Winning In The Rain: Let's Gow

The Ramones - Blitzrieg Bop

Saturday 17th August 2019
Central Scottish Amateur Football League
Division 1B
Oban Saints v Lesmahagow

Glencruitten 2

Mossfield Avenue

Oban

Argyll

PA34 4EH

Kick Off 2.00pm
Referee Mr John Quinn

This Saturday Oban Saints faithful home support will catch the first sight of their favourites in competitive action since a Scottish Amateur Football League Jimmy Marshall Trophy second round win over Port Glasgow on 6th April.

Since that wet afternoon more than four months ago Saints have departed the familiar surroundings of the Scottish Amateur Football League for a new challenge in the Central Scottish Amateur Football League.

Joining Saints in seeking to expand their horizons in arguably the best amateur football league in the country are Saturday's visitors Lesmahagow who, after two highly successful seasons in the Sunday Airdrie and Coatbridge Amateur Football League, have decided to try their hand in Saturday afternoon football.

Excellent choice of badge by the Airdrie & Coatbridge AFL

After joining the Airdrie and Coatbridge Amateur Football League in 2017 Lesmahagow took the Sunday afternoon scene by storm winning the Billy Harkness Cup and reaching the quarter finals of the Sunday equivalent of the Scottish Amateur Cup, the Scottish Amateur Football Association Sunday Trophy.

As well as their cup success Lesmahagow also began a short lived but fiercely contested rivalry with Lanarkshire Sunday top dogs Bullfrog which would see the new boys take the title holders all the way in a Premier Division title race where the Overtown men would eventually hold off their new challengers by three points.

The Gow kicked on in their second season grabbing a three trophy haul and with it the confidence to make the step up to Saturday afternoon football. The Premier League Cup was secured with a resounding 5 - 0 victory over Coatbridge Colts at the Airdrie Stadium on 29th March before a return to the same venue three weeks later saw the Premier League Amateur Trophy added to the Lesmahagow display cabinet thanks to a narrow victory over great rivals Bullfrog.

Having reached the quarter finals of the Sunday Trophy in their debut season Lesmahagow knew they were capable of making a big impression in the Sunday game's blue riband event. Impressive wins over Broadwood Clyde, CVD, Cranhill United, Eastwood Mearns and East Kilbride United took the Gow to the quarter finals for the second time where this time they squeeze past Sunday football giants Harvester in a penalty shoot-out.

Penalty kicks were required again in the semi-final at Ochilview Park where, after a 1 - 1 draw, The Gow defeated Westside 5 - 4 in the shoot-out.

The Falkirk Stadium was the venue for the final where the all conquering Castlemilk Dynamo, en-route to an incredible five trophy clean sweep, were too strong for the Gow and ran out comfortable winners.

Lesmahagow bounced back in impressive style to secure their third trophy of an excellent season with a satisfying last day of the season victory over Bullfrog. The relentless league form of the Airdrie and Coatbride Premier League's top two sides saw the destination of the league title go down to the wire and a final game winner takes all showdown. In front of a five hundred strong crowd The Gow eased the pain of their Sunday trophy final defeat with a 7 - 4 win over their great rivals to end their short time in the Sunday game on a high.

The Gow got their Central Scottish Amateur Football League Division 1B campaign underway last Saturday with a narrow 1 - 0 away defeat at the hands of Blantyre RGM who have been knocking on the door for promotion to the Premier Division for the past two seasons.

The visitors from Lesmahagow will provide a very stiff test for Saints as both sides go all out to make their mark in new league surroundings.Taking charge of this Saturday's 2pm home curtain raiser at Glencruitten is Mr John Quinn.