South Challenge Cup - 2014-15

[HibeeJibee]

Biggest tournament in Senior non-league football gets going next Saturday with many interesting ties, as clubs start on the road to the season finale showpiece on May 23rd. Always appealled to me, usually a good 'barometer' of the strength of various leagues/divisions.

Peebles return from their year's ban, and it's BSCG's first-ever cup-tie, v SOS leaders Lochar.

Favourites?

Surprise packages?

Shocks?

Lowland League

EOS Premier Division

EOS First Division

SOS League

Amateur

Saturday 25th October 2014

South & West Zone, First Round
Creetown v Nithsdale Wanderers
BSC Glasgow v Lochar Thistle
Dalbeattie Star v Crichton
Fleet Star v Glasgow University

North & East Zone, First Round
Gala Fairydean Rovers v Heriot-Watt University
Preston Athletic v University of Stirling
Craigroyston v Vale of Leithen
Peebles Rovers v Kelso United
Edinburgh University v Selkirk
Coldstream v Leith Athletic
Spartans v Burntisland Shipyard
Easthouses Lily MW v Edinburgh City

[Grim O'Grady]

I think Burntisland will be well up for revenge after our last Cup meeting but I also think this will be more of an opportunity for the guys who are not getting all the 1st team glory to start, wish Danny & Moose had stayed around a wee while longer.

Grimbo

[happy gilmore]

I think Burntisland will be well up for revenge after our last Cup meeting but I also think this will be more of an opportunity for the guys who are not getting all the 1st team glory to start, wish Danny & Moose had stayed around a wee while longer.

Grimbo

why would they want to wait around to play against burntisland and teams like that?

[tamthebam]

for the honour of wearing the mighty Spartans shirt. Edinburgh's third team with their army of 1000 fans and all that...

there might be a shock at Easthouses.....

...it might not be blowing a 100 mph hoolie up there...

damn ground's round here somewhere....

[newcastle broon]

Biggest tournament in Senior non-league football gets going next Saturday with many interesting ties, as clubs start on the road to the season finale showpiece on May 23rd. Always appealled to me, usually a good 'barometer' of the strength of various leagues/divisions. Peebles return from their year's ban, and it's BSCG's first-ever cup-tie, v SOS leaders Lochar. Favourites? Surprise packages? Shocks? Lowland LeagueEOS Premier DivisionEOS First DivisionSOS LeagueAmateur Saturday 25th October 2014 South & West Zone, First RoundCreetown v Nithsdale WanderersBSC Glasgow v Lochar ThistleDalbeattie Star v CrichtonFleet Star v Glasgow University North & East Zone, First RoundGala Fairydean Rovers v Heriot-Watt UniversityPreston Athletic v University of StirlingCraigroyston v Vale of LeithenPeebles Rovers v Kelso UnitedEdinburgh University v SelkirkColdstream v Leith AthleticSpartans v Burntisland ShipyardEasthouses Lily MW v Edinburgh City

Said it before hj but not very convincing to be the biggest trophy in senior non league football when 1st few rounds regionalized ???

Surely the powers that be should be looking into getting it all in from the start if its to be the biggest ?

[Tango Man]

Said it before hj but not very convincing to be the biggest trophy in senior non league football when 1st few rounds regionalized ???

Surely the powers that be should be looking into getting it all in from the start if its to be the biggest ?

No sponsor either!

[Grim O'Grady]

why would they want to wait around to play against burntisland and teams like that?

What Tam said

for the honour of wearing the mighty Spartans shirt. Edinburgh's third team with their army of 1000 fans and all that...

But without the sarcasm for starters, there's nowt wrong playing Burntisland & the likes of them, they've got as much right to play in this competition as everyone else. The other point being is that staying around would mean they would play in these fixtures & keeping themselves match fit. What if we get a series of injuries, suspensions, stag do's, holidays, weddings, over Christmas & Easter, where will we be then when we need the squad players eh?

the answer is just above e-City btw.

Grimbo

[happy gilmore]

What Tam said

But without the sarcasm for starters, there's nowt wrong playing Burntisland & the likes of them, they've got as much right to play in this competition as everyone else. The other point being is that staying around would mean they would play in these fixtures & keeping themselves match fit. What if we get a series of injuries, suspensions, stag do's, holidays, weddings, over Christmas & Easter, where will we be then when we need the squad players eh?

the answer is just above e-City btw.

