The Last Time

The Rolling Stones - The Last Time

Saturday 18th April 2015
Scottish Amateur Football League Jimmy Marshall Trophy Quarter Final
Oban Saints AFC v Haldane United AFC
Glencruitten 2, Mossfield Avenue, Oban, Argyll PA34 4EH
Kick off 2pm
Referee Mr James Litster

Last Saturday

Saints faltering League title defence looks to have finally hit the buffers after a frustrating afternoon against Thorn Athletic last Saturday. Playing on the well prepared grass surface at Glencruitten for the first time since November Saints produced much the better football against their great rivals from Johnstone but were undone by three cheaply conceded goals from corner kicks. Saints resources were stretched by the non availability of Lewis Cameron, Daniel Cassells, Allan Mackay, Scott Maitland and Roy McLuckie. Ally McKerracher returned after missing the previous match at St Joseph's FP and PJ Sinclair joined the squad for the first time this season. Saints started brightly attacking the railway end with the front pairing of Ally McKerracher and Dean Smith forcing a corner kick in the first minute. Ross Maitland's inswinger from the left was comfortably dealt with by the Thorn defence whose aerial prowess was ultimately to prove the difference between the teams. In the fourth minute Thorn played a long ball up to Craig McGlone just inside the Saints box, the Thorn striker was easily dispossessed by Dougal Graham however Dougal misplaced his pass out of defence and Thorn forced their first corner of the match with a long range shot from Niall Kennedy deflecting off Alex Craik. Paul Young, so often in the past Thorn's main threat with his excellent dead ball deliveries, flighted over an inswinger from the right which gave the unmarked Craig McGlone a simple header from inside the six yard box. Two minutes later Thorn won another corner kick again from a deflected shot from outside the box. Young again took the corner kick, this time from the right, and his out-swinger  was met by Stuart Robertson's untracked run at the near post to put Thorn two goals up. Saints were stunned by this setback and for a while struggled to assert their usual midfielder authority. Thorn had their tails up at this point and were using the pace of Dean Scott to good effect on the left wing to keep Saints pinned back. The Saints midfield three of Myles McAuley, Paul Kerr and Donald Campbell soon began to gain the upper hand and in the 12th minute a pin point Donald Campbell picked out a good run forward from Dean Smith. Thorn goalkeeper and Captain Liam McWilliams was well off his goal line but pulled off a spectacular save to deny Dean who couldn't believe his luck. Good work by Craig MacEwan and Donald Campbell on the Saints left won another corner in the 14th minute but again the Thorn defence coped well with Ross Maitland's cross. In the 23rd minute Ally McKerracher, who was giving the Thorn defence plenty to think about, won a good knock down from a Paul Kerr long ball which Dean Smith was inches away from connecting with in the Thorn box. More good work on the left, this time from Myles McAuley and Craig MacEwan forced a 25th minute corner from which Saints decided to try a different approach which almost backfired spectacularly. Myles played the ball low to Ross Maitland on the corner of the Thorn box who seemed to be caught in two minds and was dispossessed allowing Thorn to launch a counter attack. With Alex Craik and Marc MacCallum both upfield Saints were indebted to a perfectly timed sliding challenge from Dougal Graham just inside his own half to stop the Thorn attack in it's tracks. In the 35th minute Saints looked to have a good shout for a penalty kick when Craig MacEwan's driving run into the Thorn box saw the Saints wide man bundled over four yards from the touchline, however Referee John Scott was not convinced and awarded a goal kick. Saints got back in the game in emphatic style with a 40th minute piledriver from Donald Campbell. Craig MacEwan played the ball up to Ross Maitland who held the ball up well on the edge of the box before laying it off to Donald Campbell to thump the ball high into the net giving Liam McWilliams no chance. This was just the boost Saints needed with half time fast approaching but their earlier failings were to haunt them yet again. Straight from the restart Thorn danger man Dean Scott won a corner on the left giving Paul Young another opportunity to display his set piece talents. This time Young picked out defender Donny Morrison in the six yards out to power a header past Thomas McCulloch in the Saints goal. Saints dusted themselves down from this latest set back and forced another corner on the left. Ross Maitland finally found a Saints head but Craig MacEwan's thumping header crashed off the Thorn cross bar before being scrambled to safety. Referee John Scott brought the first half to an end with the visitors by far the happier with the first forty five minutes.
With words of encouragement from Manager Iain Jackson ringing in their ears Saints started the second half in determined mood and it clear from the outset that Thorn were content to dig in and protect their lead. In the 53rd minute Ally McKerracher forced his way into the Thorn box and had a good effort saved by Liam McWilliams. After ten second half minutes Thorn had a rare foray into the Saints half which ended tamely with the ball trundling through to Thomas McCulloch just inside his penalty area. The big keeper mis-hit his clearance straight to midfielder Paul Young, fortunately the ball landed at Young's weaker right foot and his shot was easily dealt with by the extremely relieved goalkeeper. Saints received a welcome slice of good fortune in the 62nd minute when Paul Kerr burst into the Thorn box and was bundled over for a penalty Kick which Donald Campbell thumped high into the postage stamp corner. With almost half an hour left to play Saints had plenty of time to capitalise on their supremecy but failed to convert any of their many chances into goals. In the 69th minute Dean Smith passed up Saints best opportunity of the match when, after linking up well with Ally McKerracher, and holding off the challenge of a Thorn defender he squeezed the ball wide of the advancing goalkeeper but also agonisingly wide of the keeper's right hand post. One minute later Dean had another good chance but was foiled at the near post by a good save by McWilliams after an excellent run and cross from Ross Maitland. Saints continued to dominate and were in complete control of the midfield. In the 72nd minute Ally McKerracher had the ball in the net for what looked liked a deserved equaliser but Referee Scott gave the benefit of an extremely tight offside decision to the visitors much to the consternation of the Saints management and support. Two minutes later McKerracher was again on the wrong end of close call from the referee. Ally had his progress into the Thorn box halted by a clumsy challenge from behind which sent him sprawling. Referee Scott waved away the loud Saints appeals heightening the sense of frustration being felt on the touchline. The Saints pressure was now incessant and Craig MacEwan was next to try his luck with a strong run along the 18 yard line before firing a right foot shot across the face of goal and wide of the keeper's right hand post. After 82 minutes Saints Manager Iain Jackson made his one and only change of the match replacing Dean Smith with Martin Bonar. Martin was soon involved sending Donald Campbell through the inside right channel where the combined efforts of Thorn's left fullback and goalkeeper prevented Donald from picking out Craig MacEwan unmarked on the penalty spot. In the 85th minute Ross Maitland was denied by the impressive McWilliams who did well to smother a stinging shot at his near post from the Saints wide man. Saints has one final opportunity in the 90th minute when Craig MacEwan rose above the Thorn defence but was unable to direct his header from a Ross Maitland corner on target. Referee John Scott, who had handled a potentially difficult fixture well, brought proceedings to a halt sending the travelling contingent into raptures. Being the better side for almost the entire 90 minutes this will be an extremely difficult defeat for Saints to take but with a home Jimmy Marshall Trophy quarter final match against Haldane United took look forward to there is still much to play this season.

