Emirates Scottish Junior Cup 2nd Round

Sat 29th October, Loch Park, New Cumnock, KO 2:30pm

NEWMAINS UNITED v GLENAFTON ATHLETIC

Please note the change of venue and the kick off time of 2:30pm. The SJFA today sanctioned both clubs request to have the tie switched to Loch Park, New Cumnock .

Newmains and Glenafton each received a bye in the first round and have had mixed fortunes in their other cup competitions thus far. The Glens topped their Ardagh Sectional League Cup group before falling at the Quarter-Final stage in a penalty shoot-out against Girvan. Two weeks ago they progressed to the West of Scotland Cup 2nd round after a fine 2-1 away win over Premier side Clydebank.

Newmains have the ‘misfortune’ of being in the same section as Surridge Sectional cup specialists Shotts Bon Accord, who have since progressed to the final of the competition. However United finished second in the section, above fellow Central 2nd Division sides Wishaw, Forth Wanderers and Carluke Rovers. The Lanarkshire side hosted Renfrew in the West of Scotland Cup 1st round and a Willie Sawyers hat-trick and an assist for Graham Mort saw the Super League 1st division side progress to the next round.

Newmains league campaign got off to a great start with the Victoria Park side returning from Royal Albert with the points, goals from Sean McCormack and Des Bradshaw help secure a 2-1 victory. United enjoyed less success against their Sectional Cup opponents and lost out to Wishaw (2-1, A), Forth (7-1, H) and Carluke (3-1, A). In between times the trip to St. Rochs ended in a 3-0 defeat.

Newmains in the Scottish

In their short history Newmains have played only five teams in the Scottish Junior Cup and are by no means strangers to Ayrshire sides having faced Hurlford United, Auchinleck Talbot and Kilbirnie Ladeside. In Season 2006/07  after receiving a bye in the 1st Round, Newmains hosted Hurlford United in the second round and held the Super League 1st Division side to a 1-1 draw.  In the return match at Blair Park the Lanarkshire side edged it by the odd goal in a seven goal thriller. The reward was a trip to Premier league leaders Auchinleck Talbot where and a gutsy showing ended in a 3-0 defeat.

Simon Eeles

Last season a bye in the first was followed by a trip to Premier side Kilbirnie Ladeside. The home side were reduced to 10 men and from the resultant free kick, Sean McCormack headed Newmains ahead to start the pendulum swinging. Ladeside leaped ahead with goals from Alan Kinney and Ryan McGregor before Clark Rafferty equalised before the break. Kinney edged Kilbirnie ahead from the spot only for McCormack to draw the sides level. Kinney claimed his hat-trick and McCormack followed suit to take it to 4-4, but with 10 minutes to go former Glenafton player Simon Eeles slotted home a free-kick to bring the goalscoring in a remarkable match to a heart-breaking conclusion for the visitors.

Coltness and Newmains United

There have been several teams playing out of Newmains through the years, including Newmains Thistle who hold the honour of winning, in  1891/92, the first ever Lanarkshire league title. However Newmains United, or Newmains United Community Football Club to give them their full name was formed in 2006, following the demise of Coltness United at the close of season 2004/05, and are based at Coltness’ Victoria Park. Maintaining the community club has not been without  its challenges and after an encouraging first season, finishing 9th in the Central 2nd Division, Newmains went into abeyance the following season. In the past three seasons the club has finished in 10th, 11th and 12th place and currently sit in 11th place, having played only 5 games.

Coltness United were formed in 1934 and as Lanarkshire Cup winners in 1935/36 gained entry into the SJFA Jubilee Shield competition with all the other regional cup winners. In the first round Coltness were drawn against Ayrshire Cup winners Glenafton Athletic. The two sides met at Hamilton Accies, Douglas Park on Saturday 9th May 1936 and the New Cumnock side came out on top with a narrow 1-0 victory, and went on to reach the final , losing out to Renfrewshire Cup winners Greenock Morton Juniors after a replay.

Coltness United and Glenafton Athletic were among a number of Junior sides that appeared on Ardath Tobacco Football Cards released in 1936 and some of those that took the field in May 1936 at Hamilton surley appear in the photos above.