Winning In The Rain: More Superstitions

Saturday 5th September 2015
Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division
St Joseph's FP AFC v Oban Saints AFC
William Street, Duntocher, Clydebank G81 6DF
Kick off 2pm
Referee Mr Mark Cameron

The unwelcome third landmark moment speculated upon in last week's blog post duly arrived last Saturday morning in the form of an unprecedented waterlogged Glencruitten 2 pitch in August! Last Saturday's Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division match against Campbeltown Pupils looked to have survived the heavy overnight rain when Glencruitten 2 passed an early morning pitch inspection. However, with the pitch marked and the nets up, the rain continued to fall faster than the ground could soak it up and a decision to postpone the match was taken to avoid a wasted journey for the visitors.

This Saturday Saints take their search for their first win of the season to Duntocher to face reigning Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division Champions St Joseph's FP. It was a case of honours even in the league meetings between the two sides last season with St Joe's impressing in a convincing 5 - 2 win at Glencruitten in November and Saints winning the return fixture at William Street in April 2 - 1 courtesy of goals from Donald Campbell and Craig MacEwan. When the pair were drawn together at the semi-final stage of the SAFL Jimmy Marshall Trophy at Millburn Park, Alexandria in May it was the men from Duntocher who came out on top. A sluggish start from Saints was severely punished by a Ryan Holmes inspired St Joe's who raced into a two goal lead inside the opening eleven minutes. Despite a spirited recovery there was to be no way back for cup holders Saints and St Joe's held out comfortably to deny Saints a third consecutive Jimmy Marshall Trophy Final appearance. Man of the match Ryan Holmes, who gave Saints a torrid time on the night, has since left St Joe's to join Clydebank F.C. in the Junior ranks where he is bound to impress.

Last season's league and cup double winners St Joe's have continued their rich vein of form in their opening fixtures of the new season. In the SAFL Centenary Cup they have comfortably eased past Motherwell Thistle and Inverclyde while their defence of the Premier Division kicked off with a convincing 6 - 2 away win at newly promoted Shawlands FP. If you believe in omens St Joe's march to last season's league title got underway with a 6 - 2 away win at newly promoted Campbeltown Pupils!

Saints have an excellent record on St Joe's territory but, as the defeat on erstwhile happy hunting ground Battery Park proves, those records are there to be broken. St Joe's are already shaping up as leading contenders for the Premier Division title therefore Saints will have to be at their best if they are to keep this particular run going and notch their first win of the league campaign. In selecting his travelling party Saints Manager Alex Craik will be faced with the usual mixture of injuries, suspensions, work and family commitments but should still have a strong squad to choose from.

St Joseph's FP AFC Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division fixtures so far this season:-

22nd August 2015 Shawlands FP 2 - 6 St Joseph's FP

St Joseph's SAFL Centenary Cup exploits this season:-

1st Round 15th August 2015 St Joseph's FP 4 - 0 Motherwell Thistle

2nd Round 29th August 2015 St Joseph's FP 3 - 0 Inverclyde

St Joseph's FP AFC recent Scottish Amateur Football League finishes:-

2006/07 Premier Division One 4th

2007/08 Premier Division One 2nd Promoted

2008/09 Premier Division Champions

2009/10 Premier Division 6th

2010/11 Premier Division 6th

2011/12 Premier Division 6th

2012/13 Premier Division 5th

2013/14 Premier Division 3rd

2014/15 Premier Division Champions

Saints away record against St Joseph's FP:-

2008/09 St Joseph's FP 1 - 1 Oban Saints
2009/10 St Joseph's FP 1 - 1 Oban Saints
2010/11 St Joseph's FP 1 - 3 Oban Saints
2011/12 St Joseph's FP 0 - 3 Oban Saints
2012/13 St Joseph's FP 0 - 1 Oban Saints
2013/14 St Joseph's FP 1 - 2 Oban Saints

2014/15 St Joseph's FP 1 - 2 Oban Saints