Winning In The Rain: Thorn Return

Saturday 19th January 2019
West of Scotland Amateur Cup
4th Round
Oban Saints v Thorn Athletic
Glencruitten 2
Mossfield Avenue
Oban
Argyll
PA34 4EH
Kick Off 1.15pm
Referee Mr Michael Kerr

After the bitter disappointment of last Saturday's Scottish Amateur Cup exit at the hands of Rothie Rovers Saints face arguably their biggest test of the season so far when they welcome Caledonain League Premier Division table toppers Thorn Athletic to Glencruitten this Saturday in the West of Scotland Amateur Cup.

It is almost four years since Saints and old advesaries Thorn last locked horns but players, officials and supporters on both sides will still recall with fondness the epic struggles played out during Thorn's Scottish Amateur Football League days. No quarter was ever asked or given as the two ambitious sides put their healthy mutual respect to one side and battled for silverware and in particular, what was to prove elusive for Thorn, the Premier Division title.

In season 2014/15, their last in the Scottish Amateur Football League, Thorn finally gained the upper hand on keen rivals Saints but were cruelly denied a deserved Premier Division crown by a points deduction for an administrative error which handed the title to St Joseph's FP on goal difference.

The sanction imposed by the Scottish Amateur Football League most probably served to hasten Thorn's departure for the Caledonian League where they have flourished into title contenders in one of the top amateur leagues in the country.

Thorn made an instant impact in their first season in the Caledonian League clinching the First Division title to claim their first silverware since the 2009/10 Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division One and Jimmy Marshall Trophy double.

League

Now firmly established in the top flight of the Caledonian League Thorn are pushing hard to better last season's runners-up position behind Dumbarton Academy FP and currently sit proudly on top of the Premier Division with twenty eight points from their opening eleven fixtures. Only Giffnock North and Milton during the first few weeks of the league season have managed to take points from Thorn who look to be serious contenders for the highly prized Caledonian League crown.

Domestic Cups

After romping through the group stages of the Douglas Smith League Cup, and knocking out reigning Premier Division Champions Dumbarton Academy FP in the quarter finals, Thorn finally succumbed in the semi finals to Giffnock North who will face East Kilbride YM in the final.

In the William Turner Challenge Cup Thorn have a home tie against Rothesay Brandane to look forward to after edging past FC Dalriata in the first round.

Scottish Amateur Cup

Thorn's involvement in this seaon's national cup competition proved to be short lived when they exited at the first round stage after an epic struggle with fellow Caledonian League side Cambria. After a goalless draw at home the Johnstone men lost out in the replay by the odd goal in five in a see-saw match at Stepps.

West of Scotland Amateur Cup

Thorn were drawn at home in the first round against FC Dalriata of Caledonian League Division 1A where five goals without reply saw them safely through to round two.

The second round would prove to be somewhat of a canter for the Johnstone men against near neighbours Erskine United. The recently formed Greater Glasgow Premier Amateur Football League Division Three strugglers were no match for the considerably more experienced Thorn who almost ran out of fingers and toes to keep track of the final 18 - 0 scoreline.

A third successive home draw saw another newly formed side visit Thorn's McMaster Sports Centre in the third round. Strathclyde Saturday Morning Amateur Football League Division One promotion chasers Royalle Madrid succeeded where the previous two opponents had failed in finding the Thorn net, however at the other end they couldn't blunt Thorn's potent strike force which rattled in seven goals to bring their tally to thirty in the three rounds so far.

Saturday's match at Glencruitten will be a major test for Saints and looks set to provide another entertaining afternoon of cup football for the Glencruitten faithful who will be joined by a large travelling support from Johnstone. The tie must be played to a finish on the day with extra-time and penalty kicks coming into play to decide the winner if the two sides cannot be separated after ninety minutes. Taking charge of proceedings is experienced Referee Michael Kerr of the Central Scottish Amateur Football League.

Craig McGlone heads home a Paul Young corner in Thorn's 3 - 2 victory at Glencruitten on 11th April 2015

Thorn Athletic's results so far this season:-

Caledonian League Premier Division

22nd August 2018 Thorn Athletic 1 - 3 Giffnock North
25th August 2018 Finnart 1 - 5 Thorn Athletic
29th August 2018 Thorn Athletic 3 - 2 Strathclyde University
22nd September 2018 Milton 1 - 1 Thorn Athletic
13th October 2018 Glasgow Harp 0 - 5 Thorn Athletic
27th October 2018 Dalziel HSFP 0 - 3 Thorn Athletic
3rd November 2018 Thorn Athletic 2 - 1 Finnart
10th November 2018 Cambria 0 - 2 Thorn Athletic
8th December 2018 Strathclyde University 1 - 2 Thorn Athletic
5th January 2019 Stenhousemuir Community 0 - 5 Thorn Athletic
12th January 2019 Dumbarton Academy FP 0 - 1 Thorn Athletic

