Winning In The Rain: Shopping

Saturday 14th October 2017
West of Scotland Amateur Cup
3rd Round
Braehead AFC v Oban Saints AFC
Glasgow Club Dromoyne
337 Langlands Road
Glasgow
G51 4AW
Kick Off 2pm
Referee Mr Charles Burns

Normally the threat of a trip to Braehead would fill any red bloodied male with dread as it would inevitably entail an afternoon of drudgery being dragged by his better half around the shopping malls of the Intu Braehead Shopping Centre where insult would be added to injury in the shape of a substantial credit card bill.

On this occasion however the immeasurably more enjoyable prospect of a game of football is in store for the Oban Saints lads as they travel South to face Braehead of the Glasgow and District Saturday Morning League in the third round of the West of Scotland Cup.

After receiving a first round bye, Saturday's opponents booked their place in the third round with a victory by the odd goal in seven over Darvel Victoria of the Ayrshire Amateur Football Association Second Division. Two goals down after twenty minutes, Braehead got back into the match with a Jamie McKean strike to half the deficit before the half-time interval. The home side were an entirely different proposition in the second half and raced into a 4 - 2 lead thanks to a quick fire Callum Craig hat-trick during a scintillating ten minute spell. The Ayrshire men rallied and pulled on back but, despite a late push, they were unable to find a fourth goal to force extra-time.

Braehead also received a first round bye in the Scottish Amateur Cup however this time failed to overcome the significantly more difficult hurdle of an a way trip to Caledonian League Premier Division high flyers Dumbarton Academy FP. The 1971 Scottish Amateur Cup winners have a 100% record so far in the highly competitive Caledonian League and ran out comfortable 6 - 0 winners leaving Braehead to concentrate their major cup efforts on the West of Scotland Cup.

On the domestic cup front Braehead have notched three victories from four in their League Cup qualifying section which should be good enough to see them progress to the next stage. Impressive away wins at Premier Division AFC Columba and Renfrew were followed by a home win over Glasgow Islay, also of the Premier Division. The only defeat of their League Cup campaign so far came at home against fellow Division One side Blantyre where Braehead were edged out by the odd goal in seven.

Last Saturday Braehead finally got their Glasgow and District Saturday Morning League campaign under way with a convincing 4 - 1 win away at Bridgend Amateurs. Gavin McNicol gave Braehead the lead from the penalty spot after thirty minutes. Jamie McKean doubled the lead before Bridgend pulled one back just before the interval after minutes after seeing a penalty kick of their own tipped round the post. A sending off early in the second half left Bridgend up against it with Braehead capitalising on their numerical advantage to notch a second from the penalty spot from Gavin McNicol and a late fourth goal from second half substitute Jason Hampsay.

With the originally planned venue of St James Playing Fields in Paisley being declared unplayable Saturday's tie, which must be played to a finish on the day including extra-time and penalty kicks if necessary, will now take place on the 3G surface at Glasgow Club, Drumoyne.

Braehead results so far this season:-

Glasgow and District Saturday Morning League Division One

7th October 2017 Bridgend Amateurs 1 - 4 Braehead

Strathclyde Saturday Morning Amateur Football League Cup Qualifying Competition

1st Round
19th August 2017 AFC Columba 0 - 2 Braehead
30th August 2017 Renfrew 1 - 2 Braehead
2nd September 2017 Braehead 5 - 3 Glasgow Islay
9th September 2017 Braehead 3 - 4 Blantyre

Scottish Amateur Cup

1st Round
Bye

2nd Round
30th September 2017 Dumbarton Academy FP 6 v 0 Braehead

West of Scotland Amateur Cup

1st Round
Bye

2nd Round
16th September 2017 Braehead 4 - 3 Darvel Victoria

Braehead Glasgow and District Saturday Morning League Record

2012-13 Division Two 4th (Promoted)
2013-14 Division One 10th
2014-15 Division One 10th (Relegated)
2015-16 Division Two 4th (Promoted)
2016-17 Division One