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The Conference League reaches another important stage on Saturday, with the early table beginning to provide some genuine talking points.
Glasgow Athletic remain the side everyone is chasing after a perfect start to the season, while several clubs behind them are beginning to establish their own claims near the top.
There are also important points available elsewhere as clubs look to build momentum, respond to recent results and start turning promising performances into league positions.
Here’s what to look out for across Saturday morning’s Conference League fixtures.
Here is your full matchday rundown
TOP-OF-THE-TABLE CLASHES & TITLE RACE PRESSURES
Vale of Leven AFC vs Lomond FC
CLASH OF THE TITANS AT VALE ACADEMY
Match of the day honors undoubtedly go to Vale of Leven Academy for Saturday’s 10 am kick off, where second-placed Lomond FC face off against Vale of Leven AFC in a high-stakes top-four showdown.
Lomond can temporarily leapfrog current leaders Glasgow Athletic with a victory providing Athletic loose.
No one will want to give up any ground and walk away from this fixture with anything less than 3 points.
Cathcart AFC vs Glasgow Athletic FC
ATHLETIC TARGET SEVENTH STRAIGHT WIN AT CATHCART
League leaders Glasgow Athletic travel to face Cathcart AFC aiming to maintain their flawless start to the campaign.
Athletic sit on 18 points following six consecutive victories, but face a potential banana skin against a Cathcart side who desperate for a result after loosing heavily midweek to Cumbernauld Pumas
Bankknock AFC vs DTI AFC
DTI LOOK TO MAINTAIN TITLE MOMENTUM IN LATE KICKOFF
The late fixture sees title contenders DTI AFC put their unbeaten record on the line away at Hamilton Palace to Banknock AFC.
Sitting third on 13 points with a valuable game in hand over the league leaders, DTI aim to capitalize on their strong form and pile on the pressure at the top of the table.
However mid table Banknock AFC present a tricky test after a positive midweek performance against GCR.
The home side will seek a statement victory to climb into the upper half of the Conference League table.
MID-TABLE SCRAPS & CELLAR BATTLES
Glasgow Medics AFC vs Greater Croftpark Rose
MEDICS DESPERATE FOR BREAKTHROUGH AT MOUNTBLOW
Bottom-of-the-table Glasgow Medics AFC face a daunting test at Mountblow in Clydebank as they host sixth-placed Greater Croftpark Rose AFC in Saturday’s Conference league encounter.
Still searching for their first points of the campaign, Medics are eager to steady the ship after a heartbreaking 1-0 midweek defeat to JSCC AFC.
However, breaking their duck will be no easy task against a solid GCR side sitting comfortably in mid table and eager to crash the top five.
GCR head into this fixture looking to build momentum after picking up a hard-fought point in a 1-1 midweek draw against Banknock AFC and going five games without defeat.
River Nevis AFC vs Cumbernauld Pumas AFC
PUMAS PROWL INTO GLASGOW GREEN AS RIVER NEVIS TARGET UPSET
River Nevis host fifth-placed Cumbernauld Pumas at Glasgow Green tomorrow morning at 10:00 AM, desperate to kickstart their campaign against one of the league’s standard-bearers.
Sitting 12th with just three points, Nevis showed plenty of fight in a chaotic 3-3 midweek draw with North Kelvin and will need every bit of that attacking spark to pull off a result tomorrow.
Nevis definitely face a tall order against a high-flying Pumas side firing on all cylinders. Cumbernauld sit fifth on 12 points and step onto the pitch overflowing with confidence following a 7-0 demolition of Cathcart.
If Nevis can’t tighten up at the back, Pumas‘ ruthless frontline will look to turn this road trip into another statement victory.
LS Memorial vs Burnhill AFC
SIX-POINTER AT JOHN BROWNS: MEMORIAL AND BURNHILL BATTLE FOR BREATHING ROOM
LS Memorial and Burnhill face off at John Browns Clydebank tomorrow at 10:00 AM in a Conference League six-pointer.
Tied on four points in 10th and 11th place, both sides need a win to pull away from the danger zone.
Burnhill look to build on a gritty midweek draw, while Memorial must snap a two-game losing streak.
With three points on the line, tomorrow’s winner takes crucial separation; the loser gets dragged right into the fight at the bottom.
Queen’s Park Supporters FC vs JSCC AFC
Queen’s Park Supporters FC and JSCC AFC meet at Glasgow Green tomorrow for their seventh game of the season, with both sides desperate for a victory to kickstart their struggling campaigns. Sitting level on three points apiece in 14th and 15th place,
the two teams are eager to secure their second win of the season and pull themselves away from the bottom of the table.
Momentum favors JSCC AFC, who enter the match buoyed by a morale-boosting victory against Glasgow Medics.
In stark contrast, Queen’s Park Supporters FC are fighting to stop the rot after enduring a brutal five-game losing streak.
With three crucial points on the line, tomorrow’s clash presents a prime opportunity for JSCC to build a winning run, or for QPSFC to finally halt their slump and turn their season around.
HUGH’S FINAL VERDICT
Glasgow Athletic have set the early pace, and six wins from six means every Conference weekend now starts with the same question — can anyone stop them?
But there is plenty happening behind the leaders. Vale of Leven and Lomond meet in one of Saturday’s standout fixtures, while DTI, Greater Croftpark Rose and others have opportunities to strengthen promising starts of their own.
Further down, this is still August. Nobody’s season is being decided on Saturday, but points picked up now can make a big difference when the table begins to settle.
For me, that is what makes this weekend interesting. We are starting to move beyond first impressions and getting a clearer idea of which teams could have a real say in the Conference League this season.
Hugh Dunnit
