Winning In The Rain: Cup Fever Returns

Saturday 6th October 2018
The Scottish Amateur Football Association Challenge Cup Competition
Second Round
Oban Saints v St Johns
Glencruitten 2
Mossfield Avenue
Oban
PA34 4EH
Kick off 2.00pm
Referee Mr Raymond Patterson

After last weekend's enforced layoff Oban Saints return to action this Saturday afternoon with a home Scottish Amateur Cup second round tie against Perthshire Amateur Football Association Division One high fliers St Johns. Based in Perth's North Inch district, St John's currently lie in second place in Perthshire's top flight, level on points with reigning Champions Letham but with a slightly inferior goal difference.

Under the guidance of new Manager Jimmy Carle the long established St Johns club who, like Oban Saints are in their fifty ninth year, have enjoyed a major upturn in fortune and look very capable of breaking the strangle hold of perennial champions Letham and providing a credible challenge to domination of their local rivals who are aiming for a sixth successive league title success.

In a major signing coup Carle was joined at St Johns by brother Billy. In his final season at Letham, Scottish Amateur International striker Billy scored a phenomenal one hundred and twenty plus goals to cement his place as a Perthshire football legend. Oban Saints fans will recall Billy for his two goals in the sensational Scottish Amateur Cup seventh round replay at Glencruitten in March 2017 where Saints recovered from a 3 - 1 deficit to record a 4 - 3 win over the previously undefeated Letham. Significantly, but not known at the time, that day also marked the final appearance in a Saints shirt of Paul Kerr whose serious knee injury, sustained just after he had capped a typically inspirational performance by scoring the winning goal, forced an end to his career.

In his first season in charge at St Johns Carle lead his charges to runners-up spot in the league and also bagged two pieces of silverware. A thumping 7 - 0 victory over Balmoral under the floodlights at Seven Acres, just a stone's throw from St Johnstone's McDiarmid Park, brought St Johns the Perthshire Amateur Football Association League Cup. Even more impressively, in their penultimate match of the season, the North Inch men secured their first ever Perthsire Cup success with a thrilling 3 - 1 win over the mighty Letham.

Spurred on by their successes last season, St Johns have made a blistering start to the 2018-19 campaign slamming home an incredible seventy-nine goals in twelve matches. The only black mark on an otherwise perfect record is a 3 -1 home league defeat to leaders Letham which hands the early initiative to the Seven Acres men in what is already shaping up to be a very tight two horse title race.

Scottish Amateur Cup

St Johns received a bye in the first round North of Tay regional section draw for this season's Scottish Amateur Cup while in the West region Oban Saints were handed a major test with an away tie at Central Scottish Amateur Football League Gartcosh United. On an immaculately prepared Eastgate surface Saints came from a goal behind to run out eventual 3 - 2 winners to seal a place in the "all in" second round draw which saw them paired with St Johns.

Cup fever returns to Oban this Saturday and the Glencruitten faithful look set to be in line for a cracking Scottish Amateur cup tie as Oban Saints pit their 100% record so far this season against the free scoring men from The Fair City.

Linking the two clubs is one of Oban's finest football exports Jimmy McPhee. Jimmy began his career with Oban Saints in the late 1980's and was part of the Scottish Amateur Football League Division One title winning squad where he drew the attentions of leading junior club Pollock. After a lengthy and successful spell in the junior ranks McPhee, by this time working with the Royal Mail in Perth, wound down his playing days back in the amateur ranks with St Johns. Now living in England Jimmy is still an occasional visitor to Glencruitten whoever it remains to be seen whether he will make an appearance at Saturday's match.

Unlike almost every other cup competition in amateur football the Scottish Amateur Cup includes replays therefore a re-match will follow at North Inch, Perth in seven day's time if the two sides cannot be separated after ninety minutes.

In charge of proceedings is experienced Referee Raymond Patterson of the Central Scottish Amateur Football League.

St John Perthshire Amateur Football Association League Cup Winners 2017 - 18

Billy Carle

Paul Kerr

Oban Saints Scottish Amateur Football League Division One Champions 1991-92 with Jimmy McPhee front left

St Johns Fixtures so far this season:-

Scottish Amateur Cup

1st Round
Bye

2nd Round
6th October 2018 Oban Saints v St Johns

Perthshire Amateur Football Association Division One

16th August 2018 Bridge of Earn 2 - 5 St Johns
18th August 2018 Polteam 0 - 10 St Johns
21st August 2018 St Johns 9 - 0 Ballinluig
23rd August 2018 Craigie 0 - 6 St Johns
25th August 2018 St Johns 4 - 1 Luncarty ASC
1st September 2018 Breadalbane 3 - 9 St Johns
8th September 2018 St Johns 5 - 1 Vale of Earn
15th September 2018 St Johns 1 - 3 Letham
22nd September 2018 Luncarty ASC 2 - 4 St Johns

Perthshire Amateur Football Association League Cup Section 3

11th August 2018 Kettins 2 - 7 St Johns
14th August 2018 Alyth 0 - 5 St Johns

Perthshire Amateur Football Association Ashleigh Cup

1st Round
29th September 2018 St Johns 14 - 0 Polteam

St John recent Perthshire Amateur Football League finishes:-

2013-14 Division One 7th
2014-15 Division One 7th
2015-16 Division One 4th
2016-17 Division One 5th
2017-18 Division One 2nd

Oban Saints Route To The Second Round

Round One

Oban Saints renewed acquaintanceships with former Scottish Amateur Football League rivals Gartcosh United at Eastgate, Gartcosh where three goals in a scintillating six minute first half spell saw Saints progress to the second round of the Scottish Amateur Cup. Having recovered from an early Gary Pettigrew strike Saints roared into a 3 - 1 through goals from Lewis Cameron, Craig MacEwan and James Ford. Although unable to add to their tally Saints were good value for the win over their very useful Central Scottish Amateur Football League opponents despite a stoppage time counter from another old acquaintance, former Pollock striker, Steven Williams.