2018–19 East of Scotland Football League
# 2018–19 East of Scotland Football League

The 2018–19 East of Scotland Football League (known as the Central Taxis East of Scotland League for sponsorship reasons) was the 90th season of the East of Scotland Football League, and the 5th season as the sixth tier of the Scottish football pyramid system. The season began on 11 August 2018 and ended on 18 May 2019. Kelty Hearts were the reigning champions but could not defend their title after being promoted to the Lowland Football League.

The league saw an increase from 13 to 39 teams and was split into three parallel conferences, each containing 13 teams. The additional teams consisted of 24 clubs who applied to switch from the SJFA East Region, one from the SJFA West Region, one new team and Hawick Royal Albert who were relegated from the Lowland League.

The winners of each conference took part in a round-robin competition at the end of the season, with Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic being crowned league champions on 4 May 2019 after winning both their championship play-off matches. They later clinched promotion to the Lowland League after gaining their SFA licence on 14 June 2019.

The top five clubs in each conference, and best 6th-placed, formed the new 16-team Premier Division for the 2019–20 season.

## Teams

The following teams changed division after the 2017–18 season.

### To East of Scotland Football League

Relegated from Lowland Football League

* Hawick Royal Albert

Transferred from East Superleague

* Bo'ness United
* Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic
* Broxburn Athletic
* Camelon Juniors
* Dundonald Bluebell
* Hill of Beath Hawthorn
* Jeanfield Swifts
* Linlithgow Rose
* Newtongrange Star
* Penicuik Athletic
* Sauchie Juniors

Transferred from East Premier League

* Arniston Rangers
* Blackburn United
* Dalkeith Thistle
* Dunbar United
* Haddington Athletic
* Musselburgh Athletic
* St Andrews United
* Tranent Juniors

Transferred from East South Division

* Craigroyston
* Crossgates Primrose
* Easthouses Lily MW
* Edinburgh United
* Oakley United

Transferred from West Central District Second Division

* Dunipace

Inverkeithing Hillfield Swifts also joined having previously played in the Fife Amateur Football League.

### From East of Scotland Football League

Promoted to Lowland League

* Kelty Hearts

## Conference A

### Teams and locations

| Team | Location | Home ground | Capacity | Seats | Floodlit |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Arniston Rangers | Gorebridge | Newbyres Park | 3,000 | 0 | No |
| Coldstream | Coldstream | Home Park | 1,000 | 0 | No |
| Dunbar United | Dunbar | New Countess Park | 2,500 | 0 | Yes |
| Easthouses Lily MW | Easthouses | Newbattle Complex | 1,500 | 100 | Yes |
| Hawick Royal Albert | Hawick | Albert Park | 1,000 | 500 | Yes |
| Hill of Beath Hawthorn | Hill of Beath | Keirs Park | 2,000 | 0 | Yes |
| Leith Athletic | Edinburgh | Peffermill 3G | 500 | 0 | Yes |
| Musselburgh Athletic | Musselburgh | Olivebank Stadium | 2,500 | 0 | No |
| Newtongrange Star | Newtongrange | New Victoria Park | 2,300 | 30 | Yes |
| Oakley United | Oakley | Blairwood Park | 2,000 | 0 | No |
| Peebles Rovers | Peebles | Whitestone Park | 1,250 | 250 | No |
| Penicuik Athletic | Penicuik | Penicuik Park | 2,000 | 0 | Yes |
| Tweedmouth Rangers | Berwick-upon-Tweed | Old Shielfield | 1,000 | 0 | No |

