Scottish Cup game offering Camelon chance to play Hearts postponed for third time

Camelon Juniors' abandoned Scottish Cup first-round game against Brora Rangers on Boxing Day. Photo: Alan Murray

The Mariners’ game against Brora Rangers has been put back to Monday, January 4, kicking off at 7.30pm, after being abandoned last Saturday, December 26, due to adverse weather and initially rescheduled for Wednesday, December 30, then postponed further until tomorrow, January 2.

Though the match, the hosts’ first-ever first-round tie in the Scottish Cup in their 100-year history, will be played behind closed doors at Carmuirrs Park, a stream will be available for £5 via camelonjuniors.co.uk/ppv

Pay-per-view subscriptions bought for last weekend’s match, called off at half-time due to heavy rain rendering the pitch unplayable, will still be valid, as will any for the two rescheduled dates since scrapped.

A spokesperson for the club, only playing at senior level since 2018, said: “Despite borrowing additional frost covers, a look at the temperature forecast for the next 24 hours has led to the decision that we will move our Scottish Cup match against Brora Rangers to Monday evening, with a 7.30pm kick-off.”

Camelon, managed by Gordon Herd, are currently fifth in the East of Scotland Football League’s premier division with 20 points after 10 games and their guests, making a near-420-mile round trip south from Sutherland, are reigning Highland Football League champions.

The winner of Monday’s game will host Hearts, five points clear at the top of the Scottish Championship at the moment with 24 points from nine games and runaway favourites to go straight back up to the Premiership, in the cup’s second round on Saturday, January 9.

The Edinburgh side made it to the final of last season’s cup, held belatedly on Sunday, December 20, due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, losing to Celtic on penalties at Glasgow’s Hampden Park after the game ended 3-3 following extra time.

Hearts, managed by Robbie Neilson, have won the cup eight times, in 1891, 1896, 1901, 1906, 1956, 1998, 2006 and 2012 and they’ve been beaten finalists 13 times besides this year, previously in 1903, 1907, 1968, 1976, 1986 and 2019.

At this point, sunny intervals and light winds are forecast for tomorrow but the temperature isn’t expected to rise any higher than 2C. Monday, though, is expected to be a bit warmer, with the temperature forecast to rise to 4C during the afternoon.