The Foster's Scottish Amateur Cup
Saturday 8th March 2014
Foster's Scottish Amateur Cup 7th Round
Oban Saints AFC v Eastfield AFC
Glencruitten, Oban
Kick Off 2pm
Referee Mr James Winter, Glasgow
The Vital Spark moored at Glencruitten last week
This match was due to be played last Saturday, however a Friday lunchtime pitch inspection found the grass pitch at Glencruitten to be waterlogged. With more rain forecast for the Friday night and Saturday morning, and the 3G pitch at Oban High School already fully booked, an early decision was made to postpone the fixture.The match has been rescheduled for this Saturday and, with the 3G pitch also booked, the match is guaranteed to go ahead.
The Saints Management are grateful to Oban Athletic of the West of Scotland Amateur Football League Premier Division for rearranging their fixtures to ensure they are away from home this Saturday thus ensuring the availability of the 3G pitch.
Eastfield will be bringing a bus load of supporters with them to Oban for the match. The bus leaves from the Smiddy Bar at 9.30am so spirits are bound to be high by the time they arrive in Oban. Hopefully a large crowd of locals will also be in attendance to ensure both teams receive the vocal encouragement their endeavours so richly deserve.
Since this match preview was first published the draws for the Quarter Finals of the Scottish Amateur Cup and the West of Scotland Amateur Cup have both been made. The winners of this Saturday's match between Oban Saints and Eastfield have been drawn away from home to Carluke Baptist of the Strathclyde Evangelical Churches Amateur Football League Premier Division. The West of Scotland Cup draw has set up the intriguing possibility of a third Oban trip in two seasons for Eastfield. If Saints can overcome Giffnock North, Eddlewood and St Mungo's, and Eastfield can get past Ferguslie Star, the two sides will meet again for a place in the semi finals.
Here's another chance to read the big match preview:-
Lewis Cameron had a hand in three of the Saints goals against Thorn Athletic
Last Time Out
Last Saturday Saints travelled to Johnstone to face SAFL rivals Thorn Athletic in a Scottish Amateur Cup 6th round replay. Having failed to capitalise on home advantage in the first game, Saints knew they would have to dig deep if they were to progress to the last 16 of the Scottish Cup for the fourth time in eight seasons.
The game was played at the well appointed Johnstone Community Sports Hub on an excellent 3G pitch. Saints were missing several regulars for this important fixture but those who deputised slotted seamlessly into the line up. Most notable of the replacements was veteran goalkeeper David Dunlop (45) who rolled back the years with a typically assured performance.
Saints started the match strongly despite playing into a fierce wind and had the better of the opening exchanges. As the first half wore on Thorn began to put Saints under more and more pressure forcing a succession of corners which keeper Dunlop (54) and the Saints defence did well to withstand. Saints continued to create chances on the break but did little to trouble Liam McWilliams in the Thorn goal.
The first half ended goalless but the large crowd of spectators didn't have long for that to change. With only two minutes gone in the second half Craig MacEwan headed home a Ross Maitland corner for his 14th goal of the season. Saints looked well on top at this point and should have doubled their advantage but Craig MacEwan failed to convert a good chance after some excellent approach play by Donald Campbell. Thorn, never easily bowed, came storming back scoring twice in four minutes to take a 2 - 1 lead going into the final twenty minutes of the match. Both Thorn goals came from long free kicks into the box from dead ball specialist Paul Young which Saints failed to deal with. The momentum was now very much with Thorn and a third goal at this point would surely have finished Saints off.
Urged on by their Management team Saints rallied and regained control of the midfield to keep their Scottish Cup dreams alive. Two goals in a five minute spell from Donald Campbell, including a towering back post header from a Lewis Cameron cross, put Saints back in front. With nerves jangling amongst the small Saints contingent on the touchline the tie was finally put out of Thorn's grasp in the 91st minute when Lewis Cameron latched onto a superb Roy McLuckie pass to steer the ball low into the Thorn net to make the final score 4 - 2 to Saints.
At full time Saints Manager Iain Jackson was fulsome in praise of his players making special mention of veteran keeper David Dunlop (64) who had played "like he had never been away". Enormous credit is also due to Thorn Athletic who contributed greatly to an enthralling cup tie which could just as easily have gone in their favour. The good wishes for the next round extended at full time by the Thorn players and officials was greatly appreciated by their Saints counterparts.
