East is East

 

 



Saturday 30th November 2013

Foster's Scottish Amateur Cup 4th Round

Oban Saints AFC -v- Ellon Amateurs

Glencruitten 2, Oban. Kick off 2pm

Referee - Mr Allan Loch

 

Saints had yet another blank weekend last week, this time due to the withdrawal of Shawlands FP from the Jimmy Marshall Cup. Saints therefore progress to the second round by virtue of a walkover.

 

 

 

East is East

 

 

 

 

 

This Saturday will see Saints continue their Scottish Amateur Cup campaign with a home tie against Ellon Amateurs of the Aberdeenshire Amateur Football Association Division One (East). The town of Ellon lies on the river Ythan approximately sixteen miles north of Aberdeen, roughly half way between Aberdeen and Peterhead.

 

 

Ellon Amateurs 2010

 

 

Ellon Amateurs (not to be confused with Ellon Thistle) play their home fixtures at the Meadows Sports Centre, Ellon. They are currently in fourth place in the league having amassed seventeen points from their opening seven games, winning five and drawing two.

 

Despite their good league form Ellon have already exited all of their regional and league cup competitions with the exception of one league cup which has yet to commence. Their passage to the Scottish Cup fourth round includes the scalps of two Aberdeenshire Premier Division sides and an away win at Jimmy Johnstone Academy of the Glasgow Colleges Amateur Football Association.

 

Ellon Amateurs' passage to the fourth round:-

 

Round 1 - Ellon Amateurs 4 - 0 Rattrays XI

Round 2 - Ellon Amateurs 2 - 1 Alford

Round 3 - Jimmy Johnstone Academy 3 - 4 Ellon Amateurs

 

 

 

Ellon have featured in both North and East sections of the Aberdeenshire Amateur Football League

 

 

Ellon Amateurs in the Aberdeenshire AFA:-

 

2007/08 Division Two (East) 14th (of 15) Relegated

2008/09 Division Three 2nd Promoted

2009/10 Division Two (East) Champions Promoted

2010/11 Division One (East) 8th (of 14)

2011/12 Division One (North) 11th (of 14)

2012/13 Division One (North) 6th (of 13)

 

 

A reminder of Saints progress to the fourth round:-

 

Round 1 - Bye

Round 2 - Oban Saints 3 - 3 Independent

Round 2 Replay Independent 2 - 8 Oban Saints

Round 3 Oban Saints 6 - 1 Rosyth

 

 

 

Craig MacEwan and Allan MacKay celebrate Allan's goal in the 3 - 3 draw with Independent

 

 

 

 

Marc MacCallum's rampaging run ends with him being brought down for a penalty in Saints 6 - 1 win over Rosyth

 

 

Ellon's famous sons and daughters:-

 

 

 

 

 

 

World renowned percussionist Evelyn Glennie

 

 

 

 

Scottish International and former Arsenal Ladies player Natalie Ross

 

 

On Sunday 1st December Saints players Marc MacCallum, Donald Campbell and Lewis Cameron will join up with the Scottish Amateur Football League Select to play the Scottish Amateur Football Association Select at Colville Park Country Club. The very best of luck to boys!

 

#monthesaints 















Wandering Free

Saturday 16th November 2013
Foster's Scottish Amateur Cup Third Round
Oban Saints AFC -v- Rosyth FC
Glencruitten 2, Oban
Kick off 2pm
Referee Mr Derek Park

Last Saturday's scheduled Scottish Amateur Cup tie against Rosyth was postponed due to the Rosyth manager being involved in a road traffic accident. Happily he wasn't too badly injured and the match has been rescheduled for this Saturday. The winners of this match have been drawn at home in the fourth round to the winners of the Jimmy Johnstone Academy AFC versus Ellon AFC third round tie which is also due to be played this Saturday having been postponed last week.

As if two weekends without a match wasn't bad enough, Saints were dealt a further blow when SAFL Select squad member Willie Gemmell announced his immediate departure from the Club to sign for Highland League perennial strugglers Fort William. Willie's talents in midfield and defence will be sorely missed, as will his long throw and dead ball prowess.

Another deadly free kick from the recently departed Willie Gemmell

The disappointing news that Willie Gemmell has joined former Club Captain Keith Millar in succumbing to the lure of the Highland League has been tempered by the return of veteran Jamie Graham. A Saints man through and through, Jamie has had no hesitation in swapping his carpet slippers for football boots to bolster the squad for this season and his looking forward to resuming his defensive partnership with young Alex Craik.

 

Jamie Graham gets the boots back on

On their most recent league excursion Saints endured a 200 mile round trip for nothing more than a pitch inspection at a waterlogged Peter Brownlie Park in Cambuslang where they were due to play Castlemilk in the SAFL Premier Division. Despite the players having packed their scuba diving gear the referee deemed the pitch unplayable and the Saints contingent returned home somewhat earlier than originally anticipated.

