Bo'ness boss feels switch would ease league fixture jam

BO'NESS boss Willie Newbigging has called for a fixture shake-up in the East Region, beginning with the League Cup being moved to the end of the season.

While the bad weather has caused chaos in recent weeks – a ball hasn't been kicked in anger since November 20 – Newbigging also believes the structure of the fixture list should be reviewed.

Instead of the League Cup being right at the start of the season, he'd like to see it switched to the end of campaign.

And, if it can't be played due to clubs having the sort of backlog most are going to be faced with this spring, then no-one would probably be too bothered.

"The situation we are all facing at the moment is horrendous – it's disastrous for everyone," said Newbigging.

"I was speaking to (Linlithgow manager] Dave Baikie recently and he said he felt the League Cup should be scrapped at the start of the season, allowing clubs to play half a dozen league games instead at that time of the year.

"I totally agree with him as it makes sense. The League Cup could be played at the end of a season if there was time for it after all the postponements and games having to be re-scheduled."

Few clubs are going to be faced with as big a backlog as Bo'ness, last season's Super League champions.

Due to being involved in a whole host of Cup competitions, they've only played five games in the league this season, the last of which was back in early October.

"It's a total nightmare and I've have told my players and our committee that we can't try and kid anyone otherwise," admitted Newbigging

"We know we are going to be faced with a situation where we are going to be playing three times a week later in the season and that is going to be exceptionally difficult."

Bo'ness lost at home to Buckie Thistle in the Scottish Cup in their last game before going into cold storage.

They've had to wait a lot longer than they'd have liked to try and get that out of their system, but are hoping that chance can finally come tomorrow, when they are due to visit Yoker in the third round of the Emirates Junior Cup.

"I think they are over the Buckie result, even though it was a huge disappointment for everyone connected to the club," said Newbigging. "I still think we played the better football in that game, but Buckie came here with a plan to defended and they did that very well.

"Credit where credit is due in that respect. I believe defending is an art and they defended like lions that day.

"But that's finished with. We are now looking forward to the Yoker tie, whenever it is finally played, and we are going to have to go there and roll up their sleeves as they'll fancy their chances, especially being at home."

While training sessions have been restricted to indoor facilities, Bo'ness played Hamilton in a friendly last week at Little Kerse, winning 2-1 thanks to goals from Brian McQueen and Paul Shields.

McQueen, ironically, is on loan from the SPL side, who have recalled Ally Crawford after he also had a spell at Newtown Park before the shutdown. "Derek Murray, who took the team for the game due to the fact I was away on holiday, said it was a good work out and we had done extremely well," said the Bo'ness manager.

"We thought our boys would be a bit rusty but not only did they work really hard but also gave a good account of themselves and it was nice to hear that."

After starting the defence of their Super League title with a home defeat at the hands of Bathgate, Bo'ness then won against Tayport, Camelon and Musselburgh as well as picking up a point at Bonnyrigg.

They currently trail league leaders Linlithgow by 12 points but have five games in hand.

As Newbigging admitted, Linlithgow's defeat to Camelon in their last outing gave everyone in the Bo'ness camp a boost in their bid to hang on to the title.

"If Linlithgow had managed to go 15 points ahead of us at that stage of the season, it would have been demoralising," he commented.

"But, as soon as their result against Camelon came through, it

certainly perked everyone (at Bo'ness] up.

"With our games in hand, we are still within touching distance and, though we now it is going to be extremely difficult, it is not an impossible task."

Bo'ness will have to wait on a pitch inspection tomorrow morning to see if their tie can finally be played, with all the other matches, including Linlithgow v Auchinleck, Edinburgh United v Arthurlie and Newtongrange v Beith, in the same boat.

• LINLITHGOW'S Scottish Junior Cup clash with Auchinleck Talbot tomorrow has been postponed. Rose will now face Musselburgh Athletic at Olivebank in a Super League clash (kick-off 1.45pm).