Saturday 11th February 2017
Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division
Oban Saints v Drumchapel Amateurs Colts
Glencruitten 2
Mossfield Avenue
Oban
Argyll
PA34 4EH
Kick off 2pm
Referee Mr John Stobo
After securing their place in the draw for the seventh round of the Scottish Amateur cup with a 3 - 1 away victory against Tarbolton Amateurs last Saturday, Saints return to Glencruitten this weekend for a first ever home meeting with Drumchapel Amateurs Colts.
After securing their place in the draw for the seventh round of the Scottish Amateur cup with a 3 - 1 away victory against Tarbolton Amateurs last Saturday, Saints return to Glencruitten this weekend for a first ever home meeting with Drumchapel Amateurs Colts.
Formed in 2013 as part of the highly successful Drumchapel Amateurs stable, the Drum Colts have taken the Scottish Amateur Football League by storm securing three league titles on the trot to win promotion to the Premier Division. During their gallop through the divisions the Colts racked up fifty one victories from sixty two matches holding off stiff challenges from this season's fellow Premier Division new boys Ferguslie Star and Motherwell Thistle.
The Colts made a very encouraging start to their inaugural Premier Division campaign following up a share of the points at home to reigning champions East Kilbride with a narrow win over Saints in their next home fixture. Unfortunately the Drumchapel men have been unable to capitalise on that early promise and have managed to gather only a further two points from their other six fixtures which leaves them currently bottom of the table with six points from eight matches.
The Drum Colts have also experienced decidedly mixed fortunes in the cup competitions exiting both the West of Scotland Amateur Cup and the Scottish Amateur Football League Jimmy Marshall Trophy at the first round stage. A 6 - 1 away defeat at 2010 winners Harestanes of Central Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division in the West of Scotland Amateur Cup was followed three weeks ago in the Jimmy Marshall Trophy by another away defeat this time at current Argyll & Bute Cup holders Dunoon. In the Scottish Amateur Football League Centenary Cup, after successfully negotiating the group stage, the Colts were unlucky to come up against very experienced opposition in the form of St Joseph's FP who prevailed in a local derby quarter final.
So far this season the Colts have reserved their best form for the Scottish Amateur Cup with resounding victories over Crown Athletic of Glasgow Colleges Football Association Division Two and Southside Star of Strathclyde Saturday Morning Amateur Football League Division 1A sending them through to face Portcullis of the Midlands Amateur Football Association Premier Division in the fourth round. The Colts returned home from Arbroath victorious but were extremely unfortunate to be drawn in the fifth round against cup holders and favourites to retain the trophy Colville Park who quickly extinguished any hopes the Drumchapel men had of reaching the showcase Hampden final.
With all hopes of cup glory now gone the Drum Colts can focus completely on preserving their Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division status starting with this Saturday's first ever trip to Glencruitten. The Drumchapel men will be looking to kick-start their survival bid by completing the double over their hosts following last November's 2 - 1 win at Scotstoun. On a good 3G surface in the shadow of Scotstoun Stadium Saints had taken an early lead after Paul Carmichael had beaten the home side's off-side trap to open the scoring from a tight angle. The lead was however short lived and was quickly cancelled out by a well struck free kick from Drum Skipper Matthew Armstrong which he lifted over the Saints wall and into the bottom corner. Chances were at a premium for the remainder of the first half which ended honours even. The home side took the lead just after the half-time interval from a hotly disputed free-kick awarded by Referee Gordon Kelso. Robert Bell was this time entrusted with the dead ball and was able to replicate his Skipper's earlier success to give the Colts an advantage which they would go on to guard well. Spurred on by a sense of injustice Saints upped their game but try as they might couldn't break down the "tight as a Drum" home defence. After coming close on several occasions the visitors were eventually handed a lifeline in time added on for stoppages, however this was cruelly snatched away when Scottish Amateur Football League Select goalkeeper Scott Urquhart dived to his right to save Donald Campbell's penalty kick denying Saints a share of the points.
