Villains and Saints

Saturday 22nd October 2016
The Alona Hotel West of Scotland Amateur Cup
Second Round Tie
Petershall Villa AFC v Oban Saints AFC
St Ambrose High School 4G
65 Townhead Road
Coatbridge
ML5 2HT
Kick off 11.00am
Referee Mr Stephen Fox

A free week request for former player Alan Miller's stag weekend gave Saints their fifth fixture-less Saturday out of six last week denying the players an opportunity to get the disappointing defeat to Ferguslie Star immediately out of their systems. The chance to banish the errors which saw five league goals conceded on the road for the first time in seven years comes this weekend in the West of Scotland Amateur Cup against Saturday morning team Petershall Villa.

Founded in 2012 Petershall Villa are now in their fifth season in the Strathclyde Saturday Morning Amatuer Football League where they currently occupy ninth place in Division 1C after away defeats to Kelvinbridge and Quayside Thistle in their opening two fixtures. Villa fared no better in an extremely tough League Cup Qualifying Competition group section containing three Premier Division teams losing all five matches to finish bottom of group section seven. Villa's cup woes against higher league opposition continued in the Scottish Amateur Cup where they fell at the first hurdle to Port Glasgow United of Strathclyde Saturday Morning Amateur Football League Division 1B. By far the highlight of a difficult start to the season for Villa came two weeks ago with a thrilling Strathclyde Cup win over Premier Division Dennistoun Vale a well run club which Saints fans will recall from the 2013-14 Scottish Cup campaign. Regrettably an unsuccessful search for a new Management team led to Vale folding last weekend chalking up another sad loss to the amateur game,

The venue for Saturday's fixture is St Ambrose High School, Coatbridge which numbers among it's former Head Teachers legendary football historian, author and broadcaster the late Bob Crampsey. Widely respected for his encyclopedic knowledge of Scottish football Crampsey was also "Brain of Britain" in 1965 and a Mastermind semi-finalist in 1973. His death in 2008 at the age of seventy eight was a great loss to Scottish football and was met with glowing tributes from far and wide.

Saints previously visited St Ambrose High School on 26th October 2013 for a Scottish Amateur Cup second round replay against Independent then of Stirling and District Amateur Football League Division One. Following a 3 - 3 draw at Glencruitten the previous Saturday Saints ran out comfortable 8 - 2 winners thanks to goals from Donald Campbell, Myles McAuley, Allan Mackay, an own goal and braces from Craig MacEwan and Lewis Cameron. The replay win kick started a remarkable run which took Saints to that season's seventh round where they eventually lost out to Eastfield of the Central Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division.

This Saturday's second round tie kicks off at 11.00 am requiring an unusually early start for the Saints travelling party. Under West of Scotland Cup rules the tie must be played to a finish on the day with extra time and penalty kicks to decide the winner if the sides cannot be separated after ninety minutes.

Saints Manager Alex Craik will be hoping the weekend revelers return unscathed and that the walking wounded from the defeat in Paisley have recovered sufficiently to be included in his plans for what should be a good test against the Villains from Coatbridge.

Petershall Villa fixtures so far this season:-

Strathclyde Saturday Morning Amateur Football League Division 1C

17th September 2016 Kelvinbridge 4 - 3 Petershall Villa
15th October 2016 Quayside Thistle 4 - 2 Petershall Villa


Strathclyde Saturday Morning Amateur Football League Strathclyde Cup

Round 1
8th October 2016 Petershall Villa 3 - 2 Dennistoun Vale



Strathclyde Saturday Morning Amateur Football League Cup Qualifying Competition

Group 7
13th August 2016 Petershall Villa 1 - 3 Carluke
17th August 2016 East Dunbartonshire 8 - 2 Petershall Villa
20th August 2016 Cambusnethan Talbot 4 - 2 Petershall Villa
24th August 2016 AFC Ravenscraig 4 - 2 Petershall Villa
27th August 2016 Petershall Villa 5 - 7 UB United



Scottish Amateur Football Association Challenge Cup Competition

Round 1
3rd September 2016 Port Glasgow United 3 - 0 Petershall Villa

St Ambrose High School

Legendary football historian, author and broadcaster Bob Crampsey former Head Teacher at St Ambrose High School

In Other News

The draw for the first and second rounds of this season's Scottish Amateur Football League Jimmy Marshall Trophy was made at the League's October General Meeting with Saints receiving a bye in round one. Saints will therefore begin their defence of the trophy at the second round stage where they have been drawn away from home to Port Glasgow OBU of Premier Division 2a.

#monthesaints