### League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Penicuik Athletic (Q) | 24 | 20 | 3 | 1 | 92 | 15 | +77 | 63 | Qualification for the Championship play-off |
| 2 | Hill of Beath Hawthorn (Q) | 24 | 20 | 2 | 2 | 99 | 17 | +82 | 62 | Qualification for the Premier Division |
| 3 | Musselburgh Athletic (Q) | 24 | 17 | 3 | 4 | 74 | 31 | +43 | 54 | Qualification for the Premier Division |
| 4 | Newtongrange Star (Q) | 24 | 14 | 5 | 5 | 79 | 32 | +47 | 47 | Qualification for the Premier Division |
| 5 | Dunbar United (Q) | 24 | 13 | 4 | 7 | 62 | 34 | +28 | 43 | Qualification for the Premier Division |
| 6 | Leith Athletic | 24 | 10 | 4 | 10 | 41 | 51 | −10 | 34 | |
| 7 | Coldstream | 24 | 10 | 3 | 11 | 56 | 51 | +5 | 30 | |
| 8 | Easthouses Lily Miners Welfare | 24 | 9 | 1 | 14 | 41 | 67 | −26 | 28 | |
| 9 | Oakley United | 24 | 6 | 5 | 13 | 34 | 50 | −16 | 23 | |
| 10 | Arniston Rangers | 24 | 7 | 2 | 15 | 34 | 71 | −37 | 23 | |
| 11 | Peebles Rovers | 24 | 6 | 4 | 14 | 40 | 73 | −33 | 22 | |
| 12 | Hawick Royal Albert | 24 | 4 | 1 | 19 | 21 | 86 | −65 | 13 | |
| 13 | Tweedmouth Rangers | 24 | 1 | 1 | 22 | 20 | 115 | −95 | 4 | |

* ↑ Coldstream deducted three points for fielding an ineligible player.

### Results

| Home \ Away | ARN | COL | DNB | EAS | HRA | HOB | LEI | MUS | NEW | OAK | PEE | PEN | TWE |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Arniston Rangers | | 3–0 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 0–7 | 2–1 | 2–3 | 1–8 | 0–2 | 3–0 | 0–7 | 4–2 |
| Coldstream | 0–3 | | 3–2 | 3–0 | 6–0 | 0–3 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 3–2 | 5–0 | 1–3 | 4–1 |
| Dunbar United | 5–2 | 5–0 | | 3–2 | 6–0 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 0–3 | 4–1 | 3–3 | 0–4 | 7–0 |
| Easthouses Lily MW | 4–2 | 4–4 | 0–4 | | 1–0 | 1–5 | 1–2 | 1–3 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–4 | 0–3 | 6–2 |
| Hawick Royal Albert | 1–0 | 1–4 | 1–2 | 0–4 | | 1–3 | 1–6 | 0–4 | 1–9 | 0–2 | 4–4 | 0–7 | 2–1 |
| Hill of Beath Hawthorn | 9–0 | 4–1 | 4–0 | 8–1 | 4–1 | | 4–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 6–0 | 4–0 | 2–1 | 16–0 |
| Leith Athletic | 3–0 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 4–0 | 0–3 | | 1–5 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 0–3 | 2–0 |
| Musselburgh Athletic | 3–0 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 5–0 | 7–0 | 1–1 | 5–0 | | 5–2 | 2–2 | 6–1 | 0–5 | 1–0 |
| Newtongrange Star | 2–2 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 7–1 | 3–0 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 4–2 | | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–4 | 14–1 |
| Oakley United | 3–0 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 0–3 | 3–4 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 1–4 | | 0–1 | 1–4 | 2–0 |
| Peebles Rovers | 3–0 | 0–6 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 1–6 | 3–5 | 2–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | | 2–6 | 1–2 |
| Penicuik Athletic | 1–0 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 8–0 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 2–1 | 3–0 | | 9–0 |
| Tweedmouth Rangers | 3–5 | 3–3 | 0–8 | 0–3 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 0–3 | 1–5 | 0–5 | 0–2 | 3–4 | 0–4 | |