Saturday's match will see both sides reach the half-way point of a highly competitive league campaign. Saints can expect another difficult afternoon with their guests desperate to lift themselves off the foot of the table and get back among the pack battling to avoid the drop.
With league leaders Goldenhill away from home at Ferguslie Star Saints will be looking to gain revenge for last November's reverse against the Drum Colts to capitalise on any slip-up from the Gowdie and return to the top of the table.
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| Drumchapel Amateurs Colts 2016 - 17 |
2013 - 14 Division 1A Champions Promoted
2014 - 15 Premier Division Two Champions Promoted
2015 - 16 Premier Division One Champions Promoted
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| Drumchapel Amateurs Colts SAFL Premier Division One Champions 2015 - 16 |
Drumchapel Amateurs Colts results so far this season:-
Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division
20th August 2016 Drumchapel Amateurs Colts 3 - 3 East Kilbride FC Amateurs
3rd September 2016 Campbeltown Pupils 3 - 2 Drumchapel Amateurs Colts
8th October 2016 Motherwell Thistle 3 - 2 Drumchapel Amateurs Colts
12th November 2016 Drumchapel Amateurs Colts 2 - 1 Oban Saints
19th November 2016 Inverclyde 2 - 2 Drumchapel Amateurs Colts
26th November 2016 Drumchapel Amateurs Colts 0 - 7 St Joseph's F.P.
10th December 2016 Drumchapel Amateurs Colts 3 - 3 Motherwell Thistle
4th February 2017 Drumchapel Amateurs Colts 1 - 4 Goldenhill
12th November 2016 Drumchapel Amateurs Colts 2 - 1 Oban Saints
19th November 2016 Inverclyde 2 - 2 Drumchapel Amateurs Colts
26th November 2016 Drumchapel Amateurs Colts 0 - 7 St Joseph's F.P.
10th December 2016 Drumchapel Amateurs Colts 3 - 3 Motherwell Thistle
4th February 2017 Drumchapel Amateurs Colts 1 - 4 Goldenhill
Group Section Seven
13th August 2016 Drumchapel Amateurs Colts 4 - 1 Duntocher Hibs
24th August 2016 Drumchapel Amateurs Colts 7 - 2 Millerston
27th August 2016 Kings Park Rangers 2 - 1 Drumchapel Amateurs Colts
Quarter Finals
15th October 2016 Drumchapel Amateurs Colts 1 - 3 St Joseph's FP
Scottish Amateur Football League Jimmy Marshall Trophy
Round One
21st January 2017 Dunoon 4 - 2 Drumchapel Amateurs Colts
Round One
17th September 2016 Harestanes 6 - 1 Drumchapel Amateurs Colts
Round One
Bye
Round Two
1st October 2016 Drumchapel Amateurs Colts 16 - 2 Crown Athletic
5th November 2016 Drumchapel Amateurs Colts 16 - 2 Southside Star
Round Four
3rd December 2016 Port Cullis 1 - 2 Drumchapel Amateurs Colts
Round Five
7th January 2017 Drumchapel Amateurs Colts 0 - 6 Colville ParkAction from last November's encounter at Scotstoun
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| Paul Carmichael opens the scoring |
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| Matthew Armstrong draws the hosts level |
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| Referee Mr Kelso lectures Peter MacCallum and Donald Campbell |
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| Robert Bell completes the turnaround for the Colts |
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| Paul Carmichael comes within inches of a Saints equaliser |
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| Scott Urquhart denies Donald Campbell from the penalty spot |
In Other News
The draws for the seventh round and the quarter finals of the Scottish Amateur Cup took place on the afternoon of Friday 10th February. Once again Saints were drawn away from home this time landing a trip to Perth to face Perthshire Amateur Football Association Division One reigning Champions and current league leaders Letham. The tie is scheduled to be played on Saturday 4th March. The winners of that tie will be away from home in the quarter finals and will face either Cambusnethan Talbot Community, St Mungo's or Barca Milton 97.
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