Winning In The Rain: Scaling The Heights

Thursday 31st March 2016
The Scottish Amateur Football Association Challenge Cup Competition

Semi Final Tie
Oban Saints AFC v Leven United AFC
New Douglas Park, Hamilton ML3 0FT
Kick off 7.30pm
Referee Mr Kenny Taylor
Assistant Referee Mr Kieran Traynor
Assistant Referee Mr Ross Holms
Fourth Official Mr Graeme Bowman

This Thursday evening Saints travel to New Douglas Park home of good friends Hamilton Academical for the most important fixture in the Club's fifty six year history. After forty plus years of competing in Scottish amateur football's blue riband event Saints now stand within one match of an appearance in the final of the Scottish Amateur Football Association Challenge Cup Competition. Barring the path to the final at Hampden Park are fellow semi-final debutantesLeven United of the Kingdom Caledonian Amateur Football Association.

Leven's route to the semi finals has been an arduous one including three replays and two penalty shoot outs. Having won both of the Kingdom Caledonian League cup competitions last season Leven started their national cup campaign in confident mood making short work of first opponents Newcraighall Leith Victoria strolling to a comfortable 7 - 0 away victory. New up was another away trip to Victoria Locos who took Leven to a replay at King George V Park before the Fifers ultimately triumphed by seven goals to three. Having successfully negotiated the early regional stages of th competition Leven treated their home support to another goal glut in round three putting seven past Carluke without reply. Round four included the novelty of a ferry journey across the Firth of Clyde for a hard fought win over Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division One Dunoon Amateurs. Leven took arguably their biggest scalp in round five knocking out Caledonian League Premier Division Giffnock North in a penalty shoot-out after home and away 2 - 2 draws. Round six again paired Leven with top quality opposition in the shape of East Kilbride YM. Once again Leven failed to capitalise on their home advantage and were taken all the way to a second consecutive penalty shoot-out before eventually booking their place in their first ever Scottish Amateur Cup Quarter Final against Linlithgow Thistle. After a very even opening forty five minutes were given a massive and ultimately decisive advantage when Thistle lost two players to red cards midway through the second half. Leven put the extra space to good use stretching their disheartened opponents to clinch a 3 - 0 victory and secure an historic semi-final appearance.

Leven have used the extra momentum of their Scottish Cup run to good effect and have also won through to the quarter finals of the Fife Amateur Cup and the semi finals of the Kingdom Caledonian League Cup.

Like most teams still involved in the later stages of the big cup competitions Leven lag well behind in terms of completed league fixtures and are currently in fifth place in the Kingdom Caledonian League thirteen points behind leaders Bowhill Rovers. However with only five points dropped so far and twelve remaining fixtures Leven look well placed to launch an assault on the league title which they last won in 2009.

Saints run to the semi finals may have featured only half of the number of fixtures faced by Leven United however the quality of the opposition faced rendered the passage equally difficult. After a West section first round bye Saints enjoyed a comfortable 9 -1 win over Millbeg Villa of Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division Two in round two which featured five goals from Craig MacEwan plus two from Donald Campbell and one each from Dean Smith and Allan Mackay. This was followed in round three by a walkover due to the collapse of scheduled opponents Condorrat Club. The fourth round began a run of fixtures against much fancied opposition and a string of notable scalps for Manager Alex Craik in his first season in the Saints hot seat. A solitary fourth round Donald Campbell strike edged Saints past three time Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division winners Postal United now of the Central Scottish Amateur Football League. The resumption of football following the Christmas and New Year break saw Saints paired with last season's beaten finalists Craigshill Thistle in round five. Donald Campbell was on the score sheet again adding to a brace from Dean Smith and a sensational Willie Gemmell free kick giving Saints a thoroughly deserved victory over the Livingston side. Saints repeated this score line in the sixth round away at Stirling City of the Central Scottish Amateur Football League with a rare Keith Millar goal rounding off the scoring after Craig MacEwan, Donald Campbell and an unfortunate own goal had already put Saints in the driving seat. It was back to Glencruitten for the sixth round visit of reigning Caledonian League Premier Division Champions Doune Castle who were put to the sword in clinical style with Scott Maitland joining regular goal scorers Craig MacEwan, Dean Smith and Donald Campbell on the score sheet in a 5 - 1 win. Saints debut in the Scottish Amateur Cup semi-final was earned two weeks ago with a narrow 2 - 1 over the recently reformed and thoroughly revitalised Shortlees Amateurs from Kilmarnock. Another spectacular effort from Willie Gemmell's seemingly inexhaustible store of free kicks was cancelled out from the penalty spot by Keir Knapp before Allan Mackay kept his nerve to slot home a late winner after after a sensational run by Donald Campbell.

