VSN Sport Scottish Amateur Football League
Premier Division
Premier Division
Oban Saints AFC v Hillington
Glencruitten 2
Mossfield Avenue
Oban
Argyll
PA34 4EH
Mossfield Avenue
Oban
Argyll
PA34 4EH
Kick off 2.00pm
Referee Mr Jimmy Litster
On what was supposed to be Scottish Amateur Cup Quarter Finals day, Saints will instead continue their faltering Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division campaign with a home match against Hillington. Saints potential Scottish Cup opponents Sandys and Goldenhill will try again this Saturday to complete their seventh round tie which has already been postponed twice and abandoned once. However, if the east coast is experiencing the volume of rain as the west coast is currently suffering, Sandys grass park may again be declared unplayable forcing the fixture to roll on to next week.
This Saturday's encounter with Hillington will give Saints another opportunity to improve their poor league form where a return of just nine points from eight games sees them languishing in eighth place and perilously close to the trap door into Premier Division One. Only visitors Hillington currently have a worse points tally than Saints with their entire haul for the season so far being won on the opening day with 2 - 0 victory over Saints at Glasgow Club Drumoyne. On a day which was to set the tone for their early season struggles Saints found themselves on the wrong end of strikes from Hillington Skipper Scott Gold in the sixtieth and ninety first minutes. Unfortunately for Hillington that early promise quickly fizzled out and twelve further attempts has seen them fail to add to those three points and survival in the Premier Division now looks a forlorn hope.
Ominously for stuttering Saints, Hillington apear to be staging a late rally running Motherwell Thistle and title favourites Goldenhill extremely close in their last two fixtures losing out by the odd goal in five on both occasions. Even more encouragingly for Hillington they recorded just their fourth victory of the season in all competitions on 3rd February when they knocked Premier Division One Neilston out of the Scottish Amateur Football League Jimmy Marshall Trophy to progress to a third round away tie against either St Joseph's FP or Barrhead Arky.
Saturday's basement battle will be Hillington's first visit to Oban where they will hope to continue their recent resurgence and extend their current head-to-head advantage over Saints which currently stands at 2 - 1 to Hillington.
The first ever meeting between the clubs came in the 2013 Jimmy Marshall Trophy Final at Somervell Park, Cambuslang where Hillington held their nerve to prevail in a penalty shoot-out after a goalless ninety minutes. In a bruising encounter Saints lost Dene Cassells and Asen Gaydardzhiev to head injuries and goalkeeper Daniel Cassells with a ruptured rotator cuff leaving Alex Craik to pull on the gloves for the closing stages. Four successfully converted spot kicks each effectively took the shoot-out to sudden death where Donald Campbell had his effort saved by the outstretched foot of the Hillington keeper before stand-in keeper Craik was beaten for the fifth time confirming Hillington as the trophy winners.
In May 2017 Saints gained some small measure of revenge that agonising reverse reaching a fourth Scottish Amateur Football League Jimmy Marshall Trophy final in five seasons with a 4 - 1 win at a rain soaked Penilee Community Centre. After a fairly even goalless first half Saints turned up the heat on Premier Division One opponents Hillington with Craig MacEwan netting a hat-trick to cement his position as Saints top goalscorer for the season. The other Saints goal was an unfortunate own-goal from Christopher Flannery when trying to keep out another net bound effort from MacEwan. The hosts registered a consolation goal in the final minute from the head of second half substitute Gordon Phillips denying Saints an elusive clean sheet.
In August's league meeting at Glasgow Club Drumoyne Phillips donned the gloves to keep a shot shy Saints attack at bay while, at the other end, a double from talismanic Skipper Scott Gold sealed the points for newly promoted Hillington. The home got their noses in front on the hour mark severely punishing a misplaced Saints pass on the half-way line. Stuart Ashton broke forward on the left and sent an inviting ball along the six yard line which Gold knocked home sliding in at the back post. An almost unrecognisable Saints huffed and puffed but couldn't find a way past the reasonably comfortable home defence. With time ebbing away Hillington began knocking the ball into the corners to run down the clock a tactic which produced an unexpected bonus in the first of the four minutes added by Referee John McNab. Marc Maccallum regained possession from Paul McDonald and knocking the ball back to Graham Douglas on the right edge of his penalty box. Sugar's clearance caught the top of Thomas Cunningham's head severely reducing it's effectiveness. The ball looped perfectly onto the instep of Skipper Gold ten yards inside the Saints half who cushioned a delightful volley into the unguarded net to seal the win for his team.
