The Colville Park Country Club West of Scotland Cup
Saturday 18th October 2014
Colville Park Country Club West of Scotland Cup 2nd Round
Glenburn Athletic AFC v Oban Saints AFC
St James Playing Fields, Greenock Road, Paisley PA3 2LQ
Kick off 2pm
Referee
Last Time Out
The Burnside bathed in Autumnal sunshine
Basking in autumnal sunshine the Gilmour Street Playing Field, known locally as the Burnside, in the conservation village of Eaglesham provided a picturesque backdrop to last Saturday's Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division match between Eaglesham and Oban Saints. Unfortunately for Saints their performance in the opening stages failed to match the attractiveness of the surroundings as they produced a thoroughly disjointed opening half hour which saw them two goals down and having to chase the game. After the previous week's selection woes Manager Iain Jackson was able to name returning regulars Lewis Cameron, Myles McAuley and Roy McLuckie in the starting eleven. One notable absentee joining the lengthy injury list was Captain Marc MacCallum who was still suffering the effects of an injury picked up in the closing stages of the Scottish Amateur Cup against Wallacetoun Sporting Club. With Dougal Graham also unavailable this meant another defensive reshuffle with Roy McLuckie lining up in defence alongside Alex Craik and Jamie Graham. Mindful of the difficulties Saints had in penetrating a resolute Eaglesham defence at Glencruitten last month Manager Jackson fielded an adventurous 3-4-3 formation with Dean Smith, Paul Kerr, Myles McAuley and David McArthur in midfield and Daniel Cassells, Allan Mackay and Lewis Cameron in attack. Despite the attack minded formation Saints struggled to find any sort of rhythm and failed to threaten the Hams defence. Playing with the benefit of the slope Eaglesham opened the scoring in the 19th minute with the first chance of the match. The normally solid Saints defence, clearly missing the influence of Marc MacCallum, was easily carved open leaving Tony Atley a simple task to slot the ball past Thomas McCulloch in the Saints goal. In the 24th minute Saints already stretched resources suffered blow when top scorer Allan Mackay jarred his back and was forced to retire. Allan's place up front was taken by another of last week's returning absentees Ross Maitland. Saints fell further behind in the 26th minute in similar style to the opener. This time it was Gavin Doherty who strode unchallenged through the Saints defence before rounding keeper McCulloch and tucking the ball away to give the Hams an unexpected two goal lead.
Saints finally woke up and can consider themselves extremely unfortunate not have clawed back at least one goal before half time. In the 31st minute Dean Smith was fouled on the edge of the Hams box and Lewis Cameron's free kick produced the first of a string of excellent saves from the Hams keeper Gordon Taylor. Ten minutes later Saints had a strong penalty appeal waved away by the possibly unsighted referee when Dean Smith was bundled over in the Hams penalty box. In the 43rd minute goalkeeper Taylor pulled off another fine save from a Ross Maitland shot. The ball then broke to David McArthur just inside the Hams box, David fired a terrific shot goalwards only to see it "saved" by the outstretched arm of an Eaglesham defender. On this occasion the referee was well positioned and it is extremely difficult to explain quite how he failed to award Saints a penalty kick. The Saints players were understandably aggrieved by the referee's decision and continued their protests as the teams left the field for the half-time interval. Despite the two goal deficit the closing stages of the first half had given Saints renewed encouragement and with the words of their Manager ringing in their ears it was a determined looking group who took the field for the second half.
Saints dominated proceedings for the entire second half with the Hams digging in for a sustained defensive shift. The best opportunity of the half fell to Lewis Cameron after 55 minutes. Lewis was sent racing through the inside left channel by a deft flick-on from the head of Daniel Cassells but his tame shot was easily smothered by the imposing frame of Eaglesham keeper Gordon Taylor. Saints lost the services of Jamie Graham in the 58th minute, Jamie had been feeling unwell since mid-way through the first half and was unable to continue. Jamies's place in defence was taken by David McArthur with substitute David Beaton slotting into midfield. Saints pulled one back in the 60th minute when a Dean Smith free kick came back off the Hams wall and was drilled into the bottom corner of the net by Ross Maitland. Saints had another chance just one minute later but Lewis Cameron's free kick flew inches over the bar with the keeper rooted to the spot. Saints continued to create chance after chance but couldn't find a way past the Hams keeper who was in inspired form. Being under the cosh for so long Eaglesham took every opportunity to wind the clock down. In an attempt to speed up proceedings Saints coach Peter MacCallum positioned himself behind the Hams goal to ensure the ball was quickly returned to play. Inexplicably the referee to exception to this and ordered Peter back to the half way line. saints kept plugging away to the very last minute and in the closing stages had a point blank Alex Craik header excellently saved and a Martin Bonar chance foiled when the Hams keeper dived bravely at the feet of the Saints substitute.
Alas there was to be no last gasp equaliser and Saints were left counting the high cost of that dismal opening half hour.
Thomas McCulloch clears up-field
Daniel Cassells, Myles McAuley, Dean Smith and Ross Maitland wait for a cross from Lewis Cameron
A chance for David Beaton
David McArthur heads over
Eaglesham goalkeeper Gordon Taylor dives bravely at the feet of Martin Bonar
Martin Bonar is helped off the field by Goalkeeper/Striker/Physiotherapist Daniel Cassells
Up For The Cup?
This Saturday Saints get their West of Scotland Cup campaign underway with a tough trip to Paisley to face Paisley and District Amateur Football Association Premier Division outfit Glenburn Athletic. Saints went out of last season's competition at the fourth round stage when they lost out in that cruelest of ways, the "dreaded" penalty shoot out, to eventual finalists Giffnock North. There was therefore a definite sense of "it could have been us" for Saints when the North ran out at New Douglas Park, Hamilton to face Hurlford Thistle in the final on 5th May. Saints record in this competition is not the best and they are long overdue an extended run in the lesser of the big two cup competitions.
Saturday's opponents Glenburn Athletic have progressed from the Third to the Premier Division in the Paisley and District League set-up with a run of successive promotions. They currently lie 5th place in the Premier Division with six points from five games played having won two and lost three. Glenburn's three defeats have come against the top three sides in the division.
Saints will continue to be without long term injury victims Donald Campbell, Dene Cassells and Colin Tindall but will welcome back Craig MacEwan and Scott Maitland to the squad. David McArthur is on holiday and Martin Bonar has not yet recovered from his collision with Eaglesham's goalkeeper last Saturday.
Glenburn Athletic's league fixtures so far:-
23rd August Elderslie 3 - 2 Glenburn Athletic
30th August Glenburn Athletic 4 - 3 Gallowhill
6th September Apex 3 - 2 Glenburn Athletic
13th September Glenburn Athletic 3 - 5 Arkleston Athletic
11th October Fordbank Star 1 - 3 Glenburn Athletic
Saints recent West of Scotland Cup record:-
2006/07 3rd round
2007/08 3rd round
2008/09 5th round
2009/10 3rd round
2010/11 2nd round
2011/12 4th round
2012/13 4th round
2013/14 4th round
D.I. Burnside of TV's The Bill
Oban circa 1870
Burnside Cottages were located where Glenfoot Terrace, Miller Road is now
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