Winning In The Rain: Wishae Washy

The Saints training bibs after a long overdue spin in Jamie Graham's washing machine

Saturday 20th August 2016
Scottish Amateur Football League
Premier Division
Motherwell Thistle AFC v Oban Saints AFC
Daisy Park Community Centre
Cassels Street
Motherwell
North Lanarkshire
ML1 1DX
Kick off 2pm
Referee Mr Alan Smith

Saints take their first away trip of the new season this Saturday when they make a first ever visit to Daisy Park Community Centre to face newly promoted Motherwell Thistle in a Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division clash. The Premier Division new boys secured promotion to the Scottish Amateur Football League top flight with a third placed finish in Premier Division One when Finnart's defection to the Caledonian League opened up an additional promotion spot behind Champions Drumchapel Amateurs Colts and runners up Ferguslie Star. The Jags recovered from a shaky start to life in Premier Division One where they lost four of their first seven matches before embarking upon a terrific run losing just one more match to clinch a third successive promotion on the last day of the season with a 2 - 1 win over Lochgilphead Red Star at the Ropework.

Previous Encounter

Although they have never previously met on league business Saints and Thistle did come face to face last season in the Jimmy Marshall Trophy semi-final at Millburn Park, Alexandria where Saints won an entertaining encounter by three goals to nil. Ross Maitland's fourth minute opener was added to in the second half by Willie Gemmell and Dene Cassells to see Saints through to their third final in four seasons where they would eventually wrestle the trophy from holders St Joseph's FP.

Saints began their Premier Division campaign last Saturday with an emphatic 10 - 0 Argyll Derby win over Campbeltown Pupils while Thistle were on Centenary Cup duty against Strathaven Dynamo of Premier Division 2B. The Jags raced to the top of group section five with a thumping 10 - 1 win over their old rivals which they followed up on Wednesday night with a 5 - 2 over Premier Division One East Kilbride Rolls Royce. The two home wins put Thistle top of the section ahead of away ties against Busby and East Kilbride YMCA and leaves them well positioned to seal a place in the knockout stages of the competition.

Saints Team News

Martin Bonar, Paul Carmichael and Dougal Graham remain sidelined through injury however, with the exception of those three, Manager Alex Craik will have something close to a full squad available for selection for what promises to be a tricky opening away fixture.