High School reunion for Saints
OBAN Saints’ Scottish Amateur Cup travels take them to the tail o’ the bank this Saturday afternoon where they will renew old acquaintanceships with Greenock High School Former Pupils.
Saints and the ‘High’ enjoy a healthy rivalry having crossed swords on many occasions over the years since Saints gained entry to the Scottish Amateur Football League in 1976. At that time the ‘High’, who last month held their 110th anniversary celebrations, had already been members of Scotland’s oldest surviving amateur football league for 52 years. During that golden period, the ‘High’ clinched four Division One titles, three West of Scotland Cups and two Scottish Amateur Cups.
The ‘High’ continued to gather trophies and in 2007 celebrated their centenary year by clinching their first Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division title. That league title success proved to be the ‘High’s’ final piece of Scottish Amateur Football League silverware before departing for a fresh challenge in the Central Scottish Amateur Football League after finishing runners-up to Champions Saints at the end of the 2009 - 10 season.
Entering the Central League at the bottom of the pyramid system, the ‘High’ took just two attempts to secure promotion to the Premier Division. After a creditable Division 1B fourth place finish in their debut season, the Greenock men reached the top flight by topping 2012 - 13’s Division 1A. To round off a successful season, they then bagged their first Central Scottish Amateur Football League trophy with a Division 1 play-off victory over Division 1B winners Drumchapel Amateurs to clinch the Division 1 Champions trophy.
Success on the home front was overshadowed in May 2015 by yet another major trophy to add to the High’s impressive collection. A fourth West of Scotland Amateur Cup found its way into the Greenock trophy cabinet after a thrilling final victory over Colville Park at New Douglas Park, Hamilton elevating them to third place on the all-time winners list.
After leaving the Scottish Amateur Football League, the ‘High’ continued their rivalry with Saints with a series of pre-season friendlies, the last of which was played in 2015 at the tournament to celebrate the 120th anniversary of Rhu Amateurs.
The ‘High’s’ progress to the Scottish Amateur Cup fourth round has seen them put seven without reply past Troon Dundonald of the Ayrshire Amateur Football Association First Division in round two following a first round bye. In the third round, AS Airdrie of the Strathclyde Saturday Morning Amateur Football League Premier Division proved a harder nut to crack with the ‘High’ edging out the Lanarkshire men thanks to a successfully converted first half penalty.
Saints started their Scottish Cup campaign with a 4-0 home win over Mauchline United in the first round thanks to goals from Craig MacEwan (3) and Shaun MacIver.
This was followed by a convincing 6-0 home win against Plains in round two. Donald Campbell (3), Fraser Macfarlane, Scott Maitland and Paul Carmichael were on target for the Oban side.
It took Saints two hard games to get past an impressive Falkirk side in round three, the first game ending in a 3-3 draw at Alva Academy. Donald Campbell (2) and Craig MacEwan were Saints’ scorers. The replay in Oban a week later saw Saints edge through 3-2 thanks to goals from Craig MacEwan, Willie Gemmell and Myles McAuley.
Saturday’s trip to Greenock will see Saints face the ‘High’ on their home turf for the first time since August 2009. On that particular occasion’ it was the home side who prevailed by the odd goal in three to land an early blow in what was to prove an epic league title race.
Saints gained their revenge in the reverse fixture at Glencruitten emerging 4 - 1 victors to inflict Greenock’s only defeat of the season. That result was to prove pivotal with Saints eventually pipping the ‘High’ by a single point to land their first Premier Division title.
Unlike almost every other cup competition in amateur football, the Scottish Amateur Cup includes replays therefore a re-match will follow at Glencruitten in seven days if the two sides cannot be separated after 90 minutes.