Game 19: Armadale Thistle 1-4 Blackburn United. Very impressed by Blackburn, who were fluent and scored a couple of lovely team goals. Armadale have a bit of work to do. Highlight of the game was an incredible lobbed o.g. for the first Blackburn goal. #davesfootballtravels ⚽️

Pie review: Scotch Pie, Stoneyburn Juniors FC. Unusual lid on this one, no vent and flush with the rim. Anyhow... pretty good. Filling moist without being sloppy, and generous. Under-seasoned for my taste, but not by much. Very reasonably priced. 💷 £2.50 ⭐️ 7 #davesfootballtravels ⚽️

Bonus football day. I've ventured along to the final of Stoneyburn Juniors' annual pre season tournament. This year it's Armadale Thistle against Blackburn United. The weather couldn't be better, but always a pleasure to visit Beechwood Park, rain or shine. #davesfootballtravels ⚽️

Game 18: Saltcoats Victoria 0-4 Irvine Victoria. Poor defending afflicted the home side in this one and coupled with a distinct lack of attacking threat, they were well beaten. Irvine Vics the better side for long spells and well deserving of their win. #davesfootballtravels ⚽️

Pie review: Scotch Pie, Saltcoats Victoria FC. Supplied by local bakery Kandy Bar, previous World Scotch Pie Champions. Nice moist filling, seasoning bang on. Pastry a bit over and fell apart a bit, but an enjoyable eat overall. Great value too. 💷 £2.20 ⭐️ 7 #davesfootballtravels ⚽️

Onwards to my second game of the day, a half hour drive down the coast. Saltcoats Victoria had to spend most of last season playing at nearby Ardrossan while upgrading was carried out at Campbell Park. They're back now though and face Irvine Victoria today. #davesfootballtravels ⚽️

Game 17: Greenock Juniors 2-2 Shortlees AFC. A competitive and at times fractious game ended with Shortlees winning 4-3 on penalties. Some good goals, none more so than the fine solo effort for Greenock's second. A good watch under blue skies at Largs. #davesfootballtravels ⚽️

Pie review: Steak & Haggis, Largs Thistle FC. The first crushing disappointment of the season. It's a Bells pie and you know my feelings. The filling was so meagre it was embarrassing. Well beyond time for fitba clubs to stop selling these. 💷 £3.30 ⭐️ 4 #davesfootballtravels

It's football day. Glorious weather again in the West of Scotland so I've gone down the coast to see the first game of Largs Thistle's pre season tournament. Greenock Juniors are taking on this season's Scottish Amateur Cup winners, Shortlees. #davesfootballtravels ⚽️

Game 16: Harthill Royal 4-0 West Calder United. West Calder are a division above Harthill this season, but it looked like the opposite for most of this game. Harthill were especially dominant in the first half. West Calder really weak defensively. #davesfootballtravels ⚽️

It's football night. I've hedged my bets with an early-ish kick off which means I'll see most of the Spain v France second half. I'm at Gibbshill Park where home side Harthill Royal are entertaining West Calder United in an all West Lothian friendly. #davesfootballtravels ⚽️

Game 15: Troon 2-2 Craigmark Burntonians. Troon had chances to win, but fair play to Craigmark who led for a long time thanks to two goals in two minutes. The second was a beautiful 40 yarder, matched by a lovely diving header for Troon's equaliser. #davesfootballtravels ⚽️

The sun is splitting the skies, so I've headed to the seaside for some fitba entertainment. Troon have just been promoted to the Lowland League's new West division, and they face West of Scotland League Second Division side Craigmark Burntonians at Portland Park. #davesfootballtravels ⚽️

Game 14: Stirling Albion 0-1 Dundee United. Poor quality up front for United and stoic defending from the Albion looked like producing a goalless draw, but a 92nd minute penalty gave the visitors victory on a dry and dusty Forthbank pitch. #davesfootballtravels ⚽️

Pie review: Steak & Sausage, Stirling Albion FC. A pie of the week special. Not special. Filling tasted good with chunks of beef and sausage complimenting each other, but a meagre portion of it. The shell was thick and underdone in places. 💷 £3.80 ⭐️ 6 #davesfootballtravels ⚽️

