Winning In The Rain: Sunshine After The Rain

Sunshine After The Rain - Elkie Brooks

Saturday 18th July 2015

Pre-Season Friendly

Oban Saints AFC 3 - 1 Vale of Leven FC

Glencruitten 1, Glencruitten Drive, Oban PA34 4EB

Kick off 1.30pm

Referee Mr John Scott

Vale of Leven Football & Athletic Club

An 8am pitch inspection was possibly the last thing on Saints Secretary David Buchanan's mind when he invited former Scottish Junior Cup winners Vale of Leven to Oban for a pre-season friendly. However such are the vagueries of the Scottish summer weather and it was with great relief that he was able to confirm that Glencruitten 1 had survived Friday night's torrential rain and the fixture could go ahead. Symptomatic of the mixed bag of weather, by the time kick off had arrived the rain had given way to bright sunshine and, with the exception of the strong breeze, conditions were perfect.
The semi-professionals from Alexandria playing their first pre-season match looked in the mood and were rewarded for their bright start in the sixth minute when David McNaught exploited a gap in the Saints defence to drill a shot into the bottom corner past Thomas McCulloch's left hand. Saints responded well to this early setback and a good move up the right wing involving Martin Bonar and Myles McAuley set up Lewis Cameron for a shooting opportunity which the Vale keeper did well to parry behind for a corner. Saints midfield trio of Myles McAuley, Keith Millar and Donald Campbell began to take control in the centre of the park allowing full backs Martin Bonar and Scott Maitland to get forward at every opportunity. Lewis Cameron's movement across the front three was creating problems for the Vale defence and his 18th minute shot from the edge of the box cleared the crossbar by a matter of inches after more good build up play on the left. Saints were using both flanks to good effect and a Martin Bonar run into the box on the right was halted by a well timed interception to win Saints a 25th minute corner kick. Lewis Cameron's out swinger was met by Dean Smith whose glancing header squeezed in between the junction of post and bar to bring Saints level. Saints came close again moments after the restart, Scott Maitland made an overlapping run on the left wing and sent over a low cross to the near post where Dean Smith was foiled by a timely interception from the Vale defence. The Vale were stung into action and responded with a couple of chances of their own; a 28th minute David McNaught shot was comfortably gathered at his near post by Thomas McCulloch after a swift attack up the left wing by the Vale. Switching to the right the Vale forced a 32nd minute corner after a Marc Maccallum sliding challenge cut out a dangerous looking cross. The in-swinging corner from the right was expertly flighted to the far post but Saints keeper Thomas McCulloch showed excellent handling to catch the ball cleanly under pressure. Lewis Cameron passed up a glorious opportunity to get on the score sheet in the 35th minute when a long ball from the back picked out a suspiciously offside looking Craig MacEwan in the inside left channel about thirty yards from goal. With no whistle coming from Referee John Scott Craig played on and crossed to Lewis unmarked on the penalty spot. Unfortunately Lewis snatched at the chance and sent a tame shot wide of target. Just one minute later Saints took the lead after another good passing move through the midfield. Dean Smith picked up the ball on the edge of the box with his back to goal where a skilful turn created space for a thumping shot which flew past the Vale keeper into the postage stamp corner. Saints had their tails up now and an audacious lob on the left hand corner of the box from Lewis Cameron took out three Vale defenders to set up Craig MacEwan for a shot that was deflected behind for a corner. Lewis took the corner kick and curled it beautifully into the top corner of the net only to see his effort harshly ruled out for an alleged push in the six yard box. Lewis had his eye in now and tried for the same spot again from a 43rd minute free kick on the left after Craig MacEwan had been brought down. This time the keeper got both hands on it and pushed the ball over the bar for a corner. Eager for another attempt on goal Lewis made for the corner flag on the Saints left much to the ire of the Vale keeper whose protestations were upheld by Referee Scott who correctly ruled that the kick should be taken from the Saints right. The Vale keeper may now wish he had kept his mouth shut as Lewis picked out Martin Bonar eight yards out for the big full back to bullet a header into the net to give Saints a deserved 3 - 1 half time lead.
Vale had the benefit of the stiff breeze in the second half but still it was Saints who were first to threaten when Craig MacEwan was narrowly beaten on the six yard line to a quick free kick from the right from Lewis Cameron. Vale tried to harness the advantage of the wind employing long balls to try and get in behind the Saints defence but the back four of Martin Bonar, Marc Maccallum, Willie Gemmell and Scott Maitland coped well with everything the Vale could throw at them. Vale had the ball in the net in the 56th minute when a long ball looked to have finally caught out the Saints rearguard but as the Vale striker rounded Thomas McCulloch Referee John Scott blew for offside before the ball could be rolled into the net. On the half hour mark Manager Alex Craik withdrew Keith Millar and Dean Smith replacing them with Matthew Kelly and Allan Mackay. In the 71st minute Mackay linked up well on the left with Donald Campbell to pick their way through the Vale defence before a timely interception on the edge of the box frustratingly denied Donald just as he was about to pull the trigger. Allan Mackay's physical presence was posing a different set of problems for the Vale defence as he renewed acquaintances with centre half Robert MacKenzie newly signed from Saints former Scottish Amateur Football League rivals Haldane United. In the 72nd minute Allan held off the close attentions of his marker and fed Lewis Cameron on the right wing, the cross from Lewis picked out Craig MacEwan on the six yard line but his hook shot was well saved by the Vale keeper. This proved to be Craig's final contribution and he was replaced on the left of the front three by Kevin Keen. Keen was quickly involved in the action when his strong run at the heart of the Vale defence was halted by a crude challenge 25 yards from goal. Allan Mackay steered his low free kick towards the left hand post where the keeper got down well to make a good save. The keeper couldn't hold onto the shot and Matthew Kelly pounced on the loose ball directing it back on target where the keeper completed an excellent double save. Despite Saints enjoying the majority of the possession they still had to be mindful of the Vale long ball. With ten minutes remaining on the clock a deep Vale free kick to the back post was met by a Vale striker but, under pressure from Saints skipper Marc Maccallum, his looping header was comfortably saved by Thomas McCulloch. Saints excellent passing and movement continued right to the end and in the 87th minute Allan Mackay and Lewis Cameron combined to set up Donald Campbell for a terrific run along the 18 yard line culminating in a fierce left foot shot which had the keeper at full stretch to tip round his right hand post. Saints final opportunity came in the 89th minute when Kevin Keen raced through the inside left channel but his miscued low shot was easily saved at his near post by the Vale keeper.
Referee John Scott, who had enjoyed an easy afternoon, brought a sporting encounter to a halt giving new Saints Manager Alex Craik a win in his first 90 minutes in charge.