Winning In The Rain: Sideboard

Last Time Out

The Mod Cup Joins The Argyll & Bute Cup On The Saints Sideboard

Two goals from Donald Campbell and one from Craig MacEwan clinched the 2015 Royal National Mod Cup for Saints at Glencruitten this afternoon. After the previous week's convincing 9 - 1 win over Millbeg Villa in the Scottish Amateur Cup, Saints Manager Alex Craik used this match to give all his available squad some game time ahead of the impending West of Scotland Cup second round tie away at East Kilbride Rolls Royce. After taking the lead in the 23rd minute through last week's five goal hero Craig MacEwan, Saints were quickly pegged back when Steven Dunn outjumped the Saints defence to head a free kick from the left back across goal past Thomas McCulloch's outstretched right hand. Saints got their noses in front for the second time midway through the second half after Donald Campbell capitalised on good work from Lewis Cameron and Craig MacEwan to send a crisp finish past Greg Broadhurst in the visitor's goal. Despite regaining the lead Saints were made to work hard for their victory against an impressive Glasgow Island side who were a credit to the Glasgow Colleges Football Association Premier Division. With the visitors still looking threatening on the break Saints were unable to fully relax until finally making the tie safe with a third goal in the dying minutes from another tidy Donald Campbell finish. The Royal National Mod Cup now joins the Argyll and Bute Cup on the Saints sideboard with plenty of room left for any or all of the four remaining trophies Saints are currently involved in.

The Saints and Glasgow Island squads prior to last Saturday's match

Oban Saints Royal National Mod Cup Winners 2015

This Saturday's Fixture

Saturday 17th October 2015

The Colville Park Country Club West of Scotland Amateur Cup
2nd Round Tie

East Kilbride Rolls Royce AFC v Oban Saints AFC

Murray Park, Liddle Grove, East Kilbride G75 9AA

Kick off 2pm
Referee Mr G. Kirkwood

The Colville Park Country Club West of Scotland Amateur Cup

Saints quest to add more silverware to the sideboard takes them to East Kilbride this Saturday where they will face old adversaries East Kilbride Rolls Royce in the second round of the West of Scotland Cup. Saints and the Rolly have crossed swords many times over the years in the Scottish Amateur Football League often with very little to choose between the two sides. Indeed Saints managed to take just one point from their two visits to Murray Park when the Rolly last graced the Premier Division between 2011 and 2013. Since then the Rolly have spent two seasons in Premier Division One where last seasons third place finish behind East Kilbride FC Amateurs and Shawlands FP was enough to see them rejoin the top division. With the match being played to a finish on the the day, including extra-time and penalty kicks if necessary, Saints must improve upon their recent record against the Rolly if they are to feature in next Monday's third round draw. They will have to do so without Manager Alex Craik who is on a family holiday in Lanzarote, the team will therefore be in the hands of Player/Assistant Manager Donald Campbell ably assisted by Coach Peter MacCallum and Club Secretary Davie Buchanan. The management team will have the usual mixture of injuries, work and family commitments to contend with but will still have a strong squad available. Unfortunately the tie comes too soon for twins Dougal and Chris Graham who are nearing the end of their rehabilitation from injury but must wait a few weeks more before making a return to competitive action.

East Kilbride Rolls Royce recent Scottish Amateur Football League record:-

2006 - 07 Premier Division Two 7th
2007 - 08 Premier Division Two 4th
2008 - 09 Premier Division Two 4th and Centenary Cup Runner Up
2009 - 10 Premier Division Two Champions Promoted
2010 - 11 Premier Division One 2nd Promoted and Jimmy Marshall Trophy Runner Up
2011 - 12 Premier Division 4th
2012 - 13 Premier Division 9th Relegated
2013 - 14 Premier Division One 7th
2014 - 15 Premier Division One 3rd Promoted

Saints record v East Kilbride Rolls Royce in recent seasons:-

14th April 2012 Oban Saints 5 - 1 East Kilbride Rolls Royce
26th May 2012 East Kilbride Rolls Royce 2 - 1 Oban Saints
27th April 2013 East Kilbride Rolls Royce 2 - 2 Oban Saints
12th May 2013 Oban Saints 1 - 1 East Kilbride Rolls Royce

The Rolly in warm-up action

SAFA Select

Saints Player/Assistant Manager Donald Campbell featured for the Scottish Amateur Football League Select in a hastily arranged practice match last Sunday after the East of Scotland Football League withdrew at very short notice from the previously arranged challenge match at Colville Park. Faced with the "no show" from the East of Scotland and six withdrawals from his original twenty one man squad International Manager Bruce McNaught launched an eventually successful eleventh hour recruitment drive to call up the necessary additional numbers to allow a match to proceed. Despite the match lacking any kind of competitive edge it was still a useful exercise giving the Manager and his assistant Colin MacLeod a good chance to run the rule over those in contention for a place in the national squad for the matches against the Leinster and Northern Irish Amateur Football League later this season. The yellow team ran out 3 - 0 winners over the blues thanks to goals from David Swan, Scott Hadden and Chris Harper.