The Thorn defence clears Saints first minute corner kick

Craig McGlone opens the scoring for Thorn

Stuart Robertson (out of shot) doubles Thorn's advantage

Donald Campbell

Craig MacEwan crashes a header off the crossbar

Paul Kerr

Donald Campbell nets from the penalty spot 

Dean Smith beats the goalkeeper and the post

Ally McKerracher is foiled by another excellent save from Liam McWilliams

Niall Kennedy stops Ross Maitland with a well timed sliding tackle

Myles McAuley forces his way up the right wing

Craig MacEwan can't find the target with this last minute header

The Last Time?

Following last week's farewell to Thorn Athletic, this Saturday see's Haldane United make their final visit to Oban as a Scottish Amateur Football League club before they depart in search of a fresh challenge in the Central Scottish Amateur Football League. This is, unfortunately, a well worn path with Aikenhead Thistle, Gourock Athletic, Greenock High School FP, Postal United and St Patrick's FP all undertaking the same journey in recent seasons. Haldane are a very well run and ambitious club and their departure is a blow to the Scottish Amateur Football League especially as it comes at the same time as Thorn Athletic and Eaglesham's defection to the Caledonian League.
Haldane United's brief spell in the Scottish Amateur Football League has been a successful one securing four promotions, one cup and two league titles in six seasons. However, despite coming agonisingly close last season, the much prized Premier Division title looks now to have escaped their grasp. Haldane currently sit in third place in the Premier Division with twenty four points from sixteen games, five points worse off than leaders Thorn Athletic who have played two games fewer. Saints sit a further two points behind Haldane in fourth spot but with three games in hand over their rivals for what is now likely to be a runners up spot at best.
This Saturday's Jimmy Marshall Trophy quarter final tie will provide a welcome distraction from their league frustrations for both clubs in what looks to be their only realistic chance of silverware this season. Saints hold the upper hand in the four matches between the clubs so far but every game has been extremely close with little to choose between two very well matched sides. Saints will welcome back three of last week's absentees however, with the usual mixture of work and personal commitments hampering selection, Manager Iain Jackson looks sets to continue the frustrating run of being unable to name starting XI twice. The match must be played to a finish on the day with penalty kicks deciding the winner if the scores are level after 90 minutes. A semi-final tie at a neutral venue still to be appointed against either Eaglesham or St Joseph's FP awaits the winner.





