Saturday 5th March 2016
The Scottish Amateur Football Association Challenge Cup Competition
7th Round Tie
Oban Saints AFC v Doune Castle AFC
Glencruitten 2, Mossfield Avenue, Oban, Argyll PA34 4EH
Kick off 2pm
Referee Mr Peter Laing
Doune Castle by the river Teith in Doune, Perthshire was famously used extensively in the filming of the Monty Python team's classic 1975 film The Holy Grail and this Saturday at Glencruitten the local football team, which takes it's name from the striking 14th century edifice, enter battle with Saints in pursuit of the Holy Grail of all amateur football clubs in Scotland the Scottish Amateur Football Association Challenge Cup. Founded in 1954 "The Castle" have a long and proud history in Scottish amateur football and have twice come within touching distance of the biggest prize of all on both occasions losing out to a famous name of the past Douglas Amateurs. The Castle lost the 1970 Hampden Park showpiece final in cruel fashion after taking their strongly fancied opponents to extra-time and, four years later, fell agonisingly short of a national stadium return losing at the semi-finals stage once again after extra-time to eventual winners Douglas Amateurs. Despite falling short in the Scottish Amateur Cup the Castle have two very presentable consolation prizes in the form of their East of Scotland Amateur Cup wins in 2007 and 2012. In this season's bid for the East of Scotland trophy Doune have already reached the semi-finals where they will face last season's Scottish Cup runners up Craigshill Thistle. Last May the Castle brought their diamond jubilee season to an end in fitting style with the capture of their first ever Caledonian League Premier Division title ten years after joining one of Scotland's top leagues from their previously successful stint in the Stirling and District league set up.
The Castle make the trip to Oban flying high on a twenty two match winning streak stretching back to their only defeat of the season in a League Cup tie against Dumbarton on 22nd August. Their almost perfect record includes a massive 163 goals haul and some significant scalps along the way particularly the highly rated Lothian and Edinburgh side Linlithgow Thistle, East Kilbride of the Central Scottish Amateur Football League and shock troops Albion of the Glasgow Colleges Football Association who had previously eliminated West of Scotland Amateur Cup holders Greenock HSFP and reigning Scottish Amateur Football League Champions St Joseph's FP. The Castle's 100% record in defence of their Caledonian Premier Division crown presently has them sixteen points ahead of closest rivals Giffnock North and leaves them looking strong favourites to retain the title.
Saints own record in the Scottish Amateur Cup is good, particularly in recent seasons when they have reached the seventh round stage in five of the last ten seasons plus two losing quarter finals appearances. Manager Alex Craik has a strong squad from which to choose as he bids to secure a home quarter finals tie against either Shortlees or Shotts Victoria. Alex's selection choices for this crucial tie were given a boost last Saturday when Myles McAuley came through his first competitive forty five minutes in his comeback from injury in the Jimmy Marshall Trophy win against East Kilbride FC Amateurs. However, every silver lining has a cloud and Martin Bonar limped out of training on Wednesday night with a suspected recurrence of Jones fracture in his left foot which has kept him out of action since the beginning of December.
The weather forecast for the weekend looks favourable so hopefully a large crowd will gather at Glencruitten for what promises to be a cracking cup tie with two top quality sides slugging it out for a place in the last eight of Scotland's premier cup competition.
