NEXT GAMe
vs 
- St Andrews Utd FC vs Newtongrange Star
- East of Scotland Premier Division
- Saturday 24th January 2026
- Clayton Caravan Recreation Ground
- Match Sponsor: Learn with Lynne
Rusty Return as Saints Fall in Fife Derby
Hill of Beath Hawthorn 4–0 St Andrews United FC
Fife derby ends in frustration after bright opening spells
After what felt like a never-ending spell of enforced postponements, St Andrews United were delighted to finally get back to competitive action, dusting off the cobwebs for a local Fife derby away to high-flying Hill of Beath Hawthorn. Saints travelled with optimism, enthusiasm… and the full knowledge that match sharpness might take a little while to return.
Saints lined up with Margetts, Dempsey, Thomson, Sneddon, Graham, Cunningham, Murray, Dunn, McCreadie, Craik and Lewis Milne, and made a lively enough start that suggested this wouldn’t be a straightforward afternoon for the hosts.
Craik tested the home keeper early with a long-range effort inside three minutes, before Milne’s free kick drifted well wide shortly after. Craik then found himself with a half chance on six minutes, but couldn’t quite make the contact he wanted. At the other end, Hill of Beath’s first effort on goal was comfortably dealt with by Margetts.
The deadlock was broken on 14 minutes, and unfortunately from a Saints point of view it was all a bit too simple. A cross to the back post was headed back into danger, allowing the home side’s number 7 to fire home from close range.
Saints responded well. Dunn went close on 25 minutes, clean through at an angle, but the Hill of Beath keeper did well to spread himself and make a strong block. The game then settled into a fairly even contest, summed up neatly at the half-hour mark when… nothing much happened at all. A deflected effort forced a decent stop from Margetts just before the break, but at half time it remained 1-0, with very little between the sides.
If the first half was about promise, the second half was sadly about punishment.
Hill of Beath wasted an early counter-attack opportunity with a fresh-air shot on 49 minutes, but Saints were made to pay just after the hour mark. A clever flick in behind the Saints left side released Jordan Tosh, who fired home to make it 2-0.
From there, momentum swung firmly the home side’s way. Tosh completed his hat-trick on 67 minutes, a disappointing goal to concede after a hopeful ball into the box wasn’t dealt with. Three minutes later, Saints had clearly fallen away and Hill of Beath were well in control.
The fourth arrived from a corner on 72 minutes, a simple back-post header that summed up a difficult second half. The final quarter of an hour drifted by with little to note, both sides seemingly aware the contest was decided.
Full time: Hill of Beath Hawthorn 4-0 St Andrews United FC
A frustrating scoreline, particularly given the competitive first half, but rust and sharpness told after the break against a very good Hill of Beath side. The positives? We’re finally back playing football — and that’s a start.
Saints will look to regroup and put things right as we return to The Rec next Saturday to face Newtongrange Star.
Saints Set for Busy January
January is shaping up to be a crucial and action-packed month for St Andrews United, with five competitive fixtures across league and cup competitions. The squad will be on the road for much of the month, but there’s also a key home date in the diary that supporters and sponsors won’t want to miss.
Here’s a look at what’s coming up:
📅 January Fixtures
Saturday 3rd January 2026 – MATCH POSTPONED
🚌 Away
Hill of Beath Hawthorn
🕝 Kick-off: 14:30 / EOSFL
Saturday 10th January 2026 – MATCH POSTPONED
🚌 Away
Dundonald Bluebell
🕝 Kick-off: 14:30 / EOSFL
Saturday 17th January 2026*
🚌 Away
Hill of Beath Hawthorn (rearranged from 03/01)
🕝 Kick-off: 14:30 / EOSFL
Saturday 24th January 2026
🏠 Home
Newtongrange Star
🕝 Kick-off: 14:30 / EOSFL
👉 Match sponsor: Learn with Lynne
Saturday 31st January 2026
🚌 Away
Dundonald Bluebell
🕝 Kick-off: 14:30 / Fife Cup Semi Final
*Note that the match against Hutchison Vale away on the 17th January has been replaced with the rearranged Hill of Beath game. A revised date for the Hutchison Vale game is TBC
With important league points on the line and a Fife Cup Semi Final to finish the month, January could be a defining period in our season. We hope to see as many supporters as possible backing the lads, both home and away.
Mon the Saints!
