SCOTTISH HIGHLAND AND LOWLAND LEAGUE - THE BIG KICK OFF THIS WEEKEND

Scottish football's top non-league divisions kick off this weekend and since the 2014/15 season there has been promotion to the Scottish Football League on offer for the winners of both leagues who play off against each other over two legs and then the winners play the bottom side of the SFL over two legs. Last season Highland League winners Cove Rangers moved up to the SFL replacing Berwick Rangers who move down to the Lowland League. 

East of Scotland League champion's Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic have been promoted to the Lowland League who replace Whitehill Welfare who have been relegated. Their home ground is only two miles away from Bonnyriggg in the village of Rosewell, Midlothian. Edusport Academy have been renamed to Caledonian Braves over the summer.  With Cove Rangers moving up the Highland League will run with only 17 teams this season. 

Berwick Rangers are in BetFred Cup action this weekend so will play their first Lowland League game on Tuesday when Bonnyrigg Rose visit Shielfield Park in a battle of the relegated/promoted teams - the result of which will be very interesting to see. 

East Kilbride who were beaten by Cove Rangers at the play-off stage last season after winning the title are expected to go well again this season - they travel to Dalbbeattie Star on Wednesday in their first game. The Kilby also won the 16/17 title where they in turn beat Buckie Thistle to play Cowdenbeath in the play-off final which they lost on penalty kicks after a 1-1 draw. Since joining the Lowland League in 2013 they have finished 8th, 2nd, 5th, 1st, 2nd and 1st. In 15/16 they famously reached the Fifth Round of the Scottish Cup where they faced Celtic and narrowly lost 0-2. 

They are probably most famous for currently holding the record for most consecutive wins in football - In 2016 their 3-1 win over BSC Glasgow was their 27th in a row which beat previous holders and Dutch giant's Ajax's record. Their streak went to 30 games before a 0-1 loss to Spartans. 

Both Berwick Rangers and East Kilbride have been in BetFred Cup (Scottish League Cup) action over the last few weeks. Rangers have lost all three of their games played so far and are already eliminated - Ayr United (0-7), Stranraer (0-6) and Falkirk (0-3). East Kilbride have lost to Albion Rovers (0-1) and drawn 0-0 against Scottish Premiership side St Mirren. They travel to Championship side Dunfermline Athletic tomorrow 

OPENING DAY FIXTURES
HIGHLAND LEAGUE  
Brora Rangers v Fort William 
Deveronvale v Nairn County
Fraserburgh v Wick Academy 
Inverurie Loco Works v Buckie Thistle
Keith v Formartine United 
Lossiemouth v Huntly 
Strathspey Thistle v Clachnacuddin 
Turriff United v Rothes 

LOWLAND LEAGUE 
Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic v Vale of Leithen
BSC Glasgow v East Stirlingshire
Edinburgh University v Caledonian Braves
Gala Fairydean Rovers v Cumbernauld Colts
Gretna 2008 v Civil Service Strollers
Kelty Hearts v Dalbeattie Star
University of Stirling v The Spartans

BETFRED CUP
Dunfermline Athletic vs East Kilbride 
Livingston v Berwick Rangers 


HISTORY OF THE SCOTTISH LEAGUE TWO PLAY OFFS

2014/15
SEMI-FINAL 
1st leg - Edinburgh City 1-1 Brora Rangers 
2nd leg -Brora Rangers 1-1 Edinburgh City (AET) 
Brora won 4-2 on penalty kicks 

FINAL 
1st leg - Brora Rangers 1-0 Montrose 
2nd leg - Montrose 3-1 Brora Rangers 
Montrose win 3-2 on aggregate 

2015/16 
SEMI-FINAL
1st leg - Cove Rangers 0-3 Edinburgh Cirty 
2nd leg - Edinburgh Ciry 1-0 Cove Rangers 
Edinburgh City win 4-0 on aggregate

FINAL 
1st leg - Edinburgh City 1-1 East Stirlingshire 
2nd leg - East Stirlingshire 0-1 Edinburgh City 
Edinburgh City win 2-1 on aggregate
Since promotion City have finished in 7th, 9th and 3rd in League Two 
Since relegation East Stirlingshire have finished in 2nd, 4th and 6th in the Lowland League 

2016/17
SEMI-FINAL
1st leg - Buckie Thistle 2-2 East Kilbride
2nd leg - East Kilbride 2–1 Buckie Thistle 
East Kilbride win 4–3 on aggregate 

FINAL 
1st leg - East Kilbride 0–0 Cowdenbeath
2nd leg - Cowdenbeath 1–1 East Kilbride (AET) 
Cowdenbeath win 5-3 on penalty kicks after 1-1 draw on aggregate 

2017/18 
SEMI-FINAL 
1st leg - Cove Rangers 4–0 Spartans
2nd leg - Spartans 2–1 Cove Rangers 
Cove Rangers win 5-2 on aggregate 

FINAL 
1st Leg - Cove Rangers 0–0 Cowdenbeath
2nd leg - Cowdenbeath 3–2 Cove Rangers 
Cowdenbeath win 3-2 on aggregate 

The Blue Brazil went very close to losing the Scottish League status they have held since 1905 in both 2017 and 2018 but had a better season in 18/19 finishing in sixth place in League Two. The club slid down the Scottish pyramid after relegation from the Championship in 2015 where on the final day they were defeated by fellow struggler's Alloa Athletic and with Livingston also winning they finished bottom - they were relegated from L1 the next season and then had to the two bottom of the table finishes in 16/17 and 17/18. Hopefully better times are to come for The Central Park club who last competed in the top flight in 1970/71. 

2018/19
SEMI-FINAL
1st leg - East Kilbride 1–2 Cove Rangers
2nd leg - Cove Rangers 3–0 East Kilbride
Cove Rangers win 5-1 on aggregate

FINAL 
1st leg - Cove Rangers 4–0 Berwick Rangers
2nd leg - Berwick Rangers 0–3 Cove Rangers
Cove Rangers win 7-0 on aggregate 

SCOTTISH LEAGUE TWO LINE UP FOR 2019/20
Albion Rovers
Annan Athletic
Brechin City (relegated from League One)
Cove Rangers 
Cowdenbeath
Edinburgh City
Elgin City
Queen's Park
Stenhousemuir (relegated from League One) 
Stirling Albion

Opening Fixtures
Saturday 3rd August
Brechin City v Annan Athletic 
Cove Rangers v Edinburgh City 
Elgin City v Cowdenbeath 
Stenhousemuir v Albion Rovers 
Stirling Albion v Queens Park

Current Odds 
courtesy of skybet.com
Cove Rangers 7/4 
Edinburgh City 4/1 
Annan Athletic 6/1 
Stenhousemuir 7/1 
Stirling Albion 8/1 
Brechin City 10/1 
Queens Park 14/1 
Elgin City 16/1 
Cowdenbeath 20/1 
Albion Rovers 33/1

The bookmaker's currently make Cove Rangers 7/4 favourites with Edinburgh City, their opponents on the opening day, second favourites at 4/1. Albion Rovers, who finished second from bottom on 27 points which was 16 points behind Elgin City in 8th place, are 33/1 outsiders for the title!