February 2025 Preview
Berwick enter the business end of the season with five huge games including three difficult road trips.
Much has changed at Shielfield Park in January with Thomas Scobbie and club captain Jamie McCormack departing and Kevin Haynes stepping into the dugout, bringing in three new faces to help bolster the squad.
February looks set to provide a difficult start to Hayne’s managerial stint with two huge home games in a week; two tough away days in the Lowland League and the beginning of the Lowland League Cup.
All games kick off at 3pm unless otherwise stated
Saturday 1 February – East Stirlingshire (H)
Kevin Haynes’ first game at Shielfield as Berwick boss sees the rearranged visit of old foes East Stirlingshire.
Similar to last season, Pat Scullion’s side have put a poor start behind them to string together a number of impressive results that have moved them five points above Berwick in the Lowland League table, albeit the ‘Gers have two games in hand.
The two sides met back in early September when Berwick pulled off a stunning second half comeback to win 3-2 with Liam Buchanan (2) and Grant Nelson on the scoresheet. That result continued a remarkable streak of four consecutive games where the away side in this fixture won the game.
In more good omens for Berwick, Buchanan loves playing Shire, scoring 6 times in his last four appearances against them, including braces on his last two visits to Falkirk Stadium.
Tickets will be priced at £10 for adults, £5 for concessions with U16s going free.
Tuesday 4 February – Broomhill (A, 7:45pm)
There’s no rest for the weary as Berwick make the long trip west to kick off their Lowland League Cup campaign at Broomhill.
Zander Diamond’s Broomhill side have struggled this season and are currently bottom of the Lowland League with just four wins all season, although they do have three games in hand on the two sides directly above them.
The two sides met at Shielfield back in August where a Jamie McCormack header cancelled out a contentious penalty. Berwick, meanwhile, have only won once away to Broomhill in the previous five meetings with Graham Taylor’s scoring the late winner back in August 2021.
Berwick will be looking to progress beyond the first round for the second consecutive season while Broomhill have exited at the first hurdle in each of the last two seasons.
Tickets will be priced at £10 for adults, £5 for concessions with U16s going free.
Saturday 8 February – Gretna 2008 (H)
Just days after the long trip to Broomhill, Berwick return to Shielfield for the final home game of February when Gretna come to town.
The transformation in Vinnie Parker’s side has been stark, going from a team that narrowly avoided relegation on the final day of last season to a solidified mid-table Lowland League side. As February roll around, Gretna sit 9th in the Lowland League with more than double the number of points, wins and more goals than they managed in the entirety of the 23/24 season.
However, Berwick’s record against Gretna is incredibly strong with 8 wins from the 12 meetings between the two sides although Gretna collected just their second ever win over Berwick in convincing fashion at Raydale Park back in October.
Shielfield has not been a happy hunting ground for Gretna with just a single draw from six visits (back in July 2021) and just six goals scored in all of their visits, the last of which came in July 2022.
Tickets will be priced at £10 for adults, £5 for concessions with U16s going free.
Saturday 15 February – Caledonian Braves (A)
The following weekend sees another long trip west as Berwick visit title chasing Caledonian Braves.
Braves have mounted something of a surprise title challenge, sitting just two points behind East Kilbride (having played three games more), built on the league’s best defence and Ross McNeil, the Lowland League’s top scorer (19). Braves also boast a formidable home record, losing just once at Alliance Park all season with only East Kilbride collecting more points at home.
Alliance Park has also not been a happy hunting ground for Berwick, with just one league win coming in July 2021 – Scott-Taylor Mackenzie scoring that day. Berwick did win on their last trip to Braves, though, in the opening round of the Lowland League Cup back in February of last year thanks to Thomas Kay’s heroics in the penalty shootout.
Tickets will be priced at £8 for adults, £4 for concessions with U16s going free
Saturday 22 February – University of Stirling (A)
Our final game for February (as of this writing) sees another away day as Berwick head to Forthbank to face University of Stirling
The students have had a topsy-turvy season of their own ranging from the brilliant to the shocking but sit one place and three points ahead of Berwick in the Lowland League. Both sides have struggled defensively this season with only Gala Fairydean Rovers conceding more than each side’s 57.
Berwick will be looking to extract some revenge for a chastening 7-0 home shellacking earlier this season where Chris Geddes’ side were four goals to the good at half time and could have scored far more. Finn Moffett grabbed two of his 11 league goals that evening and he will be the main attacking threat Berwick will need to watch out for.
Tickets will be priced at £8 for adults, £4 for concessions with U16s going free
