Winning In The Rain: Battle for Second

Saturday 20th May 2017

Scottish Amateur Football League
Premier Division

East Kilbride FC Amateurs v Oban Saints AFC

K-Park Training Academy
Calderglen
East Kilbride
G75 0QZ

Kick off 1pm
Referee Mr Gordon Hay

With five straight victories under their belts since their Scottish Amateur Cup semi-final defeat at the hand's of Colville Park, Saints focus on finishing their season on a high takes them to K-Park this Saturday to face last season's Premier League Champions East Kilbride FC Amateurs. Recently deposed by St Joseph's FP, East Kilbride have Saturday's meeting with Saints and an away trip to Motherwell Thistle remaining to complete their fixtures for this season. The new campaign, which is already only twelve weeks away, will see Kilby under new management when current Manager John Brown makes way for new man Dougie Gunning. Brown's success in guiding Kilby to five consecutive league titles, eventually crowing their meteoric rise through the Scottish Amateur Football League standings by securing the Premier Division title last May, will be a difficult act to follow for his successor. However, Gunning has already shown his credentials by leading Rossvale Amateurs to the Premier Division 2A title and with it promotion to Premier Division One in his first season in management and will be desperate to bring the Premier Division title back to K-Park next season.

League

Kilby's defence of their Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division title got off to a faltering start with just two wins in their opening six fixtures. Despite steadying the ship they were unable to rediscover the level of consistency shown last season and are now involved in a three way fight with Saints and Goldenhill for the runners-up spot.

Cups

Kilby reserved by far their best form of the season for the West of Scotland Amateur Cup where an impressive run was halted at the quarter-finals stage by eventual cup winners Cambria. Following a first round bye Kilby comfortably came through a tricky away tie against this season's Strathclyde Evangelical Churches Amateur Football League Division One Champions United Churches of Ayr. The third round also saw Kilby on their travels where they prevailed by the odd goal in seven against Greater Glasgow Premier Amateur Football League Division One title hopefuls Erskine. Kilby bagged a home draw in the fourth round where they saw off a spirited challenge from eventual Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division One Champions Alba Thistle. Another away tie in the fifth round saw off the challenge of Clydeside Athletic of the Glasgow Colleges Amateur Football Association Premier Division setting up a crunch home tie with Central Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division Harestanes in the sixth round. The 2010 cup winners and three time Scottish Amateur Cup winners would prove to be Kilby's biggest but unfortunately last scalp before losing by the only goal of a close match against eventual cup winners Cambria.

Kilby's Scottish Amateur Cup campaign ended at the third round stage with a 5 - 1 replay defeat at Muirhouse Park Motherwell against Craigneuk of Greater Glasgow Premier Amateur Football League Division One after a 1 -1 draw at K-Park.

In the Scottish Amateur Football League cup competitions Kilby failed to negotiate the group sections of both the Centenary and Coronation Cups. In the Jimmy Marshall Trophy wins against Lochgilphead Red Star and East End United set up an away quarter final tie against a below strength Kilby were surprising beaten 7 - 2 by Premier Division One Dunoon.

Last Season

It was a very much down to the bare bones Saints party that made the long trip to Scotland's roundabout capital for last season's corresponding fixture. However full credit to those who did travel for they returned home with a highly creditable point title from title chasing East Kilbride FC Amateurs. Injuries, work and family commitments left Manager Alex Craik with only ten available players plus himself and the ever youthful Coach Peter MacCallum. Despite the lack of numbers Alex was able to field a strong starting line-up of Thomas McCulloch in goal; a back four of David McArthur, Alex Craik, Dene Cassells and Scott Maitland; Willie Gemmell, Paul Kerr, Donald Campbell and Keith Millar in midfield; and a strike partnership of Dean Smith and Craig MacEwan. It was on the bench where the paucity of players was most evident with only Peter MacCallum pulling a yellow bib over his number fourteen jersey.

In a fairly even first half the home side had the better of the chances with Gary McDowal hitting the crossbar with a header and Paul Kerr and Dene Cassells having to make important interceptions to keep the Kilby attack at bay. Saints front pairing of Dean Smith and Craig MacEwan were well supported where possible by Skipper Donald Campbell but made little impression on the meanest defence in the league. The best move from the visitors came in the thirty first minute when Scott Maitland closed down and dispossessed Stuart McMillan just inside the Kilby half and worked a quick give and go with Donald Campbell. Scott made a good run into the left hand side of the Kilby box to receive the return pass from Donald and hit the bye-line before sending a cut back to Donald who was unlucky to see his shot blocked by Christopher Paterson. With only two minutes of the first half remaining Saints conceded in disappointing circumstances getting caught out with a swift counter attack from their own free kick. Willie Gemmell's short free kick from inside the centre circle was intercepted by David Hepburn who played a quick ball up to striker Jonny Diack. With Saints appealing in vain for an offside decision the Kilby danger man, rapidly closing in on a landmark fiftieth goal of the season, got in behind Dene Cassells and Scott Maitland and deftly lifted the ball over the advancing Thomas McCulloch and into the net to give the home side the lead.

Saints were quickly out of the starting blocks in the second half and equalised after just ninety seconds. Craig MacEwan made a good run into the right hand side of the Kilby box to get on the end of a Donald Campbell pass. Craig tricked his way past two players and delivered a low cross into the six yard box which Donald Campbell narrowly failed to connect with but Keith Millar stroked home at the back post.

