Winning In The Rain: Preserving The Old Ways

The Kinks - Village Green Preservation Society

Saturday 29th November 2014
Umbro Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division
Finnart AFC v Oban Saints AFC
Glasgow Green Football Centre
28 Kings Drive
Glasgow
G40 1HB
Kick Off 2pm
Referee Mr Gordon Hay

Last Weekend's Fixture

An out of sorts Saints had their proud unbeaten home league run halted by in-form St Joseph's FP at Glencruitten last Saturday. Saints last tasted league defeat on home soil on 19th May 2013 also against the Saints from Duntocher. More worrying for Saints was the margin of the defeat, 5 - 2 is Saints heaviest reverse for many a long year and continues this season's trend of costly defensive errors. Saints desperately need to re-discover the defensive solidity that last season's league and cup double success was built upon before it is too late. In mitigation, a settled starting eleven was also key to last season's success which is something Saints have been unable to name this season with twelve different starting line-ups in as many matches.
Last Saturday's started reasonably well for Saints with Dougal Graham and Allan Mackay combining well to set up Donald Campbell to open the scoring with a well placed 9th minute shot. Despite conceding a quick-fire equaliser from a Ryan Holmes shot Saints continued to give a good account of themselves against a very sharp looking St Joe's side. Honours even at half-time was just about right on the balance of play with little indication of what was to follow. The second half was barely one minute old when a speculative David Gallagher shot took a wicked deflection off Alex Craik sending Daniel Cassells the wrong way before nestling in the Saints net. St Joe's doubled their advantage four minutes later when John Paul Seagrave easily out-jumped Alex Craik at the back post to head home a corner kick. Saints looked shell shocked at this point and were being given the runaround by the visitors who went 4 - 1 up in the 58th minute with Blair Mulgrew exploiting yet another defensive lapse. Manager Iain Jackson made a triple substitution introducing David Beaton, David McArthur and Ally McKerracher at the expense of Dougal Graham, Scott Maitland and Allan Mackay. The changes reinvigorated Saints to steady the ship and produce a decent closing half hour. However, despite a 71st minute Craig MacEwan goal there was to be no way back against a well drilled St Joe's defence. In stoppage time the visitors rubbed salt into Saints wounds by capitalising on another moment of hesitation in the Saints box to set up Ryan Holmes for a simple tap-in.

Time To Get Back To Old Ways

Saints must endure another thorough examination of their title credentials this Saturday when they travel to Glasgow Green to face Finnart. Bridgeton's finest currently occupy third spot in the Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division with 14 points from 7 games and are the league's top scorers with 24 goals. Finnart are already out of both major cup competitions losing out to Shortlees in the second round of the Scottish Amateur Cup and Winlinton Wolves in the first round of the West of Scotland Cup. Finnart have, however, secured a place in this season's SAFL Centenary Cup final where they will face Premier Division One side Goldenhill.

Finnart have made an impressive start to the league campaign with only Busby and league leaders St Joseph's FP managing to keep a clean sheet against their free scoring attack. Saints could therefore not have asked for a tougher fixture in their quest to return to the frugal defending which has seen them concede the fewest league goals in four of the last five seasons. Saints will be without the unavailable Scott Maitland and the injured Dougal Graham. Work commitments may also rule out Ross Maitland and Myles McAuley.

Finnart's league fixtures so far this season:-

16th August Busby 3 - 6 Finnart

23rd August Finnart 3 - 3 Thorn Athletic

13th September Haldane United 1 - 5 Finnart

18th October Campbeltown Pupils 3 - 6 Finnart

25th October St Joseph's FP 3 - 0 Finnart

1st November Finnart 4 - 0 Kings Park Rangers

8th November Finnart 0 - 0 Busby

Finnart's SAFL record:-

2010/11
Premier Division Two Champions (Promoted)

2011/12
Premier Division One Champions (Promoted)
Centenary Cup Runners Up to Postal United

2012/13
Premier Division 7th

2013/14
Premier Division 4th

Saints record at Finnart:-

2012/13
Finnart 0 - 1 Oban Saints

2013/14

Finnart 0 - 1 Oban Saints