Saints and Haldane United's progress to the Quarter Finals of this season's Jimmy Marshall Trophy:-

First Round

24th January 2015 Lochgilphead Red Star 1 - 6 Haldane United
14th February 2015 Easthall Star 1 - 4 Oban Saints

Second Round

21st February 2015 Haldane United 5 - 3 Campbeltown Pupils
21st March 2015 Oban Saints 8 - 1 Jamestown


Saints record against Haldane United:-

8th May 2013 SAFL Jimmy Marshall Trophy Semi-Final Haldane United 0 - 2 Oban Saints
24th August 2013 SAFL Premier Division Haldane United 3 - 3 Oban Saints
31st May 2014 SAFL Premier Division Oban Saints 2 - 1 Haldane United
7th March 2015 SAFL Premier Division Oban Saints 5 - 3 Haldane United




Haldane United's league fixtures so far this season:-

16th August 2014 Alba Thistle 0 - 2 Haldane United
23rd August 2014 Eaglesham 2 - 1 Haldane United
6th September 2014 Campbeltown Pupils 2 - 7 Haldane United
13th September 2014 Haldane United 1 - 5 Finnart
20th September 2014 St Joseph's FP 1 - 1 Haldane United
11th October 2014 Haldane United 2 - 2 Busby
8th November 2014 Haldane United 1 - 3 Thorn Athletic
15th November 2014 Haldane United 0 - 0 Campbeltown Pupils
29th November 2014 Kings Park Rangers 1 - 3 Haldane United
7th February 2015 Haldane United 5 - 2 Kings Park Rangers
28th February 2015 Haldane United 3 - 1 Eaglesham
7th March 2015 Oban Saints 5 - 3 Haldane United
14th March 2015 Thorn Athletic 2 - 0 Haldane United
21st March 2015 Busby 2 - 6 Haldane United
15th April 2015 Haldane United 1 - 2 St Joseph's FP



Haldane United's Scottish Amateur Football League Record:-

2008/09 Division 2A Champions and Coronation Cup Winners Promoted
2009/10 Division 1 Champions Promoted
2010/11 Premier Division Two 2nd Promoted
2011/12 Premier Division One 3rd
2012/13 Premier Division One 2nd Promoted
2013/14 Premier Division 2nd

Action for last month's league fixture between Saints and Haldane United

Ally McKerracher keeps his eye on the ball

Haldane captain Daniel McIlmun cancels out Donald Campbell's opener

The Saints players celebrate Donald Campbell's second goal levelling the scores at 3 - 3

Myles McAuley

Craig MacEwan heads home to make it 5 - 3 to Saints

Donald Campbell's free kick brings out an excellent save from Haldane keeper Pat McCune

Haldane United at Glencruitten 31st May 2014

In Other News

While Saints were entertaining Thorn Athletic at Glencruitten last Saturday striker Lewis Cameron was making a second half substitute appearance for the Scottish Amateur Football Association Select against the Leinster Senior League Select. The match, played a Leah Victoria Park the home of Tullamore Town FC, finished 1 - 1 after 90 minutes with John Paul Grant of Colville Park heading the Scottish select into a brief lead on the half hour mark before being pegged back four minutes later. After keeper David McEwan of Southside AFC had given the visitors the advantage with a fine save, Lewis held his nerve to score the crucial final penalty in a 5 - 4 shoot-out victory to bring the Graham Harkness Memorial Trophy back home to Scotland.

Lewis Cameron Scores The Winning Penalty

#monthesaints