Saturday 20th Aug Loch Park, New Cumnock

Super League 1st Division KO 2:00pm

GLENAFTON ATHLETIC v WHITLETTS VICTORIA

Both sides will try to put the disappointment of being knocked out of the Ardagh Cup at the quarter-final stage and focus on the league campaign now in its second week. While the Glens recorded a 3-2 win at Renfrew last week the Vics shared the points and six goals at Dam Park.  Games between these two sides are alway tight and the corresponding fixture at Loch Park last season ended in a 1-1 draw with Adam Coakley, now with Rob Roy, scoring for the home side. In the return match, late in the season,  a late goal from Gareth Armstrong was enough to secure the three points for the Glens and push them ahead of the Vics in the race for the play-off place. Gareth Campbell, who sustained a broken nose against Girvan, begins a 3 match suspension.

Former Afton Lads

Darren McMahon for Vics v Glens

Darren McMahon joined Lugar Boswell Thistle in July 2005 from Bonnyton U19s. He later had a short spell at Stranraer before returning to Rosebank. In Feb 2010 Darren signed for the Glens and made 6 appearances for the club that season. His last league match for the Glens was as a substitute in a  3-1 home win over Whitletts and he signed for the Ayr club in the close season.

Did You Know ?

Whitletts Victoria were formed in 1944 and joined the Western League which comprised only 11 teams during the ‘last’ of the war-time seasons. The Glens rejoined the league the following season and the two clubs first met at New Cumnock in a league match at Connel Park in October, 1945.

Glenafton: Stevenson; Graham and Newman; Hunter, Goodwin and Begg; Turnbull, White, Newman, Kane and Grozier.

Bobby White, on the eve of returning to his unit,  playing at I/R gave a demonstration how to keep the ball moving, his passes were typically Army method.  However, the attendance at the match was affected by the final of the single-handed Ayrshire Quoiting Championship being played at neighbouring Craigbank – unfortunately  W.Walker  of Muirkirk beat local favourite William Allan.

Whitletts first trip to Loch Park, back in November 1960, ended in 10-0 drubbing by a strong Glens team that went on to win the league.