Winning In The Rain: Umbrella

Saturday 9th April 2016
Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division
Finnart AFC v Oban Saints AFC
Glasgow Green Football Centre
28 Kings Drive
Glasgow
G40 1HB
Kick Off 2pm
Referee Mr Michael Mccart

Last Time Out

Saints Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division match against Goldenhill which was scheduled for last Saturday had to be postponed due to heavy flooding at Glencruitten. Saints last outing therefore remains their heartbreaking Scottish Amateur Cup semi-final defeat against Leven United at New Douglas Park on Thursday 31st March where a sweet curling Mark Wilkie finish in the thirteenth minute of extra time sent Leven through the final at Hampden Park against Colville Park. Saints had fallen behind to a Scott Methven strike in the thirty second minute but were back on level terms just two minutes later when Scott Maitland set up namesake Ross to equalise. There was no further scoring during the regulation ninety and the match headed into a tense additional thirty minutes.

With neither goalkeeper seriously threatened a penalty shoot-out looked on the cards until a moment of controversy proved ultimately decisive. Donald Campbell was brought down on the edge of the Leven box for what looked a stonewall free kick however Referee Taylor had other ideas and waved play on. With the Saints players still appealing Leven broke up the park and scored what proved to be the winner.

There was still time for Mr Taylor to intervene again when, with just three minutes remaining, he awarded a penalty kick and a yellow card against Saints keeper Thomas McCulloch for a challenge on William Herd choosing to ignoring his Assistant who had signalled for a corner kick. Justice was done when the big keeper sprung to his right to keep out the spot kick from Ryan Thomson however his heroics were in vein as Saints failed find the target in the closing minutes and slipped agonisingly out of the Scottish Amateur Cup.

Ross Maitland equalises for Saints

Thomas McCulloch saves late penalty from Ryan Thomson

Umbrella

This Saturday at Glagow Green Saints will attempt to put their Scottish Amateur Cup disappointment behind them and re-ignite their Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division hopes against Finnart. Bridgeton's finest currently sit in eighth place in the SAFL Premier Division with ten points, seven points worse off than Saints with both teams having played nine games. After a poor start to their league campaign, picking up just six points from their opening seven fixtures leading up to the Christmas break, Finnart have fared considerably better since the turn of the year beating league leaders St Joseph's FP by three goals to one and and drawing two each away at strongly fancied Goldenhill. This marks out Finnart as extremely dangerous opponents who, despite probably leaving their own title charge too late, will have a large say in the final destination of Premier Division title. Having dropped ten points already themselves Saints will know that another defeat is likely to signal the end of the own title aspirations and will be desperate to avoid a repeat of their last visit to Finnart in November 2014 when Finnart recorded their one and only victory over Saints to date. Jason McArthur and Ben Mills gave Finnart a two goal half-time lead which was added to in the second half by two clinically dispatched Andy Robertson penalties. Saints finally breached the resolute Finnart defence, which was excellently marshaled by skipper Brian Blair, in the eighty third minute with a well taken Donald Campbell goal.

It was a different story when the sides met in Oban last November where a brace from Donald Campbell gave Saints all three points at Oban High School 3G. 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.

Finnart line up at Fullarton Park, Tollcross for the 2015 SAFL Centenary Cup Final v Goldenhill

Finnart's fixtures so far this season:-

Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division

22nd August 2015 East Kilbride FC Amateurs 4 - 0 Finnart

29th August 2015 Finnart 2 - 1 East Kilbride Rolls Royce

19th September 2015 St Joseph's 2 - 1 Finnart

10th October 2015 Finnart 1 - 2 Shawlands FP

24th October 2015 Finnart 2 - 3 Alba Thistle

7th November 2015 East Kilbride Rolls Royce 0 - 5 Finnart
28th November 2015 Oban Saints 2 - 0 Finnart
13th February 2106 Finnart 3 - 1 St Joseph's FP
5th March 2016 Goldenhill 2 - 2 Finnart

SAFL Centenary Cup

First Round
15th August 2015 Busby 1 - 5 Finnart

Second Round
12th September 2015 Finnart 1 - 6 Goldenhill

SAFL Jimmy Marshall Trophy

First Round
Bye

Second Round
20th February 2016 Lochgilphead Red Star 2 - 4 Finnart

Third Round
12th March 2016 Finnart 0 - 1 Motherwell Thistle

Scottish Amateur Cup

First Round
5th September 2015 FC Clydebank 3 - 2 Finnart

West of Scotland Amateur Cup

First Round
Bye

Second Round
17th October 2015 Finnart 6 - 2 Craigneuk

Third Round
21st November 2015 Condorrat 0 - 8 Finnart

Fourth Round
19th December 2015 Finnart 6 - 1 Balmore

Fifth Round
19th March 2016 St Mungo's 2 - 0 Finnart

Finnart's SAFL record:-

2010/11
Premier Division Two Champions (Promoted)

2011/12
Premier Division One Champions (Promoted)
Centenary Cup Runners Up to Postal United

2012/13
Premier Division 7th

2013/14
Premier Division 4th

2014/15
Premier Division 4th

Centenary Cup Runners Up to Goldenhill

Saints record against Finnart:-

2012/13
Oban Saints 4 - 1 Finnart
Finnart 0 - 1 Oban Saints

2013/14
Oban Saints 3 - 0 Finnart

Finnart 0 - 1 Oban Saints

2014/15
Finnart 4 - 1 Oban Saints
Oban Saints v Finnart (Unfulfilled Fixture, Points awarded to Saints)

2015/16
Oban Saints 2 - 0 Finnart