Grimbo

obviously danny and mushin see themselves as better than squad players so why wait about for stag dos injuries or suspensions when they can find a team that plays them every week

[Grim O'Grady]

obviously danny and mushin see themselves as better than squad players so why wait about for stag dos injuries or suspensions when they can find a team that plays them every week

I wasn't arguing with you, I was just saying it's a pity (if having such a selection of talent can be called that) that they aren't with us any more. Course all players want to play all the time & hopefully they'll now get that chance, it'll just be strange should we meet them & they are wearing the opponents colours!

Grimbo

[surely not!]

I wasn't arguing with you, I was just saying it's a pity (if having such a selection of talent can be called that) that they aren't with us any more. Course all players want to play all the time & hopefully they'll now get that chance, it'll just be strange should we meet them & they are wearing the opponents colours!

Grimbo

Have they signed with anyone, or even been released yet? If not they are still spartans players so might be keen on the offer of 90 mins or so next week v Burntisland

[Grim O'Grady]

Have they signed with anyone, or even been released yet? If not they are still spartans players so might be keen on the offer of 90 mins or so next week v Burntisland

Sean is back at Hairy Twatts & Danny's up at Rosewell (supposedly),

Grimbo

[Bookmonkey]

I didn't realise this was regarded as the 'premier' cup tourney. What is the criteria for participating as I see not all South of Scotland league teams are playing?

[HibeeJibee]

I think all the clubs would recognise it as the most prestigious cup they could hope to win, and second in prestige only with the Scottish Cup. It was introduced as a replacement for the old 'South Qualifying Cup' when the Scottish Cup went "all-in".

There are 44 clubs involved. So 20 got byes into R2.

It's played for by everyone in the Lowland, EOS or SOS leagues.

Plus Glasgow Uni who are also SFA members (they play in the Amateurs).

Girvan (who play in the Juniors) entered the first 2 years but "scratched" ties to play Junior games instead so got debarred. I would imagine Linlithgow Rose - successful as they are - would be in a similar/worse position, owing to the pressure of dates.

[snowball]

Said it before hj but not very convincing to be the biggest trophy in senior non league football when 1st few rounds regionalized ???

Surely the powers that be should be looking into getting it all in from the start if its to be the biggest ?

Used to be all-in when first started and travel costs were part met by sfa.

Think it was south clubs who wanted to change when this stopped.

[HibeeJibee]

Here are today's results:

South & West Zone, First Round
Creetown 4-1 Nithsdale Wanderers
BSC Glasgow 6-0 Lochar Thistle
Dalbeattie Star (nine) 9-1 Crichton
Fleet Star 0-0 Glasgow University aet (3-4 pens)

North & East Zone, First Round
Gala Fairydean Rovers 0-3 Heriot-Watt University
Preston Athletic 0-2 University of Stirling
Craigroyston 1-2 Vale of Leithen
Peebles Rovers (eight) 8-0 Kelso United
Edinburgh University 3-5 Selkirk
Coldstream 2-1 Leith Athletic
Spartans (nine) 9-0 Burntisland Shipyard
Easthouses Lily MW 2-5 Edinburgh City

Shock of the day at Netherdale, then... with GFR being solidly dispatched by their mid-table EOS First Division opponents. That aside, however, it was not a good day for the EOS & SOS teams against Lowland opposition with all of them losing such match-ups... in the case of Easthouses, Burntisland, Lochar and Crichton by a margin measured in the "thrashing" category. Result at Lochburn Park did particularly surprise me as you don't expect the SOS League leaders to visit a bottom-half Lowland club and lose by 6 goals.

Incidentally, the Gala defeat means no Gala-Hawick derby this season, which will be the first such occasion without one in many a year.

Among the other scores, a few further interesting results. Coldstream, having lost their manager during the week, did very well to beat EOS Premier leaders Leith Athletic. In the South & West section the plucky amateurs of Glasgow University - who often make some headway in this tournament - will be pleased to have made it through to R2. And goodness only knows what happened to Kelso who only trailed Peebles by 9pts.

That leaves the Second Round draw as follows, with ties due on Saturday 15th November.

