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That’s the Royalists’ first league loss since one by 2-0 at home to Livingston United in August and their first overall since a 4-3 South Region Challenge Cup knockout by Edinburgh South six fixtures back in mid-September, also at Albert Park. Harry Fowler put manager Kenny Aitchison’s Albert 1-0 up on 22 minutes at the weekend but a 33rd-minute sending-off for Chris Gray saw momentum swing in the other direction, with Andrew McCallion netting for the visitors from the penalty spot on 34 and further goals being scored by Matthew Mitchell on 45 and Ryan Daly on 62. Vale of Leithen got back to winning ways, however, after having a four-game string of victories brought to an end by a 3-0 defeat at Cowdenbeath Central seven days earlier, edging out Livingston United by 2-1 at home at Innerleithen’s Victoria Park on Saturday. On target for manager Ger Rossi’s hosts were Jason Brydon on 51 minutes and Kyle Mitchell on 75, with Ryan Garvie getting one back for their West Lothian opponents on 78. Those results, both 11 fixtures into the season, leave Albert at the top of the table on 27 points and Vale fifth as one of four teams on 18 points, ranging from fourth-placed Cowdenbeath Central down to seveth-placed Livingston. Hawick are at home to third-placed Edinburgh United this coming Saturday and Vale are away to eighth-placed Tweedmouth Rangers the day after, both 2.30pm kick-offs. Coldstream were in action in round three of this season’s East of Scotland Qualifying Cup at the weekend, knocking out Glenrothes 1-0 away to earn a fourth-round tie away to another EoSFL premier division side, Camelon Juniors, or second division rivals Oakley United on a date yet to be fixed. Netting for manager David Brown’s Streamers in Fife was Jack Storm. Coldstream’s EoSFL division two rivals Linton Hotspur weren’t in competitive action at the weekend but hosted a friendly against Berwick Rangers instead, losing 6-1. Scoring for gaffer Kevin Haynes’ Scottish Lowland Football League side in West Linton were Taylor Hendry on nine minutes and 37, Greg Binnie on 40, Jonny Devers on 63, Mikey Mbewe on 79 and Liam Buchanan on 86, with Ty McLean registering a consolation effort for co-managers Ruairidh Fleming and Paul Currie’s hosts on 41. Coldstream and Hotspur are both at home on league duty this Saturday, to Harthill Royal and Stirling University respectively, with kick-offs at 2.30pm. Ten games into their seasons, Coldstream are eighth in the table on 14 points and Hotspur 11th on 13, with West Lothian’s Harthill ninth on 14 from eight fixtures and the Stirling students 14th on one from 11.