Veteran Goalkeeper David Dunlop
The Highend
The big games just keep on coming for Saints with the visit this Saturday of Eastfield, or the Highend as they like to be known, in the Scottish Amateur Cup 7th round. The Highend are currently in 9th place in the Central Scottish Premier Division with 10 points from 12 games played. A storming finish to the 2012/13 Division 1A league season saw Eastfield finish as runners up to champions Greenock HSFP. Play-off success against Steins Thistle and Garrowhill Thistle secured promotion to the Premier Division for Eastfield.
Eastfield's recent Central Scottish League finishes:-
2008/09 Division 1B 6th
2009/10 Division 1B 3rd
2010/11 Division 1B 6th
2011/12 Division 1B 5th
2012/13 Division 1A 2nd Promoted via play-off
Eastfield celebrate promotion to the Central Scottish Premier Division
Rubbing shoulders with some of the top names in Scottish amateur football is no easy matter but Eastfield are certainly not overawed by the task in front of them and have put in some very creditable performances so far.
Eastfield's Central Scottish Premier Division record thus far:-
14th August 2013 Bannockburn 3 - 1 Eastfield
17th August 2013 Eastfield 1 - 2 Wellhouse
19th August 2013 Eastfield 1 - 3 Campsie Minerva
21st August 2013 Eastfield 3 - 1 Uddingston Anvil
28th August 2013 Eastfield 1 - 2 Colville Park
31st August 2013 Drumchapel 5 - 0 Eastfield
7th September 2013 Eastfield 3 - 2 Ashvale Victoria
21st September 2013 Eastfield 2 - 2 Bannockburn
5th October 2013 Eastfield 0 - 3 Harestanes
23rd November 2013 Colville Park 3 - 1 Eastfield
18th January 2014 Ashvale Victoria 0 - 3 Eastfield
15th February 2014 Uddingston Anvil 1 - 0 Eastfield
Eastfield's progress to the 7th round:-
Round 2 Dynamo East Kilbride 5 - 5 Eastfield
Round 2 Replay Replay Eastfield 2 - 1 Dynamo East Kilbride
Round 3 Eastfield 5 - 2 Ashvale Victoria
Round 4 Pentcaitland 0 - 2 Eastfield
Round 5 Eastfield 3 - 2 Whitburn Bluebell
Round 6 Eastfield 1 - 0 Bank Street Athletic
Eastfield's recent Scottish Amateur Cup record:-
2010/11 2nd Round lost 6 - 1 at home to Carluke Hearts
2011/12 2nd Round lost 3 - 2 away to Kilbowie Union
2012/13 2nd Round lost 2 - 1 at home to Greenock HSFP
Eastfield AFC
Oban Saints progress to the 7th round:-
Round 2 Oban Saints 3 - 3 Independent
Round 2 Replay Independent 2 - 8 Oban Saints
Round 3 Oban Saints 6 - 1 Rosyth
Round 4 Oban Saints 6 - 0 Ellon Amateurs
Round 5 Dennistoun Vale 0 - 1 Oban Saints
Round 6 Oban Saints 1 - 1 Thorn Athletic
Round 6 Replay Thorn Athletic 2 - 4 Oban Saints
Saints went out of the Scottish Amateur Cup at the 7th round stage last season losing 3 - 1 at home in a replay to eventual cup runners up Colville Park having drawn the first match 2 - 2. Saints don't have the best of records against Central Scottish League teams but will be hoping that home advantage will see them go at least one better than last season.
This will be Eastfield's second visit to Oban in as many seasons. The Highend made the journey north to play Saints on 24th November 2012 losing out by two goals to one in a tight West of Scotland Cup second round match. Revenge for this narrow defeat will be firmly in the Eastfield mindset as they seek to emulate their Central Scottish League counterparts Colville Park by dumping Saints out of the Scottish Cup. This promises to be another close match between two evenly matched teams both desperate to be in the hat for the quarter final draw due to take place on Wednesday 5th March.
Eastfield goalkeeper Brenden Shaw is the nephew of Oban publican Stevie Shaw
Veteran Goalkeepers
"Blind" John Lukic made the last of his 298 appearances for Arsenal at the age of 39 years and 11 months
Dino Zoff captained Italy to World Cup glory in 1982 at the age of 40 years and 134 days
Marco Ballotta played in a Champions League match for Lazio at the age of 43 years and 252 days
Kevin Poole is still registered as a player with League 2 Burton Albion at the age of 50 years and 7 months
Currently being scouted by Saints
Will you still need me when I'm Sixty Four?
#monthesaints