Saints came close to adding to their tally with Scott Maitland and Craig MacEwan forcing Kilby keeper Graeme McMillan into action. Craig's sixty eighth minute hook shot after a good move on the left involving Donald Campbell and Dean Smith was comfortably held by the keeper however he had to work considerably harder to keep out Scott's effort five minutes from time. Dean Smith won a throw-in high up the park on the left wing with Willie Gemmell finding Scott with his throw. Scott turned onto his right foot and fired in a terrific net bound shot which McMillan acrobatically tipped over his crossbar. At the other end Alex Craik turned back the years with a solid performance at the heart of the defence alongside Dene Cassells. When Kilby did manage to penetrate the Saints defence they found Thomas McCulloch to be in excellent form making top class saves to deny Gary McDowal, Christopher Paterson and David Hepburn. The pick of the bunch from the Saints number one came in the eighty third minute. Scott Maitland closed down David Atha on the Saints left at the expense of a corner kick. Atha's deep delivery was headed back across the box by Kilby Skipper Gavin Thomson into the path of Gary McDowal whose powerful volley from fourteen yards was well held by McCulloch diving to his left. The Saints eleven put in an excellent shift in the warm strength sapping East Kilbride sunshine with the prospect of Peter MacCallum having to enter the fray inspiring the players to find the necessary energy reserves to see out the remainder of the half and secure a thoroughly deserved share of the points. The single point left East Kilbride tantalisingly close to the league title which they would go on to secure with a 3 - 1 victory over Goldenhill the following Saturday.

East Kilbride FC Amateurs fixtures so far this season;-

Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division

20th August 2016 Drumchapel Amateurs Colts 3 - 3 East Kilbride FC Amateurs
27th August 2016 East Kilbride FC Amateurs 1 - 1 Campbeltown Pupils
10th September 2016 East Kilbride FC Amateurs 2 - 1 Shawlands FP
17th September 2016 Inverclyde 2 - 3 East Kilbride FC Amateurs
15th October 2016 Goldenhill 1 - 0 East Kilbride FC Amateurs
29th October 2016 Oban Saints 3 - 0 East Kilbride FC Amateurs
3rd December 2016 East Kilbride FC Amateurs 2 - 0 Goldenhill
7th January 2017 Ferguslie Star 0 - 8 East Kilbride FC Amateurs
28th January 2017 East Kilbride FC Amateurs 1 - 3 Inverclyde
25th February 2017 East Kilbride FC Amateurs 2 - 0 Motherwell Thistle
4th March 2017 Campbeltown Pupils 2 - 4 East Kilbride FC Amateurs
11th March 2017 East Kilbride FC Amateurs 2 - 2 St Joseph's FP
1st April 2017 East Kilbride FC Amateurs 2 - 1 Ferguslie Star
8th April 2017 East Kilbride FC Amateurs 1 - 2 Drumchapel Colts
15th April 2017 St Joseph's FP 4 - 2 East Kilbride FC Amateurs
19th April 2017 Shawlands FP 0 - 2 East Kilbride FC Amateurs

Scottish Amateur Football League Centenary Cup

Group Section 6

13th August 2016 East Kilbride FC Amateurs 1 - 3 Rutherglen

24th August 2016 Claremont 3 - 3 East Kilbride FC Amateurs

31st August 2016 Duncanrig FP 2 - 2 East Kilbride FC Amateurs

Scottish Amateur Football League Coronation Cup

Group Section 3

26th April 2017 Goldenhill 4 - 0 East Kilbride FC Amateurs

13th May 2017 Inverclyde 0 - 0 East Kilbride FC Amateurs

Scottish Amateur Football League Jimmy Marshall Trophy

Round One

Bye

Round Two

4th February 2017 Lochgilphead Red Star 0 - 0 East Kilbride FC Amateurs
East Kilbride FC Amateurs win 3 - 1 on penalty kicks

Round Three

11th February 2017 East Kilbride FC Amateurs 6 - 1 East End United

Quarter Final
29th April 2017 Dunoon 7 - 2 East Kilbride FC Amateurs

Scottish Amateur Cup

Round One

3rd September 2016 St Mungo's 1 - 2 East Kilbride FC Amateurs

Round Two

8th October 2016 Port Glasgow OBU 1 - 4 East Kilbride FC Amateurs

Round Three

5th November 2016 East Kilbride FC Amateurs 1 - 1 Craigneuk

Round Three Replay

12th November 2016 Craigneuk 5 - 1 East Kilbride FC Amateurs

West of Scotland Amateur Cup

Round One

Bye

Round Two

22nd October 2016 United Churches of Ayr 0 - 4 East Kilbride FC Amateurs

Round Three

26th November 2016 Erskine 3 - 4 East Kilbride FC Amateurs

Round Four

17th December 2016 East Kilbride FC Amateurs 4 - 2 Alba Thistle

Round Five

21st January 2017 Clydeside Athletic 0 - 3 East Kilbride FC Amateurs

Round Six

18th February 2017 East Kilbride FC Amateurs 3 - 2 Harestanes

Quarter Final
25th March 2017 Cambria 1 - 0 East Kilbride FC Amateurs

East Kilbride FC Amateurs Scottish Amateur Football League record;-

2011-12 Division 1B Champions Promoted
2012-13 Division 1A Champions Promoted
2013-14 Premier Division Two Champions Promoted
2014-15 Premier Division One Champions Promoted

2015-16 Premier Division Champions

Saints SAFL Premier Division record v East Kilbride FC Amateurs:-

15th August 2015 Oban Saints 0 - 0 East Kilbride FC Amateurs
14th May 2016 East Kilbride FC Amateurs 1 - 1 Oban Saints
29th October 2016 Oban Saints 3 - 0 East Kilbride FC Amateurs