After a long absence this year's final returns to it's traditional home of Hampden Park. Awaiting Saints or Leven United in the showcase Hampden Park final are tournament favourites Colville Park or Possil YM of Central Scottish Amateur Football League Division 1A.

With the exception of long term injury victim Martin Bonar and the suspended Dene Cassells, and barring any last minute work related call off's, Manager Alex Craik will have a full squad at his disposal as he plots to lead Saints to the previously unscaled heights of the Scottish Amateur Cup final.

Leven United Fife Amateur Cup Winners 2012 - 13

Leven United's Scott Methven in action for the SAFA Select

New Douglas Park

Leven United's Recent Kingdom Caledonian Amateur Football Association record:-

2011-12 Fourth Division 4th
2012-13 Kingdom Caledonian League 2nd and Fife Amateur Cup Winners
2013-14 Kingdom Caledonian League 2nd
2014-15 Kingdom Caledonian League 4th. Kingdom and Caledonian Cup Winners

Leven United's results so far this season:-

Kingdom Caledonian AFA

8th August 2015 Leven United 1 - 3 Bowhill Rovers
11th August 2015 Cupar Hearts 1 - 8 Leven United
15th August 2015 Leven United 6 - 0 Eastvale
18th August 2015 Leven United 3 - 0 Kettle United
5th September 2015 Kinross 0 - 2 Leven United
12th September 2015 Leven United 3 - 1 Rosyth Civil Service
26th September 2015 Greig Park Rangers 2 - 6 Leven United
10th October 2015 Strathmiglo United 3 - 3 Leven United
28th November 2015 Leven United 8 - 1 Glenrothes
23rd January 2016 Eastvale 0 - 7 Leven United

Kingdom Caledonian AFA League Cup

Round One
22nd August 2015 Leven United 5 - 0 Cupar Hearts

Round Two
29th August 2015 Greig Park Rangers 2 - 2 Leven United
Leven United win 3 - 2 on penalty kicks

Caledonian Cup

Round One
Bye

Round Two
24th October 2015 Glenrothes 0 - 9 Leven United

Fife Amateur Cup

Round One
17th October 2015 Leven United 8 - 2 Auchtermuchty Bellevue

Round Two
21st November 2015 Leven United 2 - 1 Bowhill Rovers

Round Three
27th February 2016 Leven United 3 - 1 Valleyfield

Round Four
26th March 2016 Rosebank Rangers - Leven United

Leven United's Progress to the Scottish Amateur Cup Semi Finals:-

Round One
Bye

Round Two
3rd October 2015 Newcraighall Leith Victoria 0 - 7 Leven United

Round Three
31st October 2015 Victoria Loco 2 - 2 Leven United
7th November 2015 Leven United 7 - 3 Victoria Loco

Round Four
19th December 2105 Leven United 7 - 1 Carluke

Round Five
9th January 2016 Dunoon Amateurs 1 - 2 Leven United

Round Six
6th February 2016 Leven United 2 - 2 Giffnock North
13th February 2016 Giffnock North 2 - 2 Leven United (After Extra Time)
Leven United win 4 - 1 on penalty kicks

Round Seven
5th March 2016 Leven United 1 - 1 East Kilbride YM
12th March 2016 East Kilbride YM 2 - 2 Leven United (After Extra Time)
Leven United win 5 - 3 on penalty kicks

Quarter Final
19th March 2016 Leven United 3 - 0 Linlithgow Thistle

Saints progress to the Scottish Amateur Cup Semi Finals:-

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

7th Round
5th March 2016 Oban Saints 5 - 1 Doune Castle

Quarter Final
19th March 2016 Oban Saints 2 - 1 Shortlees Amateurs