Bluebells’ sights on a swift treble

LOCHEE United will be looking to make it a hat-trick of wins in their last three matches when they travel up the road to Perth for a local Super League clash against Jeanfield.

Wins over Bo’ness and Fauldhouse have put the Bluebells on the front foot but Swifts have their own agenda as they continue their fight for league survival.

Swifts’ win over Camelon last week saw them move out of the relegation zone but with Linlithgow Rose, the side immediately below them in third bottom spot, having five games in hand, they are well aware that defeat on Saturday could see them dragged back in the bottom three.

The Bluebells are unlikely to show many changes from the side that has performed well in their last two outings but will be without Connor Birse and Graeme Hay.

Jeanfield player/boss Ross Gunnion returns but there are doubts over the fitness of Stuart McDiarmid and Lee Deans, while Fraser Smith is suspended.

Despite losing to Broxburn in the East of Scotland Cup, Broughty Athletic manager Keith Gibson was far from downhearted.

He said: “Normally after a defeat I would find something to be unhappy about but, overall, I was delighted with our performance — we certainly didn’t deserved to lose the tie. But we will kick on and look forward to the visit of Newtongrange in the league at Whitton Park tomorrow.”

Despite being threatened with relegation, the Lothian side will be no pushover and, just to emphasise the threat they pose, they held Broughty to a 1-1 draw when they last met.

Broughty will delay announcing their squad as they await late fitness tests on Brian Clark and Paul McLellan.

Carnoustie will be looking to avoid a second-successive defeat when they head to Penicuik.

The Lothian side are sure to prove a handful for Alan McSkimming’s men, particularly as they already hold a 5-1 verdict over the Gowfers when they met at Laing Park earlier in the season.

The Laing Park side have a number of players nursing knocks, while Stephen Cook is definitely out.

Carnoustie (red) lost 5-1 to Kelty last week. Tomorrow the Gowfers are on Super League duty at Penicuik.