Winning In The Rain: Get Your Kicks On The A816

Saturday 22nd March 2014
SAFL Premier Division
Oban Saints v Castlemilk
Glencruitten, Oban
Kick Off 2pm
Referee Mr Gary Logan

Sunday 23rd March 2014
Jimmy Marshall Trophy
Lochgilphead Red Star v Oban Saints
Ropework Park, Lochgilphead
Kick Off 2pm
Referee Mr John Scott

Lewis Cameron

Last Time Out

Saints crashed out of the West of Scotland Cup at Northolm, Giffnock last Saturday when their penalty shoot-out hoodoo struck again. During the ninety minutes plus thirty minutes extra time Saints acquitted themselves well against last season's Caledonian League Premier Division Champions displaying plenty of "bouncebackability" following the previous weekend's Scottish Cup exit at the hands of Eastfield. Saints fell behind midway through the first half when Myles McAuley miss-hit an attempted clearance from a Giffnock North free kick into his own net. A headed goal by Captain Marc MacCallum from a Craig MacEwan corner and a fantastic solo effort from Lewis Cameron gave Saints a well deserved lead. Alas the lead was short lived and Scottish Amateur International midfielder Gary Dickson drew the North level with twenty eight minutes of the ninety still to play.
Despite giving their all for what remained of the match, including extra time, neither team could find the net again and penalty kicks were required to decide the winner. Saints penalty shoot-out misery continued where it left off at the end of last season where the Centenary Cup and Jimmy Marshall Trophy finals were both lost on penalties. Despite starting well with successful kicks from Mattie Rippon and Allan MacKay Saints once again crumbled under pressure. Donald Campbell saw his penalty saved and Craig MacEwan and Lewis Cameron both failed to hit the target giving Giffnock North a 3 - 2 shoot-out win.
Although disappointed at going out of the cup in such a cruel manner Saints can take heart from a good performance against a top quality Giffnock North side which will hopefully be a springboard to a successful SAFL Premier Division campaign.

Saints rather dubious reward for flying the flag for the SAFL in the premier cup competitions this season is to be immediately flung into a Saturday/Sunday fixture double header. Saturday sees Saints play host to Castlemilk in the league followed by a Sunday trip down the A816 to take on Argyll rivals Lochgilphead Red Star in the second round of the Jimmy Marshall Trophy.

Saturday's visitors Castlemilk began the season with high hopes of improving upon last season's 4th place finish but unfortunately for the "Milk" a serious league challenge has failed to emerge. Currently lying in 6th place with 14 points from 14 games the Milk have just four games left in which to influence the outcome of the league race. Two of those fixtures are against Saints so the Oban boys will be hoping that Castlemilk can't repeat their feat of last season when they recorded their first league victory over Saints in eight attempts delivering a serious blow to Saints title hopes into the bargain.

League meetings between the clubs:-

2009/10
Oban Saints 4 - 0 Castlemilk
Castlemilk 1 - 4 Oban Saints

2010/11
Castlemilk 0 - 4 Oban Saints
Oban Saints 2 - 1 Castlemilk

2011/12
Oban Saints 3 - 2 Castlemilk
Castlemilk 0 - 1 Oban Saints

2012/13
Oban Saints 1 - 0 Castlemilk
Castlemilk 2 - 1 Oban Saints

Castlemilk's league campaign so far:-

17th August 2013 Castlemilk 3 - 3 Haldane United
21st August 2013 Kilbowie Union 4 - 4 Castlemilk
24th August 2013 St Joseph's 3 - 3 Castlemilk
31st August 2013 Castlemilk 3 - 0 Inverclyde
5th October 2013 Castlemilk 2 - 6 Finnart
9th November 2013 Thorn Athletic 1 - 0 Castlemilk
23rd November 2013 Castlemilk 6 - 3 Kilbowie Union
30th November 2013 Alba Thistle 3 - 6 Castlemilk
11th January 2014 Castlemilk 1 - 2 Alba Thistle
18th January 2014 Castlemilk 2 - 4 Busby
1st February 2014 Finnart 1 - 1 Castlemilk
22nd February 2014 Busby 7 - 1 Castlemilk
1st March 2014 Castlemilk 1 - 3 St Joseph's
15th March 2014 Inverclyde 1 - 1 Castlemilk

The Milk

The Milk have also struggled to make an impact in the cup competitions going out of the Jimmy Marshall Trophy, West of Scotland Cup and Scottish Amateur Cup at the first, second and third round stages respectively. They have however fared better in the Centenary Cup where convincing victories over Whitehill FP and Centre, followed by penalty shoot-out victories over Finnart and Haldane United have seen them through to the final where they will face St Joseph's. Maybe the Saints boys can ask for a few spot kick tips on Saturday!

The Singing Milkman (ask your father or maybe even your grandfather!)

Without a league fixture since 12th October, Saints now have a lot of ground to make up on leaders St Joseph's. The current top five, St Joseph's, Busby, Finnart, Haldane United and Saints, are all in serious contention to secure the Premier Division Championship therefore Saturday's match is a must win for Saints if they are to realise their title ambitions this season.

Saints take to the road on Sunday to face Argyll rivals Lochgilphead Red Star in the second round of the Jimmy Marshall Trophy at the Ropework Park, Lochgilphead. Red Star are currently 4th in the SAFL Premier Division 2 with 22 points from 14 games. Red Star went into this season targeting league survival, however with only one defeat in their last five matches, including last week's 4 - 3 victory over strongly fancied Jamestown, the Lochgilphead side have forced their way into the promotion reckoning. Red Star's four remaining league fixtures are at home which must give them an excellent chance of securing second place behind title favourites East Kilbride and with it a second consecutive promotion.

Lochgilphead Red Star's league campaign so far:-

17th August 2013 Port Glasgow AFC 0 - 1 Lochgilphead Red Star
24th August 2013 East Kilbride 2 - 2 Lochgilphead Red Star
31st August 2013 Glencastle Sparta 1 - 4 Lochgilphead Red Star
7th September 2013 Jamestown 3 - 1 Lochgilphead Red Star
14th September 2013 Clydebank 0 - 4 Lochgilphead Red Star
21st September 2013 Port Glasgow United 2 - 2 Lochgilphead Red Star
19th October 2013 Lochgilphead Red Star 1 - 1 Clydebank
9th November 2013 Goldenhill 5 - 2 Lochgilphead Red Star
23rd November 2013 Lochgilphead Red Star 1 - 3 East Kilbride
30th November 2013 Lochgilphead Red Star 5 - 2 Dunoon Athletic
11th January 2014 Lochgilphead Red Star 1 - 4 Port Glasgow
8th February 2014 Easthall Star 2 - 2 Lochgilphead Red Star
8th March 2014 Dunoon Athletic 2 - 4 Lochgilphead Red Star
15th March 2014 Lochgilphead Red Star 4 - 3 Jamestown

Lochgilphead Red Star

Saints and Red Star met in a pre-season friendly at Glencruitten on 10th August which Saints won comfortably 3 - 0 with the goals coming from Craig MacEwan, Donald Campbell and Mattie Rippon. Sunday's cup tie will be an entirely different affair with the home side desperate to put one over on their Premier Division opponents. This match has been eagerly anticipated by players and supporters of both sides ever since the draw was made away back in December. A good crowd is therefore expected for what promises to be an enthralling match. The tie must be decided on the day with the chilling possibility of yet another penalty shoot-out if the sides can't be separated after 90 minutes. The winners will be away from home in the quarter finals against either East Kilbride, Jamestown or Kings Park Rangers.