## Conference B

### Teams and locations

| Team | Location | Home ground | Capacity | Seats | Floodlit |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Bo'ness United | Bo'ness | Newtown Park | 2,500 | 0 | No |
| Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic | Bonnyrigg | New Dundas Park | 2,200 | 0 | No |
| Burntisland Shipyard | Burntisland | Recreation Park | 1,000 | 0 | No |
| Crossgates Primrose | Crossgates | Humbug Park | 2,000 | 0 | No |
| Dalkeith Thistle | Dalkeith | King's Park | 2,000 | 0 | Yes |
| Dundonald Bluebell | Cardenden | Moorside Park | 2,000 | 0 | No |
| Dunipace | Denny | Westfield Park | 2,500 | 0 | Yes |
| Eyemouth United | Eyemouth | Warner Park | 500 | 0 | No |
| Haddington Athletic | Haddington | Millfield Park | 1,500 | 0 | No |
| Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale | Edinburgh | Saughton Sports Complex | 1,000 | 0 | Yes |
| Sauchie Juniors | Sauchie | Beechwood Park | 5,000 | 200 | Yes |
| Tranent Juniors | Tranent | Foresters Park | 2,300 | 44 | No |
| Tynecastle | Edinburgh | Meggetland Stadium | 4,388 | 500 | Yes |

### League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic (Q) | 24 | 22 | 1 | 1 | 105 | 17 | +88 | 67 | Qualification for the Championship play-off |
| 2 | Bo'ness United (Q) | 24 | 18 | 4 | 2 | 81 | 27 | +54 | 58 | Qualification for the Premier Division |
| 3 | Tranent Juniors (Q) | 24 | 16 | 2 | 6 | 81 | 37 | +44 | 50 | Qualification for the Premier Division |
| 4 | Dundonald Bluebell (Q) | 24 | 15 | 4 | 5 | 79 | 42 | +37 | 49 | Qualification for the Premier Division |
| 5 | Crossgates Primrose (Q) | 24 | 13 | 2 | 9 | 65 | 42 | +23 | 41 | Qualification for the Premier Division |
| 6 | Sauchie Juniors (Q) | 24 | 12 | 4 | 8 | 50 | 39 | +11 | 40 | Qualification for the Premier Division |
| 7 | Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale | 24 | 10 | 3 | 11 | 43 | 47 | −4 | 33 | |
| 8 | Dalkeith Thistle | 24 | 9 | 5 | 10 | 41 | 45 | −4 | 32 | |
| 9 | Haddington Athletic | 24 | 9 | 4 | 11 | 72 | 54 | +18 | 31 | |
| 10 | Tynecastle | 24 | 5 | 3 | 16 | 37 | 80 | −43 | 18 | |
| 11 | Burntisland Shipyard | 24 | 5 | 1 | 18 | 39 | 87 | −48 | 16 | |
| 12 | Dunipace | 24 | 4 | 3 | 17 | 32 | 66 | −34 | 15 | |
| 13 | Eyemouth United | 24 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 21 | 163 | −142 | −3 | |

* ↑ Eyemouth United deducted three points for fielding an ineligible player.