Referee Mr Jimmy Litster
On what was supposed to be Scottish Amateur Cup Quarter Finals day, Saints will instead continue their faltering Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division campaign with a home match against Hillington. Saints potential Scottish Cup opponents Sandys and Goldenhill will try again this Saturday to complete their seventh round tie which has already been postponed twice and abandoned once. However, if the east coast is experiencing the volume of rain as the west coast is currently suffering, Sandys grass park may again be declared unplayable forcing the fixture to roll on to next week.
This Saturday's encounter with Hillington will give Saints another opportunity to improve their poor league form where a return of just nine points from eight games sees them languishing in eighth place and perilously close to the trap door into Premier Division One. Only visitors Hillington currently have a worse points tally than Saints with their entire haul for the season so far being won on the opening day with 2 - 0 victory over Saints at Glasgow Club Drumoyne. On a day which was to set the tone for their early season struggles Saints found themselves on the wrong end of strikes from Hillington Skipper Scott Gold in the sixtieth and ninety first minutes. Unfortunately for Hillington that early promise quickly fizzled out and twelve further attempts has seen them fail to add to those three points and survival in the Premier Division now looks a forlorn hope.
Ominously for stuttering Saints, Hillington apear to be staging a late rally running Motherwell Thistle and title favourites Goldenhill extremely close in their last two fixtures losing out by the odd goal in five on both occasions. Even more encouragingly for Hillington they recorded just their fourth victory of the season in all competitions on 3rd February when they knocked Premier Division One Neilston out of the Scottish Amateur Football League Jimmy Marshall Trophy to progress to a third round away tie against either St Joseph's FP or Barrhead Arky.
Saturday's basement battle will be Hillington's first visit to Oban where they will hope to continue their recent resurgence and extend their current head-to-head advantage over Saints which currently stands at 2 - 1 to Hillington.
The first ever meeting between the clubs came in the 2013 Jimmy Marshall Trophy Final at Somervell Park, Cambuslang where Hillington held their nerve to prevail in a penalty shoot-out after a goalless ninety minutes. In a bruising encounter Saints lost Dene Cassells and Asen Gaydardzhiev to head injuries and goalkeeper Daniel Cassells with a ruptured rotator cuff leaving Alex Craik to pull on the gloves for the closing stages. Four successfully converted spot kicks each effectively took the shoot-out to sudden death where Donald Campbell had his effort saved by the outstretched foot of the Hillington keeper before stand-in keeper Craik was beaten for the fifth time confirming Hillington as the trophy winners.
In May 2017 Saints gained some small measure of revenge that agonising reverse reaching a fourth Scottish Amateur Football League Jimmy Marshall Trophy final in five seasons with a 4 - 1 win at a rain soaked Penilee Community Centre. After a fairly even goalless first half Saints turned up the heat on Premier Division One opponents Hillington with Craig MacEwan netting a hat-trick to cement his position as Saints top goalscorer for the season. The other Saints goal was an unfortunate own-goal from Christopher Flannery when trying to keep out another net bound effort from MacEwan. The hosts registered a consolation goal in the final minute from the head of second half substitute Gordon Phillips denying Saints an elusive clean sheet.
In August's league meeting at Glasgow Club Drumoyne Phillips donned the gloves to keep a shot shy Saints attack at bay while, at the other end, a double from talismanic Skipper Scott Gold sealed the points for newly promoted Hillington. The home got their noses in front on the hour mark severely punishing a misplaced Saints pass on the half-way line. Stuart Ashton broke forward on the left and sent an inviting ball along the six yard line which Gold knocked home sliding in at the back post. An almost unrecognisable Saints huffed and puffed but couldn't find a way past the reasonably comfortable home defence. With time ebbing away Hillington began knocking the ball into the corners to run down the clock a tactic which produced an unexpected bonus in the first of the four minutes added by Referee John McNab. Marc Maccallum regained possession from Paul McDonald and knocking the ball back to Graham Douglas on the right edge of his penalty box. Sugar's clearance caught the top of Thomas Cunningham's head severely reducing it's effectiveness. The ball looped perfectly onto the instep of Skipper Gold ten yards inside the Saints half who cushioned a delightful volley into the unguarded net to seal the win for his team.
