AMATEUR football was wiped out at the weekend in the Lothian & Edinburgh AFA and this week's fixtures are again dominated by six Soccer World Scottish Amateur Cup ties, with an all-Edinburgh derby clash involving Balerno Athletic (L&EAFA) and Leith Athletic (Central Scotland League) at Currie.
That should be a cracking game between two sides from different associations meeting for what could be the first time ever.
While Uphall Station, currently the top side in the L&EAFA this season, are away to Aitkenhead Thistle, Newcraighall Le
ith Victoria from the Premier Division face another tough test in Glasgow against Drumchapel United, from the West of Scotland AFA.
Lothian Thistle will make another bid to entertain Wishaw HSFP at Campbell Park in their much delayed fourth-round replay, while Liberton AVU entertain Redbraes, from the Central Scotland League, on the massive new pitch at Southhouse.
Liberton AVU were in brilliant form prior to the start of the Christmas break and they will have to be at their very best again if they hope to see off the challenge from Redbraes, who knocked out last year's winners, another of the Drumchapel United sides, in the fourth round.
Redhall Star are the sixth L&EAFA club to still have an interest in this massive cup event and they will welcome AC Mill Inn to the lovely facilities being created by Redhall sponsor, Ian McDonald, at Redhall Park.
I fancy Lothian Thistle to beat Wishaw, Uphall to win their away tie against Aitkenhead Thistle, Leith Athletic to be too good for Balerno Athletic, Newcraighall to get a draw in their away tie against Drumchapel and Liberton to hold Redbrae to a draw at Southhouse. If Redhall Star last the pace, they too could get a good result against AC Mill Inn, but every game will be tough and competitive, that is certain.
&149 SCOTTISH Amateur Cup convener George Watson has put aside the disappointment of seeing only four ties being played throughout Scotland last weekend to go ahead and publish the draw for the sixth round so clubs will know their opponents in the next round if they survive this Saturday's showdowns.
It promises to be even tougher in the next round, with a formidable array of top amateur sides still in contention the biggest cup event in Scotland.
Scottish Amateur Cup, sixth round: Strathclyde University or Rhu v St Pats FP or Low Waters MW; Thorn Athletic or Glenburn MW v Rosyth CS or Westerlands; Glasgow Harp or SS Peter & Paul v Eastvale or Dalgety Bay or Jamestown; Aitkkenhead Thistle or Uphall Station v Tullibody or Cupar Hearts; Maddiston or Wishaw HSFP or Lothian Thistle v Redhall Star or AC Mill Inn; Balerno Athletic or Leith Athletic v West Kilbride or Kilsyth Amateurs; East Kilbride RR or Bannockburn Amateurs v Riverside Amateurs or Colville Park; Lomond Rock or Dyce Amateurs v Knockentiber or Garrowhill Amateurs; Liberton AVU or Redbrae Amateurs v Hurlford Thistle; St Lawrence or Mearns Amateurs v Eddlewood Amateurs or Campsie Minerva; St James or Greenock HSFP v Moorcroft Amateurs; Linwood Amateurs or Viewfeild Rovers v East Kilbride YMCA or Clark Drive; Gourock Athletic or NCR or Rutherglen Amateurs v Drumchapel (WoS) or Newcraighall Leith Victoria; Queen's Park or Plean Amateurs v Carnoustie YM; Kennoway or Castlemilk Amateurs v Cowie Thistle or Dundee University; St Mungo's FP or St Joseph's v Garnethill Rovers.
THE entire Kingdom Caledonian League programme in Fife was wiped out for the second successive week.
Both Cupar Hearts and Rosyth Civil Service are on Soccer World Scottish Amateur Cup fifth-round duty this Saturday.
