Letham out to spoil Shipbuilders’ hopes of extending lead

Midlands League leaders Dundee East Craigie welcome Letham to Craigie Park today as they look to consolidate their position at the top of the table.

Letham have had a decent first season in the Midlands League so far and will be looking at kicking on, picking up more points and going toe to toe with the top sides, starting this afternoon.

The visitors are without Benn Blyth and Nathan Kennedy through suspension, while the Shipbuilders are missing winger Rory Faulkner, again through suspension.

Carnoustie Panmure welcome Scone Thistle to Laing Park for their first game of 2022 as they look to close the gap on leaders East Craigie.

The Gowfers are without Steven McPhee as the midfielder serves the second game of his suspension following his sending off against East Craigie, while Robert Smith and Brian Clark are both unavailable.

The visitors have had their fair share of issues with Covid and were particularly badly hit before Christmas, but player-manager Willie Laing expects to have a relatively full squad available.

Three games in the league have been affected by Covid-19 – Blairgowrie’s return to Davie Park and their first game on the new 3G surface was called off along with Coupar Angus’s game against Lochee Harp and the Brechin Vics versus Broughty Athletic clash.

As it stands all three games involving Courier Country clubs in the East of Scotland League Premier Division are scheduled to go ahead, although the game between Jeanfield Swifts and Dundonald Bluebell is rated as extremely doubtful and will need an inspection.

Should the game go ahead Ross Gunnion’s Swifts will be looking to continue their good run.

Coach Daryn Smith said: “We would love the game to be on and will be looking to start 2022 on the front foot.

“Dundonald will be compact and hard to break down under Kevin Fotheringham, but we are on a great run and want it to continue.”

Bluebell, meanwhile, have a number of longterm injuries that have impacted on their season and once again Fotheringham will leave his selection late against what he sees as probably the best footballing side in the league.

One of the games more likely to go ahead is the clash between Inverkeithing Hillfield Swifts and Hill of Beath at Dalgety Bay.

Hill of Beath are desperate to get back into action and start to collect points towards their climb away from the bottom of the table.

It is no disrespect to Swifts that nobody would have expected them to be 14 points ahead of the Haws, although they have played four games more.

Both sides are expected to have almost full squads available but like most teams today they will leave their selection late.

Crossgates Primrose are the highest-ranked Fife side outside of the SPFL and will look to consolidate their place in the top seven with victory over Sauchie at Humbug Park.

Primrose also have games in hand and will be looking at finishing a couple of places higher than their current position.

Today they take on a Sauchie side that, like a few others, have been very up and down. They are one of the few teams to have beaten Inverkeithing at Dalgety Bay but on the flip side have lost 5-2 to Crossgates at home.

Primrose have a few issues meaning their selection will be left until the last minute.

Kinnoull’s home clash with Oakley United in First Division Conference B has been called off.

Luncarty have had eight players affected by Covid and go into their visit to Newburgh with a depleted squad.

The hosts are without Callum Grindley and Sean McCrossan.