The Scottish Cup – Forty Clubs battle for Fourth Round ‘Berths’

Over the course of the forthcoming weekend from Friday night at 7.45pm. to Monday evening at around 10pm. forty member clubs of the SFA will battle it out for what could well end up to be a lucrative place in the fourth round draw of the Scottish Gas sponsored competition, the moment when all twelve Premiership outfits enter the fray.

The third round ties feature all twenty clubs from the SPFL Championship and League One who feature for the first time in this season’s tournament alongside six sides from the fourth tier of the SPFL, Bonnyrigg Rose, Clyde, East Fife and Spartans having fallen at what was their first hurdle, the second round stage, all bar the ‘Bully Wee’ losing out to non league outfits.

This time round eight SPFL clubs will face up to non league sides, with only Livingston and Stranraer having home advantage, their opponents on Saturday Brora Rangers currently sitting in second place in the Highland League and Broxburn Athletic who in their first season in the Lowland League sit on the tails of the leaders respectively.

There are to say the least some intriguing match ups in the other half dozen clashes, none more so than the Sunday afternoon visit to Dundee of Championship bottom side Airdrieonians to take on Tayside Junior League champions Dundee North End before a sell out crowd at North End Park. Highland League outfits Banks O’ Dee and Fraserburgh have home advantage on Saturday against Hamilton Accies and Annan Athletic, while Raith Rovers will not be relishing the prospect of facing up to Linlithgow Rose at Prestonfield. Stenhousemuir head to Ayrshire, Irvine Meadow struggling in the West of Scotland League at present their opponents. The final clash between a non league side and an SPFL outfit is a real heavy weight tie and it is no surprise that BBC Scotland picked it for their live Monday night offering. Current Lowland League champions East Kilbride who defeated Bonnyrigg in round two welcome John McGlynn’s table topping Falkirk to K Park for what should be a mouth watering ninety minutes.

There are two all Championship ties scheduled for Saturday, Queens Park entertain Partick Thistle in a Glasgow derby, while Ayr United will start favourites at home to Morton. Alloa Athletic head to face beleaguered Dumbarton on Friday evening in one of the all First Division clashes, the others Arbroath v Queen of the South and Cove Rangers v Inverness Caledonian Thistle scheduled for Saturday, while the ‘Loons’ home tie with Stirling Albion is the only fixture over the weekend to feature two SPFL fourth tier sides.

Three SPFL2 teams are at home to sides from higher echelons. Edinburgh City welcome Dunfermline Athletic to the Capital city, Kelty Hearts head for Elgin while Peterhead have Montrose as visitors to Balmoor.

The twenty ties are completed by three matches between the six remaining non SPFL sides left in the tournament. Clydebank who have had a superb start to the campaign are at home to Buckie Thistle, while Musselburgh Athletic currently top of the East of Scotland Premier Division face up to Boness United at Olivebank having beaten another top Lowland League side Caledonian Braves in the previous round.

Finally two of the former SPFL sides now sadly plying their trade in the Lowland and Highland Leagues respectively Cowdenbeath and Brechin City square up at Central park.

The draw for the fourth round will take place on BBC Scotland on Monday evening at the conclusion of the East Kilbride v Falkirk fixture.

Fourth round ties are due to be played over the weekend of January 17th/20th.