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| The late, great Pete Shelley whose time sadly was also up last week. Rest In Peace Pete |
Saturday 15th December 2018
The Scottish Amateur Football Association Challenge Cup Competition
Fourth Round
Oban Saints v East Kilbride Thistle
Glencruitten 2
Mossfield Avenue
Oban
Argyll
PA34 4EH
Kick off 2.00pm
Referee Mr Paul Elliot
For the second consecutive Saturday a waterlogged pitch at the Murray, East Kilbride forced the postponement of last weekend's scheduled Scottish Amateur Cup fourth round clash between East Kilbride Thistle and Oban Saints. Following a recent review of the competition rules Saints now become the first beneficiaries of a revision to rule 8 which now requires just two postponements before a tie can be reversed where previously three were required.
Saints opponents come under the umbrella of Scottish Junior Football Association West Region League One club East Kilbride Thistle who added the amateur side to their ranks four years ago. Joining the Strathclyde Saturday Morning Amateur Football League for the 2015 - 16 season Thistle made an instant impact gaining promotion to Division 1B after narrowly missing out on the Second Division crown to Champions Westercommon.
The newly formed club's first silverware arrived in just their second full season when they edged out Holytown Colts and Port Glasgow United by a single point to clinch the Division 1B trophy and with it promotion to the Premier Division.
Season 2017 - 18 saw Thistle consolidate their new position in the top flight with a mid-table finish while adding the Strathclyde Saturday Morning Amateur Football League Chairman's Cup to their trophy cabinet after a thrilling 4 - 3 extra-time victory over Windlaw at New Tinto Park, Govan.
This season the Jags aim will be to improve their position in the final league standings where they again sit mid table. League big guns East Dunbartonshire and UB United look set to battle it out for the Premier Division trophy, however a draw for Thistle against reigning Champions Tynecastle coupled with wins over Glasgow South, AFC Ravenscraig and Westercommon Star gives the East Kilbride men a fighting chance of a top half finish.
Domestic Cups
The Jags have so far failed to make an impact in any of this season's domestic cup competitions exiting both the Champions Cup and the Strathclyde Cup at the first round stage. After a 2 - 2 draw a penalty shoot-out defeat at the hands of Paisley based Barony of Blackhall ended Thistle's interest in the Strathclyde Cup last month. Back in August it was familiar foes Westercommon Star who came out on top after an eight goal thriller at Petershill. Star would go on to claim the scalp of last season's West of Scotland Cup runners-up UB United in the semi-final before edging out the mighty Tynecastle by the odd goal in five in the final.
Scottish Amateur Cup
Thistle began their Scottish Amateur Cup campaign with local derby against Claremont of Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division One. After going in level at the break the Jags had to come from behind on the 3G at Hamilton Palace to edge out their hosts by three goals to two.
In the second round Thistle had home advantage for the visit of Greater Glasgow Premier Amateur Football League Division Two strugglers Helensburgh. The men from Argyll's struggles continued when they were routed 6 - 1 at Ballerup as the Jags recorded their biggest win of the season so far.
The third round draw saw Thistle paired with fellow Saturday morning side Braehead of the Glasgow and District Saturday Morning Football League Premier Division. Both clubs were delighted to stick with their customary 10 am kick off at Drumoyne, in the shadow of Glasgow's new Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, where the East Kilbride men saw off the challenge of their Renfrew based opponents by four goals to two.
Bounce Back
Oban Saints winning start to the season came to an end in their last outing at Glencruitten when Premier Division leaders St Joseph's FP edged out their hosts by the narrowest of margins. A solitary second half David Gallagher glancing header was all that could separate the old Scottish Amateur Football League rivals who fought out an even contest in front of a large crowd of well entertained spectators.
The Saints Management duo of Donald Campbell and Willie Gemmell will be looking for a positive reaction from their charges whom they hope will bounce back immediately from their league set-back and keep their Scottish Amateur Cup hopes alive until after the Christmas and New Year fixture shutdown.
Unlike almost every other cup competition in amateur football the Scottish Amateur Cup includes replays therefore a re-match will follow in East Kilbride on 5th January if the two sides cannot be separated after ninety minutes.
In the fifth round the victors will be faced with the long journey to Rothienorman, deep in the Aberdeenshire countryside, to face Rothie Rovers of the Aberdeenshire Amateur Football Association Premier Division, the most northerly club left in the competition.
In charge of Saturday's proceedings is experienced Referee Thomas Gilchrist of the Caledonian League.
