A QUARTET of West Fife non-league football clubs have had their season cancelled following a vote over the weekend.

Crossgates Primrose, Inverkeithing Hillfield Swifts, Oakley United and Rosyth will not complete their current campaigns after the East of Scotland League announced that it has been declared null and void.

In January, fixtures in the East of Scotland League set-up were suspended as all football beneath the SPFL Championship was halted due to an increase in COVID-19 cases, combined with lockdown restrictions having been put in place.

Although matches in the Scottish Cup, SPFL League One and League Two were given the green light to return last month - on the understanding that weekly testing would be carried out - football in the non-league remained on hold.

The East of Scotland League had said that, unless the resumption of adult contact sport was "brought forward by a significant margin" when some easing of restrictions was announced at the start of this month, they would likely abandon the season.

READ MORE: East of Scotland League faces abandonment

Adult, outdoor contact sport is not scheduled to resume until May 17 at the earliest and that led to clubs being given a vote on how to proceed.

The deadline for votes was yesterday at 4pm and, after 29 ballots called for the season to be declared null and void (73 per cent), and 11 (27 per cent) calling for a restarted season, it has now been abandoned.

"The outcome of the vote on season 2020/2021 has been confirmed," the league said.

"Virtually three quarters of clubs prefer to call an end to what's been a very challenging campaign.

"It's now to be hoped something approaching normality prevails by 17 July when 2021/22's set to start."

Crossgates, who play in the Premier Division, had played 11 matches but had not been in action since December 11.

Inverkeithing are also in the Premier Division and, after 10 matches - the last of which was a 3-1 defeat to Jeanfield Swifts on December 19 - were bottom and are set to remain a Premier Division club next season.

Rosyth, in their first season in the senior pyramid after leaving the juniors last season, have also played 11 times in Conference A, where they are sixth, but not since December 12, while Oakley, third in Conference B after playing just eight times, have been idle since November 28.

Other local clubs playing within the East of Scotland League include Premier Division Hill of Beath Hawthorn and Dundonald Bluebell; and First Division, Conference B duo Lochore Welfare and Lochgelly Albert.

Kelty Hearts were declared winners of the Lowland League on March 30 after it was decided by a points-per-game average.