Winning In The Rain: Last Men Standing

Saturday 26th August 2017

VSN Sport 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 2pm
Referee Mr Jim Rose

Oban Saints dismal start to the 2017 - 18 season continued at Glencruitten last Saturday with a 3 - 0 defeat to Motherwell Thistle. The search for league points takes them this weekend to East Kilbride where they will face 2015 -16 Premier Division Champions East Kilbride FC Amateurs. The amateur wing of highly ambitious Scottish Lowland Football League club East Kilbride FC are under new management this season following the departure of previous incumbent John Brown. Brown's incredible 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, will be an extremely difficult act to follow for his successor Dougie Gunning. 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 this season.

When the sides met in East Kilbride last May Saints had their five game winning streak since their Scottish Amateur Cup semi-final defeat to Colville Park abruptly halted by a home side finally beginning to show the form that had won them five consecutive league titles. In an entertaining contest, which was far closer than the 4 - 1 scoreline might suggest, East Kilbride FC Amateurs were grateful beneficiaries of some hesitant Saints defending leaving Alex Craik and his charges to rue a string of missed chances which should have seen them take something from the game.

Kilby opened their 2017 - 18 Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division last Saturday with a 1 -1 draw away at a resurgent Inverclyde. Last season's top goal scorer Jonny Diack continued where he left off earning his team a point in an even contest played in horrendous weather conditions at Battery Park, Greenock.

In Centenary Group Section South Four 3 - 1 wins against Neilston and East Kilbride YMC wasn't enough to see through Kilby through to the quarter finals. A 1 - 1 draw with Premier Division Two Castlemilk left the door open for the 'Milk to pip Kilby on goal difference which they duly did with a 3 - 1 home win against Neilston on Thursday night.

Saints Manager Alex Craik's well documented selection difficulties show no signs of letting up with another raft of players joining the injured list after last weekend's defeat at the hands of Motherwell Thistle. With the squad now down to the bare bones the last men standing will have to dig extremely deep if they are to get anything from Saturday's visit to K-Park.

East Kilbride FC Amateurs fixtures so far this season;-

Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division

19th August 2017 Inverclyde 1 - 1 East Kilbride FC Amateurs

Scottish Amateur Football League Centenary Cup

Group Section South 4

12th August 2017 Neilston 1 - 3 East Kilbride FC Amateurs

15th August 2017 East Kilbride FC Amateurs 1 - 1 Castlemilk

22nd August 2017 East Kilbride YMCA 1 - 3 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
2016-17 Premier Division Fourth

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
20th May 2017 East Kilbride FC Amateurs 4 - 1 Oban Saints