Caledonian League Douglas Smith League Cup

First Round Group Stage

Group H
11th August 2018 Kilsyth 1 - 5 Thorn Athletic
15th August 2018 Weirs Recreation 0 - 5 Thorn Athletic
18th August 2018 Thorn Athletic 4 - 2 Strathclyde University

Quarter Final
29th September 2018 Dumbarton Academy FP 1 - 3 Thorn Athletic

Semi Final
24th November 2018 Giffnock North 2 - 0 Thorn Athletic

Caledonian League William Turner Challenge Cup

First Round
16th October 2018 FC Dalriata 1 - 2 Thorn Athletic

Second Round
Date to be confirmed Thorn Athletic v Rothesay Brandane

West of Scotland Amateur Cup

First Round
15th September 2018 Thorn Athletic 5 - 0 FC Dalriata

Second Round
2nd October 2018 Thorn Athletic 18 - 0 Erskine United

Third Round
17th November 2018 Thorn Athletic 7 - 1 Royalle Madrid

Fourth Round
19th January 2019 Oban Saints v Thorn Athletic

Scottish Amateur Cup

First Round
1st September 2018 Thorn Athletic 0 - 0 Cambria

First Round Replay
8th September 2018 Cambria 3 - 2 Thorn Athletic

Thorn Athletic Caledonian League Division One Champions 2015-16

Oban Saints Route to the Third Round of the West of Scotland Cup

Round One

Saints were scheduled to play Rannoch at Glencruitten in round one however the Greater Glasgow Premier Amateur Football League Division Three outfit elected not to fulfill the fixture handing the tie to Saints by way of a walkover.

Round Two

Round two saw Saints travel to the Toryglen Regional Football Centre in the shadow of Hampden Park to face Uddingston of the Strathclyde Saturday Morning Amateur Football League. Flying high with a 100% record in Championship A hosts Uddingston would provide their Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division opponents with a tough test.

Craig MacEwan beat the Uddingston offside trap to open the scoring in the seventh minute deftly lobbing the keeper after being put through by a well weighted Daniel Croarkin pass. Ronan Hughes equalised for the hosts from the penalty spot on the half hour mark after Ruaridh Horne was penalised for barging into Brian McLeod after hesitation in the Saints defence. Parity however lasted for just five minutes when Lewis Cameron caught out keeper Kieran Muldoon at his near post with a smart finish to restore the Saints lead.

Uddingston showed just why they are favourites for a second successive league championship with a much improved second half performance which kept Saints pinned back in their own half for the most part. Despite Uddingston's domination of possession Saints defended well and looked set to the keep the hosts at bay until an eighty ninth minute wonder strike levelled the scoring for a second time. Craig MacEwan's clearing header from a corner kick from the Uddingston right fell invitingly for second half substitute Paul Cassidy who slammed a thirty yard rocket through a ruck of bodies which Graham Douglas got both hands too but could only help into the net.

Saints last visit to Toryglen, a 2015-16 Scottish Amateur Football League Jimmy Marshall Trophy quarter-final against Kings Park Rangers, ended in a penalty shoot-out victory however thankfully on this occasion there was to be no requirement for a similarly nerve wracking decider.

Lewis Cameron won an eleventh minute free-kick thirty two yards from goal. With Saints having failed to pose much of a threat with their earlier set-pieces Donald Campbell finally produced a piece a magic lifting the ball over the Uddingston wall for the well timed run of Craig MacEwan who deftly glanced the ball past Kieran Muldoon's left hand to put Saints ahead for a third time.

Saints rounded off the scoring in the twenty first minute of extra-time when Kerr Newbigging sent Craig MacEwan in behind the Uddingston defence wide on the left. MacEwan took the ball to the bye-line and sent a looping cross to the back post for Donald Campbell to cushion a close range finish into the net and at last put some daylight between the two sides and seal victory for the visitors.

Round Three

Saints were made to dig deep to book their place in the fourth round of the West of Scotland Amateur Cup at a windswept Kilsyth Sports Field on Saturday 17th November. Well organised hosts Kilsyth Community FC Amateurs, who are flying high in Division 1A of the Caledonian League, successfully kept Saints at bay for almost an hour before a deflected Craig MacEwan shot finally turned the tie in Saints favour. Kilsyth front pairing of Peter Gribbin and Jack Williamson remained a constant threat throughout before close range efforts from Matthew Kelly and David Beaton finally made the tie safe for Saints.

Oban Saints 2017-18 West of Scotland Amateur Cup campaign so far:-

1st Round
15th September 2018 Oban Saints v Rannoch (Walkover to Saints)