Saints Cruise… Then Cling On
St Andrews United 3–2 Glenrothes FC
East of Scotland Premier Division
The Clayton Caravan Recreation Ground
After several weeks spent staring hopefully at rain clouds and pitch inspections, St Andrews United finally returned to action at The Rec, welcoming Glenrothes FC. Saints clearly had plenty of energy stored up — and decided to use most of it, along with the nerves of everyone watching.
Glenrothes threatened first, with former Saint, Collins firing just over the bar inside five minutes, but Saints soon warmed up. Lumsden cut inside the box on 14 minutes and forced the keeper into a fingertip save, before Spence had two quick efforts — one tipped round the post from distance and another headed just over after a pinpoint ball from Milne.
At the other end, Saints flirted with danger when Glenrothes missed a free header from a corner on 22 minutes, a let-off that seemed to wake the home side up even more. What followed was a spell of Saints football that really should have produced a cricket score. Craik tore down the right and squared for Milne, whose 25-yard rocket was tipped onto the bar. Spence then missed what can only be described as a sitter from five yards, the keeper somehow getting in the way, before another close-range effort was denied shortly after.
Eventually, persistence paid off. On 35 minutes, Spence cut the ball back into the box and Lumsden showed ice-cold composure to finally break the deadlock. Five minutes later, Saints doubled the lead, Spence finishing neatly after yet another excellent ball from Craik.
Half-time: Saints 2–0 Glenrothes — and somehow it wasn’t more.
Saints clearly enjoyed the interval and came out flying again. Five minutes after the restart, Lumsden added his second with a glorious looping effort over the goalkeeper to make it 3–0 — a goal worthy of ending the match there and then. Saints continued to stroke the ball about confidently, looking very much in charge.
Naturally, football had other ideas. Glenrothes pulled one back on 73 minutes when their striker got in behind and finished from close range. Saints almost responded immediately, Spence again going close after another dangerous cross from Craik.
Then came the drama. On 80 minutes, Glenrothes nodded in from a corner to make it 3–2, instantly turning a comfortable afternoon into a proper workout for hearts and fingernails. Chances followed at the Saints end — a snap shot saved, a back-post effort deflected wide, and a corner flashing agonisingly across the goalmouth with no one on the end of it. Saints supporters collectively exhaled.
There was still time for one last twist, with Craik denied from five yards in stoppage time by an excellent save, just in case anyone had relaxed.
Full-time: St Andrews United 3–2 Glenrothes FC
Saints held on to claim a thoroughly deserved three points after a dominant performance — even if they did their best to make it feel like a cup final in the closing stages. A winning return after the weather break, plenty of quality on show, and a gentle reminder that Saints rarely do things the easy way!
MOTM – Ross Cunningham
Thank you to match sponsor Blebo Construction Ltd
Click Here to view full match gallery (Thanks to Graham Hutchison for gallery pictures)
MOTM vs Glens
Congratulations to Ross Cunningham who picked up today’s Man of The Match award in the game against Glenrothes! A big thank you to Blebo Construction Ltd and George McLeod for sponsoring today’s game
Top Scorers
St Andrews Utd’s leading goal-scorers as of 27th December 2025 are as follows… ⚽👟
Sawers 8, Maskrey 7, Spence 6, Payne 6, Lumsden 5, L Milne 4, Dunn 4, McManus 4, Craik 3, Thomson 3, Aitken 2, Collins 2, McCreadie 2, Rennie 1, Sneddon 1, Graham 1, Cunningham 1
Sponsor Spotlight
We’re proud to shine this month’s Sponsor Spotlight on Life Sport Travel, proud sponsors of Saints player Greig Spence. Experts in creating world-class sporting experiences, they specialise in unforgettable trips for teams, fans, and golfers alike.
From pre-season sunshine camps to elite training facilities, golf getaways, or tennis and padel breaks, Life Sport Travel takes care of every detail—so you can focus on performance and enjoyment. Their ever-growing portfolio of resorts and venues spans Spain, Portugal, and soon Thailand, South Africa, Dubai, and the USA.
Beyond training camps, they also open doors to the world’s greatest sporting events, including the Champions League Final, Wimbledon, Formula 1, and the Ryder Cup. Trusted by professionals and loved by fans, Life Sport Travel makes every trip seamless and memorable.
👉 Discover more at www.sporttravel.life
To view all our latest match images and player of the year awards please CLICK HERE. Thanks to photographer Graham Hutchison for providing the excellent camerawork!
League Table
Last Match
4-0
- Opponents: Hill of Beath Hawthorn
- Competition: EOS Premier Division
Saints Online Shop
