Amateur sides gear up for kick-off

Aug 13 2008 by Our Correspondent, Dumfries Standard Wednesday

THE NEW season is almost upon us and as usual every team hopes to be successful in one way or another.

The new teams entering the league, FC Dynamo Star and First Base Dynamos will be looking to establish themselves with the possibility of a few decent cup runs and a respectable league position as their main goals.

FC Dynamo Star will be no mugs having played in the Sunday League for many years.

Most of their players have played in this league before so there will be no adjustment period necessary and of the two teams will the most likely to hit the ground running.

They may create a few shocks along the way and they may just be the surprise team of the year who mix it at the top for a spell but I suspect they will be happy with a top half league place and a cup final appearance.

First Base Dynamos are an unknown quantity and have only just moved up from the Youth League. They may find the going a bit tough and could find themselves propping up the table by the end of the season.

The YMCA along with Kirkconnel will be trying to re-establish themselves as league challengers. After many years of consistency both teams have dipped in the past couple of seasons and will be looking to make progress in both league and cup competitions.

Kirkconnel should benefit with the demise of local rivals Kelloholm and will have more players to choose from in the Upper Nithsdale area so they look the more likely of the two teams to show improvement. Given the signing activity of the other teams in the league the YM will have to strengthen just to stand still, although some of their younger players will have another season of experience under their belts, a couple of good cup runs is the most they can expect.

Terregles Athletic have shown a big improvement over the past two seasons and will be looking to improve again this season.

They look to have made some useful signings over the summer and will hope to surprise teams who make the mistake of underestimating them.

The club has traditionally been known to field a young team, with more experienced players coming in this year they will be no pushovers especially at home where the tight park is a great leveller.

Morton Thistle are the most unpredictable team in the league.

On their day they are as good as anyone but they never seem to be able to produce week in week out.

Hopefully this year they will put up a stronger challenge in the league.

Last year they lifted the league cup and a repeat win in any of the cup competitions this year would be most welcome.

Lochmaben are in a transition period, many of their double league winning squad from three and four years ago could now be described as veteran players.

Injuries have hurt the team in recent times and if they can get these players back as well as recruiting a new younger group they will still be challengers.

They have finished in second and third place in the past two seasons so they have coped well with their problems.

This season however, other teams are stronger and any weakness in the Burgh boys challenge will not be as easily overcome. They did lift the Nivison Cup last year so can still turn it on for the big occasions. They can never be discounted.

One team that has made a host of new signings is Lochar Thistle. With several players arriving from last year’s Sunday League winners Lochside Colts and a few other additions, things are certainly looking bright for the Locharbriggs team.

This season they will play their home games at Duncow which gives them a tremendous advantage.

Anyone who used to play against Kirkton at Duncow will know how hard it is to go there and get a result.

Lochar put in a big challenge for the league title two seasons ago but fell away last year.

This season could be another big year and with the signings they have made they have to be considered as second favourites for the league title.

Last year’s runners up Maxwelltown Thistle took their challenge to the last game of the season and were Upper Annandale’s main rivals for the honours. They reached four finals winning both the British Legion and Tayleurian cups.

Not bad for their debut season. There have been several player changes for this season and so they will need to settle quickly if they are to mount a challenge.

The league looks a lot stronger this year and Maxwelltown will only challenge for the top honours if they can find the form they showed last year.

League champions Upper Annandale have been the dominant team for the past two seasons and in that time have lifted six cups and two league titles.

They must start as title favourites, especially with their home form which is near perfect over that time. They have lost their management team from last year and new manager Allan Johnstone will have to work hard to keep the intensity shown over the past few years at the same level or they may slip up.

They are a good cup team and will certainly lift silverware this year.

Their away league form is the key to their title chances and must be as good as the past couple of years to earn the hat-trick of league titles they desire.

The league is now improving with numbers growing for the first time for five or six seasons.

With many teams now having strength in depth, the destination of this year’s title is not a foregone conclusion and any one of four or five teams could end up at the top of the pile come the end of the season.

As usual the teams kick off the season with the Burns Cup. Game of the day however, will be the League clash between newcomers FC Dynamo Star and Lochar Thistle at the Holm Park, Troqueer.

Fixtures for Saturday, August 16 - kick off 2pm, Cup Section 1: Upper Annandale vs Morton Thistle (ref I Brack), First Base Dynamos vs YMCA (College Green, ref S Robb)

Cup Section 2: Kirkconnel vs Lochmaben (ref W Vivers), Maxwelltown Thistle vs Terregles Athletic (Holm Park, Troqueer, ref J McEwan)

Metrik Office Supplies League: FC Dynamo Star vs Lochar Thistle (Jocks Loaning, ref S McNay)

Fixtures for Wednesday, August 20 KO 6.45pm, Cup Section 1:

Morton Thistle vs First Base Dynamos (ref D Laurie), YMCA vs FC Dynamo Star (ref J Thomson)

Cup Section 2: Lochmaben vs Maxwelltown Thistle (Holm Park, Troqueer, ref R Morrison), Terregles Athletic vs Lochar Thistle (ref S McGill).