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| Hillington AFC Scottish Amateur Football League Jimmy Marshall Trophy Winners 2013 |
Hillington AFC fixtures so far this season:-
Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division
12th August 2017 Hillington 2 - 0 Oban Saints
2nd September 2017 St Joseph's FP 6 - 1 Hillington
9th September 2017 Motherwell Thistle 4 - 1 Hillington
21st October 2017 Hillington 2 - 5 Inverclyde
28th October 2017 Alba Thistle 6 - 4 Hillington
18th November 2017 Inverclyde 4 - 0 Hillington
2nd December 2017 East Kilbride FC Amateurs 6 - 0 Hillington
6th January 2018 Goldenhill 5 - 0 Hillington
17th February 2018 East Kilbride Rolls Royce 3 - 1 Hillington
24th February 2018 Hillington 2 - 3 Motherwell Thistle
17th March 2018 Hillington 2 - 3 Goldenhill
24th March 2018 Oban Saints v Hillington
Scottish Amateur Football League Centenary Cup
1st Round Group Section North 4
16th August 2017 Inverclyde 3 - 0 Hillington
23rd August 2017 Hillington 5 - 2 Cardross
13th January 2018 Port Glasgow 0 - 1 Hillington
12th August 2017 Hillington 2 - 0 Oban Saints
2nd September 2017 St Joseph's FP 6 - 1 Hillington
9th September 2017 Motherwell Thistle 4 - 1 Hillington
21st October 2017 Hillington 2 - 5 Inverclyde
28th October 2017 Alba Thistle 6 - 4 Hillington
18th November 2017 Inverclyde 4 - 0 Hillington
2nd December 2017 East Kilbride FC Amateurs 6 - 0 Hillington
6th January 2018 Goldenhill 5 - 0 Hillington
17th February 2018 East Kilbride Rolls Royce 3 - 1 Hillington
24th February 2018 Hillington 2 - 3 Motherwell Thistle
17th March 2018 Hillington 2 - 3 Goldenhill
24th March 2018 Oban Saints v Hillington
23rd August 2017 Hillington 5 - 2 Cardross
13th January 2018 Port Glasgow 0 - 1 Hillington
Scottish Amateur Football League Jimmy Marshall Trophy
1st Round
Bye
2nd Round
3rd February 2018 Hillington 3 - 1 Neilston
3rd February 2018 Hillington 3 - 1 Neilston
West of Scotland Amateur Cup
1st Round
Bye
2nd Round
16th September 2017 Beith 2 - 2 Hillington (4 - 2 After Extra Time)
16th September 2017 Beith 2 - 2 Hillington (4 - 2 After Extra Time)
Scottish Amateur Cup
1st Round
Bye
2nd Round
30th September 2017 Hillington 0 - 5 Syngenta
Scottish Amateur Cup
Bye
2nd Round
30th September 2017 Hillington 0 - 5 Syngenta
Action from the opening day of the season meeting at Glasgow Club Drumoyne
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| Alex Craik and Stuart Ashton |
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| Matthew Kelly |
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| Scott Caskie heads clear |
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| Alex Craik heads clear |
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| Matthew Kelly and Ross McQuilter |
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| Nathan Allan |
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| Dean Smith and Scott Caskie |
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| Scott Maitland and Steven Cunningham |
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| Gordon Phillips punches clear |
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| Craig MacEwan shapes to shoot |
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| Scott Caskie clears Willie Gemmell's corner at the front post |
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| An offside Shaun MacIver puts the ball in the Hillington net |
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| Another punched clearance from Gordon Phillips |
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| Willie Gemmell beats the Hillington wall but not keeper Phillips |
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| Fraser MacFarlane shoots into the side netting |
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