. Could go either way. McBookie: Gartcairn 13/5 Draw 9/2 Clydebank 1/2 Previous meeting: Clydebank 5-0 Gartciarn 31/03/2018 St Roch's v Kilbirnie Ladeside James McGrory Park, Glasgow 1.30pm - WOS First Division There's a bit of needle in this game after some trouble at a friendly a year or two back. A win for either would go a long way in steering them clear of the relegation places. Expect a feisty game with a lot at stake. McBookie: St Roch's 21/20 Draw 4/1 Kilbirnie Ladeside 13/10 Previous meeting: St Roch's 0-1 Kilbirnie Ladeside 14/01/2023 Hill of Beath Hawthorn v Dundonald Bluebell Keirs Park, Hill of Beath 2.30pm - EOS Premier League Not just a Fife derby, there's only about a mile between the two. These fixtures tend to be unpredictable but Dundonald took 6 off HoB last season and they'll be after revenge. McBookie: Hill of Beath 12/5 Draw 9/2 Dundonald Bluebell 8/15 Previous meeting: Hill of Beath Hawthorn 1-6 Dundonald Bluebell 11/02/2023 Bo'ness Athletic v Whitburn Newtown Park, Bo'ness 2.30pm - King Cup 1st in Division 2 v 1st in Division one and I reckon both teams could comfortably cope in the Premier League. Between them, they've scored 142 goals this season. Expect it to be close, but expect it to be high-scoring. McBookie: Bo'ness Athletic 4/6 Draw 9/2 Whitburn 19/10 Wigtown & Bladnoch v St Cuthbert Wanderers Trammondford Park, Wigtown 2pm - South of Scotland League Neither team pick up many points due to the strength of other teams in the area so this is a real opportunity of either. They played each other last week and St Cuthbert Wanderers picked up their first 3 points of the season so Wigtown will be keen to stop that from happening again. Huge game for the morale of both. McBookie: No odds available Previous meeting: St Cuthbert Wanderers 1-0 Wigtown & Bladnoch 11/11/2023 Downfield v Kirriemuir Thistle Station Park, Forfar 2.30pm - Midlands League 4th v 5th in the league. Unlikely either will win it but a win is required either way to keep up with the chasing pack. Downfield favourites but Kirrie won this fixture home and away last season. McBookie: Downfield 4/11 Draw 11/2 Kirriemuir Thistle 16/5 Previous meeting: Kirriemuir Thistle 1-0 Downfield 13/05/2023 Sunnybank v Culter Heathryfold Park, Aberdeen 1.30pm - North Junior Premier League Culter undoubtedly the best team in the area and it's hard to see anyone getting close to them - but there's a chance! Sunnybank are unlikely title contenders and can keep the pressure on with a win. Culter are down in 9th but cup commitments mean they have many games in hand yet need max points to keep pace with those at the top. If Sunnybank can take something from this game it'll blow the league wide open. McBookie: Sunnybank 19/5 Draw 6/1 Culter 7/25 Previous meeting: Culter 7-1 Sunnybank 02/08/2022 Invergordon v Fort William Recreation Park, Invergordon 1pm - North Caledonian League Both teams still have a realistic shot at winning the title this season. Invergordon expected to be challenging, Fort less so. Fort William absolutely need to win to stay in with a shout and Loch Ness & Halkirk will be hoping they do to keep Invergordon below. The title can't be decided here, but ambitions can be seriously dented - and it's free to watch! McBookie: No odds available Previous meeting: Fort William 3-4 Invergordon 16/09/2023 Just for fun, here's my predictions: Nairn County 4-2 Forres Mechanics Banks O'Dee 1-0 Formartine United Broxburn Athletic 1-2 Auchinleck Talbot Pollok 2-1 Linlithgow Rose St Cadoc's 2-3 East Kilbride Gartcairn 2-2 Clydebank St Roch's 1-1 Kilbirnie Ladeside Hill of Beath Hawthorn 1-3 Dundonald Bluebell Bo'ness Athletic 5-3 Whitburn Wigtown & Bladnoch 1-0 St Cuthbert Wanderers Downfield 3-0 Kirriemuir Thistle Sunnybank 2-3 Culter Invergordon 4-1 Fort William Hope you enjoyed Edited November 17, 2023 by GroundhopScot 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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