Heavy going

Saints resume their Scottish Amateur Cup campaign this weekend with a home tie against Fife Amateur Football Association Premier Division side Rosyth. Saints entered this season's competition at the second round stage where they were drawn at home against Stirling and District League Division One outfit Independent. With the match at Glencruitten ending in a 3 - 3 draw a replay was required to separate the sides which Saints won comfortably by eight goals to two.

 

No more wandering for Rosyth

 

 

Saturday's opponents were founded in 1998 as Rosyth Wanderers but have been re-branded this season as Rosyth F.C. The Wanderers started their football existence in the Dunfermline and District Sunday Welfare League where they remained until 2003 before leaving to join the Fife Amateur Football Association in League Division Two. Promotion to Division One came by virtue of a second place finish in season 2009 - 10. Wanderers narrowly missed out on promotion to the Premier Division in season 2011 - 12 and again last season. However a slight league re-organisation has allowed them to kick off their new existence in the Premier Division.

 

 

 

 

Rosyth have found life difficult in the top flight and currently sit third from bottom of the league with three points from four games.

 

Rosyth's league season so far:-

 

17th August Dysart 1 - 3 Rosyth

21st September Rosyth 0 - 3 St Andrews Amateurs

5th October Pittenweem Rovers 3 - 0 Rosyth

26th October Rosyth 0 - 2 Burntisland United

 

Rosyth's Scottish Cup campaign so far:-

 

1st Round 28th September Rosyth 5 - 2 Riverside

2nd Round 12th October Carronshore Athletic 1 - 2 Rosyth

 

 

Saints recent Scottish Cup pedigree should make them favourites to progress to the fourth round. Hopefully the memory of the mad thirteen second half minutes against Independent where Saints threw away a three goal lead will be fresh enough in the players' mind's to guard against any complacency.

 

 

 

 

 Rosyth Public Park commonly known as San Siro home of Rosyth FC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Stadio Guiseppe Meazza, Milano also commonly known as San Siro

 

 

 

 

 

Wandering since 1958

 

 

#monthesaints

Milk Round

Saturday 2nd November 2013
Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division
Castlemilk AFC -v- Oban Saints AFC
Peter Brownlie Park, Westburn Road, Cambuslang, Glasgow G72 7LQ
Kick Off 2pm
Referee Mr Michael Auld

With their passage to the third round of the Scottish Amateur Cup having been safely secured by virtue of last Saturday's resounding 8 - 2 victory at Independent, Saints return to league duty this Saturday with a trip to Cambuslang to face Castlemilk AFC.

Saints remain unbeaten in the league having won four and drawn three of their seven matches so far which puts them in second place on fifteen points just one point behind league leaders Finnart.

Saturday's opponents "The Milk" are currently in eighth place with six points from five games, their only defeat having come at the hands of high flying Finnart.

Castlemilk's league fixtures thus far:-

17th August Castlemilk 3 - 3 Haldane United
21st August Kilbowie Union 4 - 4 Castlemilk
24th August St Joseph's 3 - 3 Castlemilk
31st August Castlemilk 3 - 0 Inverclyde
5th October Castlemilk 2 - 6 Finnart

"The Milk" have also progressed to the final of the Centenary Cup, a run which included penalty shoot out victories over Finnart and Haldane United. They will face St Joseph's in the final on 13th November which should be an excellent match to be played at the home of Maryhill Juniors.

Castlemilk's recent record in the SAFL:-

2006/07 Division One A Undefeated Champions Promoted
2007/08 Premier Division Two 2nd Promoted
2008/09 Premier Division One Champions Promoted
2009/10 Premier Division 8th 17 points
2010/11 Premier Division 4th 23 points
2011/12 Premier Division 5th 29 points
2012/13 Premier Division 4th 31 points

"The Milk" have made steady year on year improvement in the top flight and must be considered as serious contenders for the league title this season.

The Milkmen

League meetings between the clubs:-

2009/10
Oban Saints 4 - 0 Castlemilk
Castlemilk 1 - 4 Oban Saints

2010/11
Castlemilk 0 - 4 Oban Saints
Oban Saints 2 - 1 Castlemilk

2011/12
Oban Saints 3 - 2 Castlemilk
Castlemilk 0 - 1 Oban Saints

2012/13
Oban Saints 1 - 0 Castlemilk
Castlemilk 2 - 1 Oban Saints

Saints have enjoyed an excellent record against The Milk the only blemish being the 2 -1 away defeat towards the end of last season where the rapidly running out of steam Saints were well beaten by a resurgent Castlemilk side.

This is another tough match for Saints and they will have to be at their best to keep their unbeaten record intact.

 Some other Milkmen:-

Bulgarian favourite

50% 75% 90% of the Two Ronnies

Driver of the fastest milk cart in the West

Has a few confessions

Some other comedian

 

Two pints, there you go

 

 

 

And Monty Python's cautionary tale:-

 





 

Tempting

 

Tempted

 

Following

 

 

 

Locked in the bedroom..................................





