It’s the Buffs’ first cup tie of the season, this weekend, as they make the long journey south to face Wigtown & Bladnoch FC in the first round of the South Region Challenge Cup. The hosts failed to make it past the second round of the competition after receiving a bye in the first, before Irvine Meadow travelled to Trammondford Park and won 0-10.
Wigtown and Bladnoch FC were founded as early as 1880 as Wigtown FC and have won the South of Scotland Football League 5 times, most recently in the 2014/15 season. The club have played in the Scottish Cup 14 times with their most notable result coming in 1952 when they beat Montrose FC 1-2.
The Buffs will be big favourites when they head south today as they play a side who have only been able to muster 1 point from their last 25 league games, a record which saw them finish bottom of the South of Scotland Football League last season. The club conceded 115 league goals in the 2024/25 season, alongside heavy defeats such as losing 0-12 to both Dunipace FC and Auchinleck Talbot in recent years. Wigtown and Bladnoch’s most recent league win came in October 2022 when they defeated St Cuthbert Wanderers 3-2 after going down to 10 men in the game. Despite their tough start to the season, Wigtown did pick up a few victories in their pre-season games against Threave Rovers AFC and Lochar Thistle 20’s, however were beaten comfortably when WOSFL First Division side Whitletts Victoria visited in July.
Although being clear favourites, Kevin Kelly’s side will still have to go out and get the job done against a Wigtown side who will be well up for the game and will be aspiring to cause a big cup upset. If The Buffs can muster up anything like their midweek performance against Drumchapel United, then it looks like today’s hosts may be pretty powerless, but you just never know in a cup tie.