### Results

| Home \ Away | BNS | BRG | BTS | CRS | DAL | DND | DNP | EYE | HAD | LTV | SAU | TRA | TYN |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Bo'ness United | | 1–4 | 6–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 15–1 | 2–2 | 5–0 | 1–0 | 4–1 | 5–2 |
| Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic | 1–3 | | 4–1 | 2–1 | 6–0 | 3–3 | 6–0 | 9–0 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 5–0 | 2–0 | 13–1 |
| Burntisland Shipyard | 0–3 | 1–4 | | 1–5 | 4–1 | 0–7 | 3–2 | 5–0 | 4–4 | 1–5 | 0–4 | 1–5 | 1–2 |
| Crossgates Primrose | 1–2 | 0–3 | 2–1 | | 2–0 | 0–3 | 5–1 | 10–1 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 4–1 | 2–1 |
| Dalkeith Thistle | 0–4 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 2–1 | | 3–3 | 3–0 | 6–0 | 3–2 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 3–3 | 1–3 |
| Dundonald Bluebell | 3–3 | 1–3 | 3–2 | 7–3 | 1–0 | | 5–0 | 6–0 | 4–2 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 5–1 |
| Dunipace | 2–5 | 0–4 | 5–0 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 1–3 | | 4–0 | 2–3 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 1–4 | 2–1 |
| Eyemouth United | 1–8 | 0–4 | 1–7 | 0–8 | 1–2 | 3–6 | 0–5 | | 1–11 | 1–3 | 2–7 | 0–6 | 3–5 |
| Haddington Athletic | 0–4 | 0–4 | 5–0 | 1–4 | 4–2 | 3–4 | 2–1 | 8–0 | | 2–2 | 2–3 | 0–1 | 7–0 |
| Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale | 0–2 | 1–3 | 0–1 | 3–1 | 0–1 | 2–4 | 3–1 | 4–2 | 0–1 | | 1–4 | 2–1 | 2–2 |
| Sauchie Juniors | 0–0 | 1–5 | 5–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 2–2 | 7–1 | 3–2 | 0–2 | | 1–3 | 1–0 |
| Tranent Juniors | 5–0 | 1–8 | 7–0 | 4–1 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 6–0 | 11–1 | 7–2 | 4–2 | 1–0 | | 3–1 |
| Tynecastle | 0–0 | 0–3 | 4–2 | 3–4 | 1–4 | 1–3 | 0–0 | 7–2 | 1–9 | 0–3 | 1–2 | 0–3 | |

## Conference C

### Teams and locations

| Team | Location | Home ground | Capacity | Seats | Floodlit |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Blackburn United | Blackburn | New Murrayfield Park | 1,500 | 0 | Yes |
| Broxburn Athletic | Broxburn | Albyn Park | 1,000 | 0 | Yes |
| Camelon Juniors | Camelon | Carmuirs Park | 2,000 | 0 | No |
| Craigroyston | Edinburgh | St Mark’s Park | 2,000 | 0 | No |
| Edinburgh United | Edinburgh | Paties Road Stadium | 2,500 | 200 | No |
| Heriot-Watt University | Edinburgh | Riccarton Campus | 200 | 0 | Yes |
| Inverkeithing Hillfield Swifts | Inverkeithing | Ballast Bank | 1,000 | 0 | No |
| Jeanfield Swifts | Perth | Riverside Stadium | 1,000 | 0 | No |
| Linlithgow Rose | Linlithgow | Prestonfield | 2,264 | 301 | Yes |
| Ormiston | Ormiston | Recreation Park | 2,000 | 0 | No |
| Preston Athletic | Prestonpans | Pennypit Park | 1,500 | 313 | Yes |
| St Andrews United | St Andrews | Recreation Park | 2,000 | 0 | No |
| Stirling University Reserves | Stirling | Gannochy Sports Centre | 1,000 | 0 | Yes |

### League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Broxburn Athletic (Q) | 24 | 22 | 0 | 2 | 83 | 21 | +62 | 66 | Qualification for the Championship play-off |
| 2 | Linlithgow Rose (Q) | 24 | 20 | 1 | 3 | 106 | 24 | +82 | 61 | Qualification for the Premier Division |
| 3 | Jeanfield Swifts (Q) | 24 | 17 | 4 | 3 | 91 | 30 | +61 | 55 | Qualification for the Premier Division |
| 4 | Camelon Juniors (Q) | 24 | 17 | 3 | 4 | 87 | 33 | +54 | 54 | Qualification for the Premier Division |
| 5 | Blackburn United (Q) | 24 | 10 | 2 | 12 | 61 | 59 | +2 | 32 | Qualification for the Premier Division |
| 6 | Preston Athletic | 24 | 9 | 5 | 10 | 50 | 57 | −7 | 32 | |
| 7 | Heriot-Watt University | 24 | 9 | 3 | 12 | 42 | 53 | −11 | 30 | |
| 8 | St Andrews United | 24 | 8 | 5 | 11 | 41 | 46 | −5 | 29 | |
| 9 | Stirling University reserves | 24 | 7 | 4 | 13 | 46 | 78 | −32 | 25 | |
| 10 | Craigroyston | 24 | 7 | 1 | 16 | 28 | 79 | −51 | 22 | |
| 11 | Edinburgh United | 24 | 5 | 2 | 17 | 34 | 69 | −35 | 17 | |
| 12 | Inverkeithing Hillfield Swifts | 24 | 5 | 1 | 18 | 35 | 85 | −50 | 16 | |
| 13 | Ormiston | 24 | 3 | 3 | 18 | 32 | 102 | −70 | 12 | |