South & West Zone, Second Round

Dalbeattie Star v Threave Rovers

Newton Stewart v Mid Annandale

Gretna 2008 v Dumfries YMCA

BSC Glasgow v Abbey Vale

Edusport Academy v Glasgow University

East Kilbride v Heston Rovers

St Cuthbert Wanderers v Wigtown & Bladnoch

Upper Annandale v Creetown

North & East Zone, Second Round

Coldstream v Civil Service Strollers

Hawick Royal Albert v Heriot-Watt University

Spartans v Peebles Rovers

Selkirk v University of Stirling

Lothian Thistle HV v Edinburgh City

Ormiston v Whitehill Welfare

Vale of Leithen v Eyemouth United

Tynecastle v Duns

[surely not!]

Spot on HJ- the gala result is absolutely horrendous an they've been going backwards on the park since the end of August- hardly got a result in the last two months except a win at threave- which almost everyone has managed this season.

There's a lot of good feeling towards the gaffer down there I believe, but surely he needs to do better than they are right now?

[Bookmonkey]

Played for Mid Annandale as a laddie from age 12 -18. Do they still play at King Edward Park in Lockerbie? Can't believe it's up to even SOS standard?!

[Cicero]

Played for Mid Annandale as a laddie from age 12 -18. Do they still play at King Edward Park in Lockerbie? Can't believe it's up to even SOS standard?!

They have been playing at Annan over the last season and a half. However they are just about to move into new facilities in Lockerbie on the site of the old primary school. The move can't be too far away as I saw that the goal posts and nets are up.

[Bookmonkey]

They have been playing at Annan over the last season and a half. However they are just about to move into new facilities in Lockerbie on the site of the old primary school. The move can't be too far away as I saw that the goal posts and nets are up.

Ok cheers. Good to see that they will be back playing in Lockerbie.

[HibeeJibee]

They have been playing at Annan over the last season and a half. However they are just about to move into new facilities in Lockerbie on the site of the old primary school. The move can't be too far away as I saw that the goal posts and nets are up.

Opens next Friday, infact, against Dumfries YMCA:

http://www.southofscotlandfootballleague.co.uk/LeagueFixtures/index/id:?type=all&age=all&div=&s_date=2014-11-07

http://www.dgnews-sport.co.uk/index.php/south_east_of_scotland_lowland_league_football/?k=:4::

MIDS MOVE ON TO 3G SURFACE TO DELIGHT OF OFFICIALS

MID Annandale will play their first matchon the new £580,000 3G pitch at Lockerbie in early November. The South of Scotland Club will run the new facility which has been completed on the site of the old primary school.

The Lockerbie-based side will become the latest side to play on the synthetic surface after new pitches were build at Palmerston, Marchmount, Annan, Newton Stewart and St Cuthbert Wanderers ground at Kirkcudbright.

Mids will now play theirfirst South match at their new ground on Friday November 8 The facility, is a major boost for the community in and around Lockerbie as well as the ambitious football club.

Secretary George Trudt said: ““This is a real milestone for the club and we are all looking forward to getting on and playing on that surface. It looks certain that you can get get your fixtures played. It’s something we’ve waited a long time for in Lockerbie because we’ve had trouble with pitches for years and nowwe can look ahead with confidence.”

He added: “There’s also a lot of community interest in the project as Mids have four or five teams including a girls team, youths and our senior team. The wider community is also enquiring about the hire of the facility so it is all looking good. We’ve had number of enquiries from people wanting block bookings and we will try and accommodate everyone and keep them all happy. It’s a great asset for the community.”

Over the past few seasons Mids have had many fixture postponements because of the waterlogged pitch or because it was unplayable,and for the past two seasons they played their home games at Annan Athletic’s Galabank 3G pitch. Mids will be handed the lease of the complex by Dumfries and Galloway Council and will administer it for bookings and charges. And after the first year the club will also be responsible for maintenance as well.

Mr Trudt said: “It’s a big step for the club but with all the uncertainties over the winter and even in the summer months we were having games called off. With the 3G pitch you’re almost always certain that you’ll be able to play and not be upsetting the league secretaries with cancellations.”

Mids is also exploring the possibility of playing on Friday evenings as the ground is equipped with floodlights allowing the pitch to be played on until 10 pm during the week and 8 pmat the weekends. Mr Trudt said: “We feel we could get a better turnout to watch the games but that is all down to the cooperation of other clubs and the league but we think we could get a better attendance. We’re really grateful to Annan Athletic for the use of their ground over the past two seasons.”