Doune Castle's recent Caledonian League finishes:-
2008-09 Premier League 9th
2009-10 Premier League 6th
2010-11 Premier League 11th (Relegated)
2011-12 Division One Champions (Promoted) East of Scotland Cup Winners
2012-13 Premier League 4th
2013-14 Premier League 4th
2014-15 Premier League Champions and League Cup Runners Up
Doune Castle's results so far this season:-
Caledonian League Premier Division
15th August 2015 Doune Castle 2 - 1 Gartcosh United
19th August 2015 Milton 3 - 6 Doune Castle
26th August 2015 Doune Castle 5 - 3 Cumbernauld Colts
12th September 2015 Glasgow University 1 - 6 Doune Castle
19th September 2015 St. Mungo's 1 - 6 Doune Castle
26th September 2015 Strathclyde University 1 - 4 Doune Castle
10th October 2015 Doune Castle 7 - 0 Castlemilk
24th October 2015 Dalziel 0 - 5 Doune Castle
7th November 2015 Doune Castle 5 - 3 Dumbarton
21st November 2015 Doune Castle 2 - 0 St Mungo's
13th February 2016 Cumbernauld Colts 1 - 2 Doune Castle
27th February 2016 Castlemilk 0 - 7 Doune Castle
Caledonian League Cup
8th August 2015 Doune Castle 3 - 0 Rannoch
12th August 2015 Doune Castle 4 - 3 Milngavie
22nd August 2015 Dumbarton 2 - 0 Doune Castle
Caledonian League Challenge Cup
29th August 2015 Doune Castle 8 - 1 Rannoch
East of Scotland Cup
1st Round
17th October 2015 Doune Castle 10 - 2 Queensferry Athletic
2nd Round
14th November 2015 Doune Castle 7 - 1 Drumpellier Thistle
3rd Round
28th November 2015 Doune Castle 7 - 0 Bonnybridge YFP
4th Round
23rd January 2016 Edinburgh South Vics 1 - 6 Doune Castle
Quarter Finals
20th February 2016 Linlithgow Thistle 0 - 2 Doune Castle
Scottish Amateur Cup
1st Round
5th September 2015 Newton Grange Star 1 - 12 Doune Castle
2nd Round
3rd October 2015 Doune Castle 16 - 0 Leslie Hearts
3rd Round
31st October 2015 Doune Castle 16 - 0 Wellbank
4th Round
5th December 2015 Doune Castle 5 - 3 East Kilbride
5th Round
9th January 2015 Albion 1 - 6 Doune Castle
6th Round
6th February 2016 Doune Castle 4 - 2 Bearsden
Saints progress to the Scottish Amateur Cup seventh round:-
1st Round
Bye
2nd Round
3rd October 2015 Oban Saints 9 - 1 Millbeg Villa
3rd Round
31st October 2015 Condoratt Club v Oban Saints - Walkover to Saints
4th Round
12th December 2105 Postal United 0 - 1 Oban Saints
5th Round
9th January 2016 Oban Saints 4 - 1 Craigshill Thistle
6th Round
6th February 2016 Stirling City 1 - 4 Oban Saints
Oban Saints AFC v Doune Castle AFC
Glencruitten 2, Mossfield Avenue, Oban, Argyll PA34 4EH
Kick off 2pm
Referee Mr Peter Laing
Doune Castle by the river Teith in Doune, Perthshire was famously used extensively in the filming of the Monty Python team's classic 1975 film The Holy Grail and this Saturday at Glencruitten the local football team, which takes it's name from the striking 14th century edifice, enter battle with Saints in pursuit of the Holy Grail of all amateur football clubs in Scotland the Scottish Amateur Football Association Challenge Cup. Founded in 1954 "The Castle" have a long and proud history in Scottish amateur football and have twice come within touching distance of the biggest prize of all on both occasions losing out to a famous name of the past Douglas Amateurs. The Castle lost the 1970 Hampden Park showpiece final in cruel fashion after taking their strongly fancied opponents to extra-time and, four years later, fell agonisingly short of a national stadium return losing at the semi-finals stage once again after extra-time to eventual winners Douglas Amateurs. Despite falling short in the Scottish Amateur Cup the Castle have two very presentable consolation prizes in the form of their East of Scotland Amateur Cup wins in 2007 and 2012. In this season's bid for the East of Scotland trophy Doune have already reached the semi-finals where they will face last season's Scottish Cup runners up Craigshill Thistle. Last May the Castle brought their diamond jubilee season to an end in fitting style with the capture of their first ever Caledonian League Premier Division title ten years after joining one of Scotland's top leagues from their previously successful stint in the Stirling and District league set up.
The Castle make the trip to Oban flying high on a twenty two match winning streak stretching back to their only defeat of the season in a League Cup tie against Dumbarton on 22nd August. Their almost perfect record includes a massive 163 goals haul and some significant scalps along the way particularly the highly rated Lothian and Edinburgh side Linlithgow Thistle, East Kilbride of the Central Scottish Amateur Football League and shock troops Albion of the Glasgow Colleges Football Association who had previously eliminated West of Scotland Amateur Cup holders Greenock HSFP and reigning Scottish Amateur Football League Champions St Joseph's FP. The Castle's 100% record in defence of their Caledonian Premier Division crown presently has them sixteen points ahead of closest rivals Giffnock North and leaves them looking strong favourites to retain the title.