.....................................................with this lot!

 

 

 

#monthesaints

Saints Go Up The Brig

 

The Scottish Amateur Cup

 

Saturday 26th October 2013

Independent AFC v Oban Saints AFC

Foster's Scottish Amateur Cup 2nd Round Replay

St Ambrose High School 3G

65 Townhead Road

Coatbridge ML5 2HT

Kick off 3pm

Referee - Mr James Moore

 

 

 

Legendary football historian, author and broadcaster Bob Crampsey was a former Head Master of St Ambrose High School

 

 

Independent AFC

 

 

Thanks to a calamitous 13 minute second half spell during which they threw away a three goal lead for the second time this season, Saints head for Coatbridge on Saturday to replay their Foster's Scottish Amateur Cup second round tie with Independent AFC. Taking nothing away from Independent's spirited fight back, Saints were excellent value for their three goal lead in the first match and should have been able to see out the game quite comfortably. Even after Independent had equalised Saints had chances to finish off the tie with Allan MacKay and Craig MacEwan coming close with headers and Willie Gemmell curling a free kick over the cross bar.

 

 

Willie Gemmell curls a late free kick marginally over the bar

 

All three of Independent's goals were attributable to defensive errors reminiscent of the second half collapse against Haldane United earlier this season. Those blips aside the Saints defence has been solid this season conceding just seven goals in seven league outings giving the midfield and forwards an excellent platform to build on. A tough match is in store on Saturday but a fully focussed Saints side should be good enough to progress to the third round. A home tie against Rosyth of the Fife Amateur Football Association Premier Division awaits the winners.

 

 

Some pictures from last Saturday:-

 

 

Allan MacKay puts Saints 2 - 0 up in the 29th minute

 

 



 

Saints goal scorers Craig MacEwan, Donald Campbell and Allan MacKay

 

 

 

Despite the rain elsewhere the match was played in excellent conditions

 

 

 

To be avoided if Saints hope to progress to the third round:-

 

 



 



 

 

 

#monthesaints

The Coatbridge Independents

Saturday 19th October 2013
Foster's Scottish Amateur Cup Second Round
Oban Saints AFC v Independent AFC
Glencruitten, Oban Kick off 2pm
Referee Mr G. Yuille

Saints versus Alba Thistle was the only fixture played in the Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division last weekend and Saints took full advantage of the late change from cup to league duty. A two goals to nil victory over the Premier Division newcomers lifted Saints to the top of the league for the first time this season. An added bonus for Saints was having another league fixture successfully completed before the distraction of the cup competitions and the inevitable fixture disruption of winter match postponements.

Independent AFC celebrate winning the 2013 Robertson Cup

 

 

Saturday's visitors to Glencruitten are Independent AFC from Coatbridge. Independent play in the Stirling and District Amateur Football League Division One and currently sit in 7th place in what is the second tier of that particular league set up.

 

Independent's league season so far:-

 

21st September Independent 2 - 2 Milton

28th September Tillicoutry 3 - 2 Independent

12th October Independent 2 - 3 Drumpellier

 

A mixed start but Independent do already have some silverware in the trophy cabinet this season having defeated Fallin by five goals to three in the Robertson Division One League Cup Final last month.

Independent have made rapid progress in their short time in the Stirling and District Amateur Football League.

2011/12 Division Three Champions Promoted
2012/13 Division Two 2nd Promoted

Independent progressed to the second round of this season's Foster's Scottish Amateur Cup by defeating Thorn Athletic's Paisley and District League side by three goals to one in Johnstone. This Thorn team (not to be confused with their SAFL side) currently sit bottom of Division Three of the Paisley and District League with just one point from a possible twelve.

Saints come into this fixture not only in good league form but with a very respectable Scottish Cup pedigree.

Saints recent Scottish Amateur Cup record:-

2006/07 Quarter Finals lost 3 - 0 away to eventual losing finalists Cupar Hearts
2007/08 Second Round lost 2 - 1 away to Harestanes
2008/09 Quarter Finals lost 5 - 1 away to 2010 winners Eddlewood
2009/10 Fifth Round lost 4 - 2 away to Falkirk
2010/11 Second Round lost 5 - 2 away to Arthurlie
2011/12 Sixth Round lost 5 - 2 away to Cambusbarron
2012/13 Seventh Round lost home replay 3 - 1 to eventual losing finalists Colville Park after an away 2 - 2 draw.

Saints will be hoping for another extended run in the premier cup competition,described by some as the Holy Grail of amateur football, and looking forward to pitting their wits against some of the top amateur teams in the country.

Some other independents you may or may not have heard of:-

 

Club Atletico Independiente de Argentina

We'll all live off the oil and the whisky bye and bye. Free heavy beer. Pie suppers in the sky!

 

 

 

 

AND NOT FORGETTING..............................

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#monthesaints