Johnstone Burgh have been forced to play two cup ties on the same day on Saturday 21 November, with the kick-offs only half an hour apart. They will now have to find one team to play away to Tayport at 14:30 GMT in the Scottish Communities Cup third round and another to face hosts Dunipace at 15:00 in the Lowland League Cup first round.
Two fixtures on the same afternoon
The Tayport tie is scheduled as an away match on Saturday 21 November at 14:30 GMT. The Dunipace game is also due to be played away from home on Saturday 21 November at 15:00. The Dunipace match is 65 miles away from the tie at Tayport.
Burgh statement on X
Burgh said in a statement on X: "We have explored every possible option to find a suitable solution that would allow us to play the tie outwith a Saturday afternoon as our schedule is already full."
Burgh said in a statement on X: "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."
Burgh said in a statement on X: "In addition, we offered to forfeit our share of the gate money to help cover any convenience caused by the rearranging the fixture."
Burgh said in a statement on X: "Despite exhausting every option available to us, we have been unable to reach a solution that allows us to play outwith a Saturday afternoon."
No change to Saturday kick-offs
Neither Tayport nor Dunipace, nor any other clubs Johnstone Burgh were scheduled to play on other weekends, were willing to shift from Saturday afternoon kick-off times. Burgh added: "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."
Burgh added: "We want to reassure our supporters that every avenue has been explored and every effort has been made to find a workable solution."
League positions and recent scheduling
Johnstone Burgh currently sit eight in the new Lowland League West and were promoted from the West of Scotland League Premier Division. They won the Scottish Communities Cup two seasons ago when it was the Scottish Junior Cup.
Dunipace sit second bottom of the new Lowland League East, while Tayport are sixth in the Midlands Premier League. All three clubs had already had fixtures postponed because of their progress to the second round of the Scottish Cup. Tayport lost to Stranraer, Dunipace were thrashed by Largs Thistle on Saturday, and Burgh's Scottish Cup tie at home to Formartine United was postponed and rescheduled for this Saturday.