Two cup ties half an hour apart for Johnstone Burgh

“This has included attempting to rearrange league fixtures and South Challenge Cup ties, travelling to Tayport midweek, playing Tayport on a Friday night or Sunday afternoon and, most recently, offering to play the Communities Cup tie immediately before or after our upcoming Lowland League Cup fixture.

“In addition, we offered to forfeit our share of the gate money to help cover any convenience caused by the rearranging the fixture.

“Despite exhausting every option available to us, we have been unable to reach a solution that allows us to play outwith a Saturday afternoon.”

Burgh, who currently sit eight in the new Lowland League West, having been promoted from the West of Scotland League Premier Division, would have been considered favourites for both ties if able to field their strongest team.

They won the Scottish Communities Cup two seasons ago when it was the Scottish Junior Cup.

Meanwhile, Dunipace sit second bottom of the new Lowland League East and Tayport are sixth in the tier below, the Midlands Premier League.

All three clubs have already had fixtures postponed because of their progress to the second round of the Scottish Cup.

Tayport eventually lost to Stranraer and Dunipace were thrashed by Largs Thistle on Saturday as Burgh’s tie at home to Highland League side Formartine United was postponed and rescheduled for this Saturday.

“We are extremely disappointed that, despite our best efforts, we have been unable to find a reasonable solution that would allow us to compete in both games with our strongest available squad,” Burgh added.

“We’d like to thank Tayport and the other clubs we have spoken to for considering the options we have put to them and understand that clubs want to stay within the traditional Saturday afternoon kick-off times.

“We want to reassure our supporters that every avenue has been explored and every effort has been made to find a workable solution.”