End of Season Report 2010-2011
Two teams stand out this season for both results and consistency Lochar Thistle and Lochmaben in what has been an exciting season in the DDAFL. Although there are only currently 8 teams in the league the top six are closely matched and matches between them are always keenly contested and when the teams are at full strength no result is ever a foregone conclusion. As with any league there are always a couple of sides who struggle especially if a few results go against them, for them there is always another year to try and re-build. The cold weather that lasted from late November to mid-January meant that very few games were played during that time, luckily this didn’t cause too much of a fixture backlog and the season finished with Lochar Thistle being presented the League Championship.
Lochar Thistle league champions for the first time since 1982/83 can rightly be proud of their achievements. Over the past few seasons they have built a strong squad and the addition of some old heads this year has seen them win the critical games where last season they came up just short. In addition the club has added some cup silverware to their trophy cabinet with an impressive tally of five cup final appearances delivering 2 cups. Two early final defeats to Lochmaben in the League and British Legion cups were countered with two victories against Upper Annandale in the Tayleurian and Queen of the South. The fifth saw final, the Nivison saw them pitted against Lochmaben for the third time, unfortunately for Lochar, Lochmaben made it three in a row. In the South of Scotland Cup Lochar went out of to eventual winners Leithen Rovers side.
Lochmaben have challenged for the league title for the past two seasons but have came up just short on both occasions. During this time they have been prolific in the cup competitions winning the seven of the eight finals they have featured in. Although they have had the upper hand in the cup matches against Lochar this season they have lost the vital league matches and with that their chances of the title. The consolation is the fact that they have lifted 4 of the cups this season, so an excellent season by anyone’s measure. For some reason the club do not have a great record in recent times in the South of Scotland cup and yet again went out in the early stages to Tweeddale Rovers.
Upper Annandale, league champions for the past four seasons were unable to make it a record five in a row, but only just. With Lochar and Lochmaben being so strong this season the challenge was always going to be hard and so it proved to be. The club’s two cup final appearances saw them both end in defeat to Lochar Thistle, meaning the club went without a trophy for the first time in many years. The club did have a very good run in the South of Scotland Cup though, reaching the quarter-final stage. However, they were up against the side who put Lochar out in the previous round, Leithen Rovers, and lost 3-1 in a very good game at Moffat.
Morton Thistle had what was a very strange season for them, with a decent league position being offset with relatively poor cup performances. The Thornhill side playing for the most part in Dumfries due to issues with their home park at Wallace Hall did have league victories against both Uppers and Lochmaben, the latter the most impressive as it virtually ended Lochmaben’s league challenge. The club usually are the only DDAFL side to enter the West of Scotland Cup and have had some good runs lately but this season they came up against a strong side from Glasgow in Milton AFC, and went out in round two.
Dynamo Star finished in mid-table for the second year in a row. Their squad is not as strong as in previous seasons and that has had a knock on effect in their performances. The club failed to progress to any of the cup finals despite getting close on a couple of occasions, most notably in the Queen of the South cup against Lochar. In the South of Scotland Cup the club reached round three before going out at home to Coldstream.
Maxwelltown Thistle failed to deliver on the league front and finished too close to the bottom for comfort. For the second year in succession injuries played their part although poor form at times also contributed to bad results. Thistle did feature in four semi-finals but lost out by the odd goal in three of them but managed to reach the Burns Cup final where they lost to Lochmaben at the Barony. Overall taking cup results into account the club were just behind Uppers in the PWDL category and did have a fairly positive goal difference. In the South the club reached the quarter-final stage and recorded a fine away win at Newtown in the last 16. Unfortunately Gala Rovers proved too strong and they lost 3-1 at Galashiels.
The YMCA have been going through a tough time over the past few seasons, with new management coming and going on a regular basis. Despite some good performances this season the club managed only three wins all season, not good enough considering the strength of the committee and the fact they have their own ground at the Kingholm. New manager Peter Meechan has built Terregles into a decent side before so if he is given time there is no reason he can’t get the YM back up near the top again. The South of Scotland cup offered them no respite either as they were drawn at home against local opposition in the form of Maxwelltown Thistle, losing in the process.
Terregles Athletic continued in their strategy of building a young side capable of competing in the league. A large influx of players just out of the Youth League at the start of the season meant that wins would be difficult to come by. In the end the side lost all of their local matches winning only once in the South of Scotland Cup with a fine win against Hawick Legion in the second round. The club have been fielding a side in the local Youth League and they won the U17 age group League title this season so it bodes well for the future if the club can hold on to the best players.
The end of season awards were presented at the AGM which took place on the 11th June 2011.
Tony Pierog Award for Sportsmanship - Maxwelltown Thistle
Uniroyal Top Goalscorers - Lochar Thistle
Jack S Martin Team Conceding Fewest Goals - Lochar Thistle
George Cruikshanks Player of the Year - Shared by Jim Brown (Lochar Thistle)
Jack S Martin Goalkeeper of the Year - Scott Allison (Dynamo Star)
William Cross Personality of the Year - George Kirk (Lochar Thistle)
Mark McKeand Trophy (top League Goalscorer) - Steven Hyslop (Lochmaben)
2010-11 Table
Team P W D L F A P
Lochar Thistle 14 13 1 0 74 17 40
Lochmaben 14 10 1 3 51 20 31
Upper Annandale 14 9 2 3 56 24 29
Morton Thistle 14 7 1 6 32 40 22
Dynamo Star 14 6 1 7 41 46 19
Maxwelltown Thistle 14 5 1 8 41 33 16
YMCA 14 2 1 11 23 70 7
Terregles Athletic 14 0 0 14 14 82 0