When it comes to the battle for 8th place in next season's Highland League, the HFLhub tipsters believe three clubs within a close distance of each other will all be fighting it out for that spot.
Who will finish in the top 9 of next season's Highland League? Most of the HFLhub pundits reckon it will be two teams from the north battling for this position.
The Highland League season gets underway tomorrow when Lossiemouth entertain Fort William at Grant Park in the AJG Parcels North of Scotland Cup, while Brora Rangers are also in action.
New keeper Connor Hall, formerly of Ross County, is likely to be on the bench for Lossie, with Errol Watson retaining the No 1 jersey. But recent signings Kevin Duguid, Mark Hector and Darren Bailey are all in contention to feature in boss Stevie Dunn’s starting line-up. Scott Dunn, Finlay Stables and Jordan Main unavailable for the hosts.
Fort William have six new signings to pick from. Ryan MacLeod, Craig Mainland and Lorne Mackay have joined from Muir of Ord, with Matthew Rippon and Stephan MacFarlane moving from Oban Saints. They team up with Jack Mackay, who made the switch to Claggan Park from Brora Rangers under-19s. The match is a first competitive encounter for Fort boss Calum MacLean since he returned to the job on a permanent basis. Duncan Campbell is injured and skipper Andy Martin is on holiday.
In the Petrofac Training Cup, Highland League champions Brora Rangers welcome Scottish League 1 side Stenhousemuir. The home side will be without Danny MacKay, but otherwise manager Davie Kirkwood has a full squad to pick from. Stenny keeper Chris Smith is likely to be sidelined with a knee injury.
We're at the halfway point when it comes to predictions for the new Highland League season. If your team's not been mentioned so far, then they have the backing of the HFLhub pundits to finish in the top half of the table.
A Zander Sutherland treble gave Davie Kirkwoods team a notable scalp in the first round of the Petrofac Challenge Cup with Stenhousemuir being dumped out of the cup by another professional performance from the Highland League champions.
Brora Rangers took the lead in the 32nd minute when, despite the efforts of the home team to clear the ball off the line the assistant referee indicated that it a Zander Sutherland effort had crossed the line.
Stenny levelled early in the second half from the penalty spot after James Reid tempted Colin Williamson into a challenge and took the opportunity to win the award. Martin Greham duly placed the spot kick past Joe Malin.
Brora Rangers took the lead in the second minute of extra time when
If ever there was proof that predicting who will finish in the middle of the Highland League is tough, then the varied debate on who will finish 11th is it.
| EE Shire Cup R1 - 29-07-2014 20:00 | ||||
|
Turriff United | - : - | Inverurie Locos |
|
| NoSC R1 - 29-07-2014 20:00 | ||||
|
Elgin City | - : - | Strathspey Thistle |
|
|
Golspie Sutherland | - : - | Wick Academy |
|
|
Nairn County | - : - | Forres Mechanics |
|
| EE Shire Cup R1 - 30-07-2014 20:00 | ||||
|
Cove Rangers | - : - | Buckie Thistle |
|
| NoSC R1 - 30-07-2014 19:30 | ||||
|
Clachnacuddin | - : - | Inverness Caledonian Thistle |
|
| NoSC R1 - 30-07-2014 20:00 | ||||
|
Thurso | - : - | Brora Rangers |
|
| SHFL Week1 - 02-08-2014 15:00 | ||||
|
|
Brora Rangers | - : - | Huntly |
|
|
|
Clachnacuddin | - : - | Cove Rangers |
|
|
|
Forres Mechanics | - : - | Fraserburgh |
|
|
Fort William | - : - | Buckie Thistle |
|
|
Lossiemouth | - : - | Keith |
|
|
|
Nairn County | - : - | Formartine United |
|
|
Rothes | - : - | Inverurie Locos |
|
|
|
Strathspey Thistle | - : - | Turriff United |
|
|
|
Wick Academy | - : - | Deveronvale |
|
| SHFL Week2 - 06-08-2014 20:00 | ||||
|
|
Buckie Thistle | - : - | Deveronvale |
|
|
|
Cove Rangers | - : - | Turriff United |
|
|
|
Forres Mechanics | - : - | Brora Rangers |
|
|
|
Fort William | - : - | Strathspey Thistle |
|
|
|
Fraserburgh | - : - | Huntly |
|
|
|
Keith | - : - | Formartine United |
|
|
|
Nairn County | - : - | Inverurie Locos |
|
|
|
Rothes | - : - | Lossiemouth |
|
|
|
Wick Academy | - : - | Clachnacuddin |
|
| SHFL Week2 - 09-08-2014 15:00 | ||||
|
|
Buckie Thistle | - : - | Clachnacuddin |
|
|
|
Cove Rangers | - : - | Forres Mechanics |
|
|
|
Deveronvale | - : - | Brora Rangers |
|
|
|
Formartine United | - : - | Rothes |
|
|
|
Fraserburgh | - : - | Nairn County |
|
|
|
Huntly | - : - | Lossiemouth |
|
|
|
Inverurie Locos | - : - | Strathspey Thistle |
|
|
|
Keith | - : - | Fort William |
|
|
|
Turriff United | - : - | Wick Academy |
|
| EE Shire Cup R2 - 12-08-2014 20:00 | ||||
|
|
Formartine United | - : - | Deveronvale |
|
|
|
Huntly | - : - | Banks O' Dee |
|
| SCup Prelim - 16-08-2014 15:00 | ||||
|
Edinburgh City | - : - | Fort William |
|
|
Glasgow University | - : - | Cove Rangers |
|
| SHFL Week3 - 16-08-2014 15:00 | ||||
|
|
Brora Rangers | - : - | Turriff United |
|
|
|
Clachnacuddin | - : - | Keith |
|
