The retiring Saints Manager pictured before last Saturday's game (quite some considerable time before apparently!)
Saints rounded off season 2014-15 with a 2-1 Argyll Derby win over Campbeltown Pupils at Glencruitten last Saturday afternoon. The win secures a seventh Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division top three finish in nine seasons for Saints which, while not quite hitting the highs of last season's league and cup double win, represents a decent level of consistency over the period. Saints were without Dougal and Jamie Graham and Lewis Cameron so Manager Iain Jackson, taking charge of his final game, once again shuffled the pack restoring Ross Maitland and Dean Smith to the starting eleven and deploying David McArthur in an unfamiliar role on the left of the back three. Saints kicked off attacking the Mossfield end and carved out a chance straight from the kick off. Donald Campbell picked out Dean Smith in the box who fired in a left foot shot which Pupils keeper Reid Anderson could only parry, the ball then broke loose to Paul Kerr on the edge of the box whose shot under pressure sailed high over the crossbar. Despite the lightning quick start from Saints Pupils soon signalled that were not there just to make up the numbers and won a penalty kick in the third minute for a trip in the box by Ross Maitland. Pupils skipper Paul Grumoli made no mistake from the spot slotting the ball into the bottom left corner sending Saints keeper Thomas McCulloch the wrong way in the process. After this frenetic start the game settled down with the hardworking Pupils midfield holding the upper hand over their strangely pedestrian looking opponents. Saints slowly started to pick up the pace and created a hat-trick of very presentable chances for Donald Campbell. In the 15th minute Donald got on the end of a good cross from the left from Craig MacEwan with keeper Anderson pulling off a fine save to keep out Donald's fierce right foot shot. Five minutes later a tenacious run along the 18 yard line from Ross Maitland after a throw-in on the right ended with the "wee man" picking out Donald unmarked on the left of the Pupils box. Unfortunately Donald couldn't quite get a hold of his shot and his tame left foot effort was easily saved by Anderson. The third chance came in the 22nd minute when Donald made a good near post run for an Allan Mackay pass only to blaze his shot from the corner of the six yard box high over the advancing keeper and over the junction of post and bar. Saints eventually made the breakthrough just before the half hour after Pupils were penalised for handball twenty five yards from their own goal line. Top scorer Allan Mackay curled the resulting free kick around the Pupils wall and just inside the keeper's left hand post. In the 31st minute a storming run through the midfield by Paul Grumoli threatened to cut open the Saints defence until his progress was halted by a tackle from behind from Donald Campbell earning the Saints man a yellow card. With the Saints defence waiting for a shot on goal Gary Grumoli played the ball wide to Gregor McFadyen, fortunately for Saints the Pupils striker sent his shot high and wide of target. An exquisite piece of skill from Craig MacEwan in the 34th minute brought out the save of the match from Reid Anderson. Craig turned on a tanner on the 18 yard line and send a delicate chip towards the postage stamp corner which Anderson somehow managed to reach with his fingertips to deny the Saints man. Saints lost the services of Paul Kerr in the 37th minute due to an ankle knock with Scott Maitland taking Paul's place in the centre of the park. A foul on Allan Mackay wide on the right and midway inside the Pupils half gave Ross Maitland the chance to test the aerial resolve of the Pupils defence. Ross flighted an inch perfect cross to the back post where Craig MacEwan met it with a bullet header which crashed off the post before being scrambled to safety. The final chance of the half came in the 41st minute when Ross Maitland made a terrific run up the right wing beating the very impressive Pupils left back Keith Mitchell. Ross hit the byeline and cut back for Allan Mackay who sent his shot from the edge of the six yard box agonisingly wide of the keeper's left hand post.
