East of Scotland: Permutations in the nervy Premier Division relegation battle

Things are heating up in the East of Scotland Premier Division relegation battle with just a fortnight of the league campaign remaining.

With bottom club Camelon and Whitehill Welfare already consigned to 1st Division Conference A come August, Newtongrange Star and Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale, current occupants of the final two places in the drop zone, face the grim prospect of joining them in the second tier next season.

However, those aforementioned sides can still scramble their way to safety if they pick up points from their final two matches.

Star must win both their games against Broxburn Athletic and Lothian if they are to stand any chance. Lothian, however, are much better placed, with games against Star and Hill of Beath Hawthorn, who are just three points better off, to come.

Camelon are already down and Newtongrange Star could join them

Blackburn United are level on points with Lothian but are just above the drop zone by the virtue of a superior goal difference. The West Lothian outfit have still to play Linlithgow Rose, Inverkeithing Hillfield Swifts and Crossgates Primrose.

Tynecastle and Dunbar United are the two other clubs in the Lothians still to preserve their Premier Division status. Both locked together on 38 points and just three points above the relegation trap-door, Tynie are first up when Hill of Beath Hawthorn are the visitors to Meggetland tonight. They then travel to Whitehill Welfare next weekend before a home encounter against Dunbar.

The East Lothian men face Dundonald Bluebell tomorrow followed by Crossgates Primrose before what could, potentially, become a winner-takes-all clash against Tynecastle on the final day.