Saints own record in the Scottish Amateur Cup is good, particularly in recent seasons when they have reached the seventh round stage in five of the last ten seasons plus two losing quarter finals appearances. Manager Alex Craik has a strong squad from which to choose as he bids to secure a home quarter finals tie against either Shortlees or Shotts Victoria. Alex's selection choices for this crucial tie were given a boost last Saturday when Myles McAuley came through his first competitive forty five minutes in his comeback from injury in the Jimmy Marshall Trophy win against East Kilbride FC Amateurs. However, every silver lining has a cloud and Martin Bonar limped out of training on Wednesday night with a suspected recurrence of Jones fracture in his left foot which has kept him out of action since the beginning of December.
The weather forecast for the weekend looks favourable so hopefully a large crowd will gather at Glencruitten for what promises to be a cracking cup tie with two top quality sides slugging it out for a place in the last eight of Scotland's premier cup competition.
 |
| Doune Castle AFC Caledonian League Premier Division Champions 2014 - 15 |
2008-09 Premier League 9th
2009-10 Premier League 6th
2010-11 Premier League 11th (Relegated)
2011-12 Division One Champions (Promoted) East of Scotland Cup Winners
2012-13 Premier League 4th
2013-14 Premier League 4th
2014-15 Premier League Champions and League Cup Runners Up
Doune Castle's results so far this season:-
Caledonian League Premier Division
15th August 2015 Doune Castle 2 - 1 Gartcosh United
19th August 2015 Milton 3 - 6 Doune Castle
26th August 2015 Doune Castle 5 - 3 Cumbernauld Colts
12th September 2015 Glasgow University 1 - 6 Doune Castle
19th September 2015 St. Mungo's 1 - 6 Doune Castle
26th September 2015 Strathclyde University 1 - 4 Doune Castle
10th October 2015 Doune Castle 7 - 0 Castlemilk
24th October 2015 Dalziel 0 - 5 Doune Castle
7th November 2015 Doune Castle 5 - 3 Dumbarton
21st November 2015 Doune Castle 2 - 0 St Mungo's
13th February 2016 Cumbernauld Colts 1 - 2 Doune Castle
27th February 2016 Castlemilk 0 - 7 Doune Castle
Caledonian League Cup
8th August 2015 Doune Castle 3 - 0 Rannoch
12th August 2015 Doune Castle 4 - 3 Milngavie
22nd August 2015 Dumbarton 2 - 0 Doune Castle
Caledonian League Challenge Cup
29th August 2015 Doune Castle 8 - 1 Rannoch
East of Scotland Cup
1st Round
17th October 2015 Doune Castle 10 - 2 Queensferry Athletic
2nd Round
14th November 2015 Doune Castle 7 - 1 Drumpellier Thistle
3rd Round
28th November 2015 Doune Castle 7 - 0 Bonnybridge YFP
4th Round
23rd January 2016 Edinburgh South Vics 1 - 6 Doune Castle
Quarter Finals
20th February 2016 Linlithgow Thistle 0 - 2 Doune Castle
Scottish Amateur Cup
1st Round
5th September 2015 Newton Grange Star 1 - 12 Doune Castle
2nd Round
3rd October 2015 Doune Castle 16 - 0 Leslie Hearts
3rd Round
31st October 2015 Doune Castle 16 - 0 Wellbank
4th Round
5th December 2015 Doune Castle 5 - 3 East Kilbride
5th Round
9th January 2015 Albion 1 - 6 Doune Castle
6th Round
6th February 2016 Doune Castle 4 - 2 Bearsden
Saints progress to the Scottish Amateur Cup seventh round:-
1st Round
Bye
2nd Round
3rd October 2015 Oban Saints 9 - 1 Millbeg Villa
3rd Round
31st October 2015 Condoratt Club v Oban Saints - Walkover to Saints
4th Round
12th December 2105 Postal United 0 - 1 Oban Saints
5th Round
9th January 2016 Oban Saints 4 - 1 Craigshill Thistle
6th Round
6th February 2016 Stirling City 1 - 4 Oban Saints
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| Craig MacEwan nets Saints 7th goal against Millbeg Villa in round 2 |
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| The Saints players celebrate their third goal against Stirling City in round 6 |
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