East Kilbride Thistle's results so far this season:-
Strathclyde Saturday Morning Amateur Football League Premier Division
14th August 2018 East Kilbride Thistle 3 - 2 Blochairn Star
18th August 2018 Blochairn Star 3 - 4 East Kilbride Thistle
25th August 2018 East Kilbride Thistle 4 - 3 Glasgow South
8th September 2018 East Kilbride Thistle 0 - 3 East Dunbartonshire
15th September 2018 East Kilbride Thistle 3 - 0 AFC Ravenscraig
29th September 2018 Westercommon Star 3 - 5 East Kilbride Thistle
13th October 2018 Shawbridge 1 - 0 East Kilbride Thistle
10th November 2018 East Kilbride Thistle 1 - 1 Tynecastle
17th November 2018 East Kilbride Thistle 1 - 3 Bengal Lancers
Strathclyde Saturday Morning Amateur Football League Champion's Cup
First Round
21st August 2018 Westercommon Star 5 - 3 East Kilbride Thistle
Strathclyde Saturday Morning Amateur Football League Cup Qualifying Sections
Group 10
9th August 2018 Springhall Spartans 1 - 1 East Kilbride Thistle
11th August 2018 East Kilbride Thistle 3 - 2 Uddingston
Strathclyde Saturday Morning Amateur Football League Strathclyde Cup
First Round
24th November 2018 East Kilbride Thistle 2 - 2 Barony of Blackhall
Barony of Blackhall win 4 - 2 on penalty kicks
Scottish Amateur Cup
First Round
1st September 2018 Claremont 2 - 3 East Kilbride Thistle
Second Round
6th October 2018 East Kilbride Thistle 6 - 1 Helensburgh
Third Round
3rd November 2018 Braehead 2 - 4 East Kilbride Thistle
Fourth Round
1st December 2018 East Kilbride Thistle v Oban Saints
East Kilbride Thistle's Strathclyde Saturday Morning Amateur Football League Finishes:-
2015-16 Second Division 2nd (Promoted)
2016-17 Division 1B Champions (Promoted)
2017-18 Premier Division 8th and Chairman's Cup Winners
Oban Saints Route To The Fourth Round
Round One
Oban Saints renewed acquaintances 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.
Round Two
Round two saw Saints drawn at home against Perthshire Amateur Football Association Division One title chasers St Johns. The visitors had made a blistering start to the 2018-19 campaign slamming home an incredible seventy-nine goals in twelve matches and, with the only black mark on their otherwise perfect record being a 3 -1 home league defeat to reigning champions Letham, an exciting cup tie looked to be in prospect for the Glencruitten faithful. Unfortunately injuries and holiday commitments left the visitors short of some key players giving Saints a far more straight forward afternoon than they might reasonably have anticipated.
A brace from James Ford set Saints on their way to a five goal half-time lead with two own goals and a Donald Campbell strike putting Saints on easy street.
Perhaps understandably given their five goal cushion, Saints were slow out the blocks for the second half and gave the visitors a glimmer of hope when Mark McNiven knocked home from close range in the sixty second minute. Any hopes of a comeback for St Johns were extinguished just three minutes later when Lewis Cameron restored Saints five goal advantage. Second half substitute Fraser MacFarlane added a seventh before Craig MacEwan beat the overworked Ryan Stewart in the St Johns goal with a twenty five yard free-kick. Leading goal scorer Lewis Cameron saved the best until last with the pick of the bunch in the eighty second minute expertly taking down a Dougal Graham cross from the left before turning away from Craig Rattray and lashing the ball into the net for what would prove to be the final goal of the match.
Round Three
A hat-trick from leading goalscorer Lewis Cameron saw Oban Saints safely through to the fourth round of the Scottish Amateur Cup at a windswept Forfar Community Campus on Saturday 3rd November. Despite not firing on all cylinders Saints had more than enough in their armoury to see off the challenge of their Midlands Amateur Football Association Premier Division opponents.
Thankfully the heavy rain which had followed Saints for most of the long journey from the west coast disappeared by the time the travelling party had reached Angus however there was still a strong wind to contend with which made life difficult for both sets of players.
David Beaton's strong run through the middle in the twentieth minute earned Saints a free-kick in a dangerous area when Dean Fletcher's challenge from behind sent the wee man crashing to the ground. Lewis Cameron staked his claim to Willie Gemmell's free-kick expert throne with a viciously dipping effort from twenty two yards which left the Lowson keeper clawing at thin air and gave Saints a deserved lead.
Despite having the upper hand Saints failed to increase their lead and were rocked early in the second half when the hosts equalised from deep inside their own half from a position of seemingly no danger. Left fullback Mark Godfrey launched a wind assisted throw-in one yard from the touchline almost to the halfway line. Liam Hely hooked a diagonal ball over the head of Scott Maitland allowing Rory Crighton to race in behind and fire an unstoppable shot across Graham Douglas and into the corner of the net.
With the wind at their backs this should have been the cue for the home side to seize the initiative however it was Saints who showed the greater resolve and kicked on to record their tenth successive victory of what has been a satisfying start to the season.
Saints regained the lead in the seventy first minute with Scott Maitland providing the assist to make up for his earlier indiscretion for the Lowson equaliser. After making an excellent driving run up the left, Maitland hit the touchline and cutback perfectly for Lewis Cameron arriving at the near post to knock home from four yards.
Straight from the restart Saints stormed forward on the left once again and Donald Campbell was unfortunate to see a delicate chip from the corner of the eighteen yard box clip the outside of Fraser Reid's left hand post and bounce behind for goal kick.
Saints had their tails up now and put some daylight between themselves and their hosts in the seventy fifth minute. James Ford and Matthew Kelly combined well to tee-up Lewis Cameron for a shot from the left of the Lowson penalty area which flew across Fraser Reid and into the bottom corner to seal a first hat-trick of the season for Saints leading goalscorer.
Oban Saints 2018 - 19 Scottish Amateur Cup Campaign
1st Round
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