Scottish Lowlands Development League

Friday 13th March 2026

Kick Off 20.00 Actual 19.45!

Linlithgow Rose U20 2 East Fife U20 5, attendance 37

10’ 0-1

14’ 1-1

18’ 2-1

24’ 2-2

63’ 2-3

72’ 2-4

90’ 2-5

@ Xcite Linlithgow Leisure Centre, 3G Pitch

McGinley Way

Linlithgow

EH49 6SQ

No Admission or Programme.

This game fitted in perfectly with my weekend plans, taking in a few matches involving games on the Scottish Groundhop and I’d have to have had a hotel tonight anyway, due to tomorrow’s first game kicking off at 10.45. I’d already been to Saughton Enclosure, in Edinburgh, where the hop was starting off, having seen Lothian Thistle beat Annan Athletic 2-0 there in a midweek East of Scotland League match back in March 2000. My alternate game here in Linlithgow was played on a standard caged 3G pitch, with a viewing area along the whole of one side. Not sure why, but the game kicked off fifteen minutes earlier than advertised, which was a real bonus and despite it being bitterly cold, everyone stayed out on the pitch at halftime, meaning the interval lasted only eight minutes!

A glancing header, in off the far post, saw East Fife go in front after ten minutes. A looping header over the ‘keeper, helped in at the far post saw Linlithgow equalise four minutes later, soon followed by a 20 yarder, in off the post, to put them in front. We hadn’t even played twenty five minutes when East Fife pulled it back level at 2-2, when a cross from the right wasn’t dealt with by the ‘keeper and was volleyed in from close range.

Just after the hour mark East Fife made it 2-3, when an over hit cross was played back across the six yard box and hooked in from a couple of yards. Linlithgow conceded a penalty with eighteen minutes left and had a player red carded for dissent, having argued about the decision. It was duly dispatched to make it 2-4 and they rounded off the scoring in the final minute, breaking down the right and crossing for a near post finish to give them a resounding 2-5 win.