A goalless first half at Stirling. Dundee United in the ascendancy as you'd expect, but they've resorted to a load of pot shots from distance. One or two comfortable saves for the Albion goalie. The Binos haven't threatened much; a couple of corners. #davesfootballtravels ⚽️

Second game of the day is at Forthbank, where Stirling Albion face Dundee United in the Premier Sports Cup. Three divisions between these two, so the odds are stacked against the Binos, but, as results elsewhere today show, you never know in football. #davesfootballtravels ⚽️

Game 13: Dunipace 1-1 Dundee North End. A draw the right result in this friendly with a competitive edge. Behind to a first half penalty, North End equalised after the break, a well taken 30 yarder after the Dunipace 'keeper was caught off his line. #davesfootballtravels ⚽️

A decent first half. Two evenly matched sides I'd say, but Dunipace lead thanks to a well taken penalty after a handball offence by a North End. #davesfootballtravels ⚽️

It's football day and I've a double bill of games lined up. First up, Dunipace host Dundee North End in a pre-season friendly at Westfield Park. I really admire the progress made by Dunipace - now a Lowland League East club - over the last few years. #davesfootballtravels ⚽️

Game 12: Livingston 2-1 Heart of Midlothian. Livi established a two goal lead through Palmer and Sinclair in a very watchable first half. Hearts cut the deficit before HT, but there was no scoring in a second half punctuated by numerous subs. Att 3,568. #davesfootballtravels ⚽️

Its football night and a rare visit these days for me to the ground that I know better than any other. Livingston take on Hearts tonight in Scott Pittman's testimonial match. A fitting tribute for an outstanding servant to Livingston FC. #davesfootballtravels ⚽️

Game 11: Gartcosh United 2-1 Newmains United. A feisty game, with the ref reaching for his pocket several times - unusual for a friendly. I felt Gartcosh were the better side, though Newmains improved second half and deserved their late consolation. #davesfootballtravels ⚽️

A beautiful night for a game. Haven't gone far again, just along to Gartferry 3G in Moodiesburn, where West of Scotland League new boys Gartcosh United take on Newmains United in a friendly. My first game at this relatively new venue, which was previously grass. #davesfootballtravels ⚽️

Game 10: Albion Rovers 2-3 Glenafton Athletic. Glens staged an Argentina style comeback after going 2-0 down. A horrific goalie error let them back in, but two well taken goals saw them through, their decisive third goal coming in the final minute. #davesfootballtravels ⚽️

Pie review: Scotch Pie, Albion Rovers FC. Sausage rolls are my usual go-to here, but this was decent. Nicely seasoned filling, quite loose but not enough of it to fully satisfy. Pastry pretty good. Serving temperature slightly cooler than ideal. 💷 £3 ⭐️ 6 #davesfootballtravels ⚽️

It's football night. Hung back to watch the Argentina v Egypt game conclude, so haven't gone far. I love to visit Cliftonhill, a proper old football ground, and tonight Coatbridge's finest, Albion Rovers, host Glenafton Athletic in a pre season friendly. #davesfootballtravels ⚽️

Game 9: Linlithgow Rose 3-0 Spartans. A decisive win for the Rose against an inexperienced Spartans side at Prestonfield. Former Livi youngster Lucas Stenhouse scored the first two goals as the Rose secured the East of Scotland FA Cup for the first time. #davesfootballtravels ⚽️

Pie review: Steak Pie, Linlithgow Rose FC. There's always a queue here for quality baked merch. Plenty of filling in this and bang on for the all-important meat to gravy ratio. Pastry was softish though. Oddly, beef curry also on the menu here! 💷 £3 ⭐️ 8.5 #davesfootballtravels ⚽️

Second up in today's fitba double dunt is the East of Scotland FA Cup (aka City Cup) from last season, possibly the one before. It's a competition that has been low on clubs' priorities since I was a boy. Linlithgow Rose host Spartans at Prestonfield. #davesfootballtravels ⚽️