### Results

| Home \ Away | BLA | BRX | CAM | CRA | EDI | HWU | IHS | JEA | LTH | ORM | PRE | STA | STU |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Blackburn United | | 1–2 | 1–4 | 0–2 | 5–1 | 3–4 | 3–1 | 0–3 | 0–7 | 5–1 | 4–1 | 4–1 | 0–3 |
| Broxburn Athletic | 5–2 | | 1–0 | 4–0 | 3–0 | 3–1 | 5–0 | 3–2 | 4–3 | 8–0 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 6–1 |
| Camelon | 3–2 | 1–2 | | 9–1 | 5–1 | 3–0 | 6–2 | 1–5 | 2–0 | 8–0 | 4–1 | 6–1 | 6–1 |
| Craigroyston | 0–3 | 1–3 | 2–4 | | 0–3 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 3–5 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 3–2 | 0–5 | 1–2 |
| Edinburgh United | 0–5 | 1–3 | 0–1 | 4–0 | | 3–0 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 4–0 | 1–4 | 2–2 | 2–5 |
| Heriot-Watt University | 1–1 | 0–7 | 3–3 | 1–2 | 3–0 | | 4–1 | 1–2 | 0–6 | 6–1 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 |
| Inverkeithing Hillfield Swifts | 1–4 | 1–4 | 1–5 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 2–4 | | 1–4 | 0–10 | 3–1 | 3–5 | 0–2 | 3–2 |
| Jeanfield Swifts | 2–2 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 9–0 | 4–1 | 2–1 | 5–0 | | 2–1 | 8–1 | 6–1 | 2–3 | 3–3 |
| Linlithgow Rose | 5–1 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 8–0 | 6–1 | 3–0 | 4–1 | 3–2 | | 3–3 | 5–0 | 3–1 | 2–1 |
| Ormiston | 2–5 | 0–4 | 2–4 | 0–4 | 3–2 | 2–4 | 3–4 | 0–4 | 1–11 | | 2–4 | 1–0 | 2–3 |
| Preston Athletic | 4–3 | 1–4 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 4–1 | 4–1 | 3–0 | 0–3 | 3–5 | 4–1 | | 2–2 | 1–1 |
| St Andrews United | 1–3 | 0–4 | 0–3 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 0–3 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | | 4–1 |
| Stirling University Reserves | 5–4 | 0–4 | 2–6 | 2–1 | 7–3 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 1–9 | 1–6 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 0–5 | |

## Championship play-off

At the end of the season, the three conference winners took part in a three match round-robin competition to determine the league champion, and subject to meeting the required licensing criteria, promotion to the Lowland League. Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic were crowned champions after winning both of their matches, and later gained promotion having eventually received their SFA licence on 14 June 2019.

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | PW | PL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or qualification |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic (C, P) | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 3 | +2 | 6 | Promotion to the Lowland League |
| 2 | Penicuik Athletic | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 3 | Qualification for the Premier Division |
| 3 | Broxburn Athletic | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 6 | −2 | 0 | Qualification for the Premier Division |