After a final half-time team talk from Manager Jackson, and to the strains of the Red Hot Chilli Pipers wafting across from Mossfield Stadium, Saints clicked into gear in the second half producing some excellent football to keep the visitors pinned back in their own half. Despite their dominance Saints found chances hard to come by and were made to battle all the way by a determined Pupils side. Saints opened the second half as they had the first carving out a chance almost from the first whistle. A slide rule pass from Donald Campbell sent Craig MacEwan through the inside left channel however, with the Pupils defence bearing down on him, Craig couldn't make clean contact and his shot was comfortably saved by Reid Anderson. Pupils had their only chance of the second half in the 52nd minute when Gregor McFadyen threatened to burst into the Saints box only to be stopped in his tracks by a perfectly timed interception by Alex Craik. Manager Iain Jackson decided on a change in the 56th minute withdrawing Dean Smith and replacing him with Martin Bonar. Ross Maitland moved forward to join Allan Mackay with Martin taking up the right wing bearth vacated by Ross. The wee man almost added his name to the score sheet in the 59th minute from a throw-in on the left. Craig MacEwan found Allan Mackay in the box with the throw, Allan shielded the ball well before rolling it back to Ross on the 18 yard line whose shot flashed inches over the crossbar with the keeper rooted to the spot. One minute later Scott Maitland made a powerful run up the left wing and swung over a terrific cross to the back post where Reid Anderson plucked the ball from the air with Allan Mackay waiting to pounce. Saints were really in the ascendancy at this point and seemed capable of opening up the Pupils defence at will. Another good passing move through the midfield involving Donald Campbell, Scott Maitland and Myles McAuley presented Myles with a great opportunity on the right hand side of the Pupils box. With the keeper advancing to narrow the angle Myles fired a low shot across the face of goal which slipped narrowly wide of the far post. In the 64th minute Donald Campbell had another opportunity to put the icing on the cake of a dominant midfield performance with a deserved goal. Donald made an excellent run through the inside left channel which was spotted by Ross Maitland. Donald's shot was saved at point blank range by keeper Anderson, Donald reacted quickly beating the keeper to the rebound only to see his second effort cleared off the line by the Pupils defence. Donald appeared to twist his right knee in the process of getting his second shot away but after a quick rub down with Davie Buchanan's magic sponge he was able to rejoin the action. With just twenty minutes remaining Saints finally got their noses in front. At the heart of things again was Donald Campbell who found Allan Mackay with another inch perfect pass, Allan picked out Scott Maitland's run into the box with a clever ball over the top of the Pupils defence but once again keeper Anderson was equal to the task tipping Scott's shot over the bar for a corner. Ross Maitland's in-swinging corner from the left picked out an intelligent run to the near post by Allan Mackay whose flicked header high into the net gave the keeper no chance. Allan was denied any chance of completing his hat-trick when Manager Iain Jackson made his final changes giving him and Alex Craik the hook replacing them with PJ Sinclair and Roy McLuckie respectively. Sadly this proved to be Roy's final appearance for Saints as he announced his retirement shortly after the final whistle. In the 81st minute Martin Bonar picked up Saints second booking of the afternoon for a robust tackle on the half way line wide on the Saints right. One minute later Donald Campbell had his final attempt of a busy but fruitless afternoon when he chipped over fractionally over the crossbar from 24 yards range. With the clock ticking down to the final whistle Saints had one last opportunity when Skipper Marc Maccallum made his obligatory once-a-game lung busting run to join the attack. PJ Sinclair swung over a delightful left foot cross to the back post which Marc met with a well timed header which cleared the junction of post and bar.
Referee Gary Logan, making his first appearance at Glencruitten since last season's league title decider against Haldane United, brought to an end an easy afternoon for him sending Iain Jackson out on the high of a Derby victory.
Paul Grumoli gives Pupils the lead from the penalty spot
Saints keeper Thomas MacCulloch
Allan Mackay wins this aerial duel with Shaun Grumoli
Iain Jackson's final half-time team talk
Lorne Robertson heads clear
Myles McAuley
Pupils keeper Reid Anderson
Ross Maitland and Keith Mitchell
Donald Campbell is crowded out by the Pupils defence
Allan Mackay picks out Scott Maitland's run into the box
Reid Anderson pulls off a fine save to deny Scott Maitland
Allan Mackay nets the winner from a Ross Maitland corner kick
PJ Sinclair
Donald Campbell shoots over in the closing stages
Also leaving the Saints at the end of this season are Roy McLuckie and Daniel Cassells. Roy has elected to hang up his boots all together to concentrate on coaching recent arrival Louis George to be a third generation McLuckie family Saint. Daniel, however, is on the lookout for a new club closer to his new home in Edinburgh and will be a valuable asset to any club. Both players have been fantastic servants to Saints over the years and the best wishes of everyone connected with the Club go with them for whatever the future holds.
Roy McLuckie
