Winning In The Rain: Nothing Better

Saturday 5th December 2015
The Scottish Amateur Football Association Challenge Cup Competition
4th Round
Postal United AFC v Oban Saints AFC
Glasgow Club Haghill
415 Cumbernauld Road
Glasgow
G31 3LS
Kick off 2pm
Referee Mr. James Moore

Last Time Out

A brace from Scotland Amateur International Donald Campbell gave Saints all three points against Finnart at Oban High School 3G last Saturday afternoon extending the home sides unbeaten run to nine matches in all competitions. The match was played in torrential rain throughout so full credit to both sets of players for providing an entertaining spectacle for the hardy band of spectators who braved the elements. Saints lead 1 - 0 at the interval but their failure to fully capitalise on a good first half performance left them sweating on the outcome until well into the second half before finally making the game safe. A determined Finnart side made Saints work hard for their victory but on the balance of play a home win was the correct result.

The win, coupled with East Kilbride FC Amateurs' thumping 6 - 0 win over St Joseph's FP see's Saints close to within one point of the top of the Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division. With only one league fixture (Alba Thistle v Finnart) scheduled for this Saturday there will be no change to the standings at the top of the table for at least another week.

Nothing Better

There is surely nothing better in the Scottish Amateur Cup than an away draw against a former rival and, not just the opportunity to gauge what progress they have made in their new league set-up, but also the chance to renew old acquaintances and reminisce on previous encounters.

This Saturday Saints travel to Glasgow for a Scottish Amateur Cup fourth round tie where they will rekindle their old rivalry with former Scottish Amateur Football League adversaries Postal United with whom they still enjoy a healthy mutual respect and friendship.

During their five seasons in direct competition in the Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division Saints finished ahead of their Glasgow rivals on three occasions however in the final two seasons the balance of power shifted very much in favour of Postal. Returning to the top flight in season 2011-12 as reigning Premier Division One Champions Postal romped undefeated to the Premier Division title dropping just four points in the process. To round off a perfect season Postal added the Jimmy Marshall Trophy and Centenary Cup to their haul giving them a remarkable clean sweep of Scottish Amateur Football League silverware. The following season Postal announced their departure for a new challenge in the Central Scottish Amateur Football League and left with the a second consecutive Premier Division title tucked under their belts. In their first season in the Central Scottish Amateur Football League Postal made it four in a row by winning League Division 1B before narrowly losing out in the Division One sectional play off final against fellow Scottish Amateur Football League defectors Aikenhead Thistle. Alas for Postal the success story was not continue and fifteen defeats in twenty two league games saw them finish bottom of the Premier Division earning them a swift return to Division 1B where they currently occupy seventh place with ten points from seven games played.

Last season's relegation not only saw the end of Postal's title winning streak but signaled the end of the tenure of Manager John Hughes. After five seasons in charge, and at the tender age of just 39, John announced he would be taking a sabbatical from football and was quickly replaced in the Postal hot seat by former Dennistoun Vale Manager Zander Marshall. Saints fans may recall that Zander crossed swords with Saints in January 2014 when his then charges were knocked out of the Scottish Amateur Cup at the fourth round stage by a solitary Allan Mackay strike. John's sabbatical however lasted just fifteen weeks when he was unable to resist the promise of a new bench jacket and accepted the task of leading the Central Scottish Amateur Football League Select into this season's challenge matches.

Sadly some other familiar faces will also be missing from the Postal ranks when the sides line up on Saturday. Chris Dunnett, Michael Kerr and Paul O'Brien also left the club last summer with Chris and Michael both signing up with Eastfield and Paul joining the ranks of the Junior Professionals with St Anthony's.

Honours are even in past league encounters between Saints and Postal with both clubs having five wins each. In their only previous cup tie two goals from Donald Campbell and Willie Gemmell saw Saints prevail by two goals to one in a Jimmy Marshall Trophy Quarter Final tie at Glencruitten on 13th April 2013 which proved to be the last encounter between the two before Postal's departure for pastures new.

On the team news front Martin Bonar and Scott Maitland are available again after missing last Saturday's home win against Finnart. Myles McAuley and Keith Millar remain in the treatment room while young striker Shaun MacIver has elected to join local rivals Oban Athletic. Frustrated at the lack of first team opportunities at Saints Shaun has decided to try his luck at Athletic where he hopes starting slots may be easier to come by. However competition for places at Athletic will still be keen and Shaun will have to work hard to force his way into the reckoning. Winning In The Rain wishes Shaun all the best and hopefully it won't be too long before we see him back in a Saints jersey.

Shaun MacIver may soon discover that pink boots are not the best choice for the rough and tumble of the West of Sctland Amateur Football League

Former Postal United Manager John Hughes now in charge of the Central Scottish Amateur Football League Select

The Cage at Haghill

Postal United league record in recent years:-

2006/07
Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division One 3rd Promoted

2007/08
Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division 7th

2008/09
Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division 8th

2009/10
Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division 9th Relegated

2010/11
Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division One Champions Promoted

2011/12
Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division Champions (Undefeated)
Scottish Amateur Football League Centenary Cup Winners

Scottish Amateur Football League Jimmy Marshall Trophy Winners

2012/13
Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division Champions

2013/14
Central Scottish Amateur Football League Division 1B Champions Promoted
Central Scottish Amateur Football League Division 1 Section Winners

2014/15
Central Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division 12th Relegated
Central Scottish Amateur Football League Cinema Cup Runners Up

Postal United results so far this season:-

Central Scottish Amateur Football League Division 1B

8th August 2015 Stirling City 0 - 4 Postal United
19th August 2015 Postal United 0 - 3 Haldane United
22nd August 2015 Gourock Athletic 2 - 1 Postal United
26th August 2015 Wishaw HSFP 1 - 2 Postal United
29th August 2015 Postal United 5 - 1 Mill United
5th September 2015 Dunblane Thistle 1 - 1 Postal United
10th October 2015 Postal United 1 - 2 Arthurlie

Scottish Amateur Cup

3rd October 2015 2nd Round Postal United 18 - 0 Inchinnan Valley
31st October 2015 Postal United 2 - 1 Grangemouth Rovers

West of Scotland Amateur Cup

17th October 2015 2nd Round Calderglen 0 - 2 Postal United
14th November 2015 3rd Round Gartcosh United 3 - 3 Postal United (AET)
Gartcosh win 4 - 3 on penalty kicks

Central Scottish Amateur Football League Bunrigh Trophy

15th August 2015 1st Round Postal United 3 - 2 Kilsyth
12th September 2nd Round Steins Thistle 1 - 2 Postal United
19th September 4th Round Greenock HSFP 2 - 1 Postal United

Central Scottish Amateur Football League Cinema Cup

24th October 2015 2nd Round Postal United 1 - 3 Pollock

Saints away record v Postal United in the SAFL Premier Division:-

3rd May 2008 Postal United 2 - 1 Oban Saints
30th August 2008 Postal United 1 - 2 Oban Saints
6th March 2010 Postal United 1 - 3 Oban Saints
13th August 2011 Postal United 1 - 0 Oban Saints
30th March 2013 Postal United 0 - 2 Oban Saints