Winning In The Rain: Rhu Tournament Round-up

On the basis that they do more than their fair share of travelling during the season Saints don't normally play away from home in pre-season however the invitation to take part in the 120th anniversary celebrations of one of Scotland's oldest surviving amateur football clubs proved too good to turn down. Saints therefore took to the road last Saturday and headed for the picturesque conservation village of Rhu at the mouth of the Gare Loch. Three clubs took part in the competition, Saints, their old friends Greenock High School Former Pupils and hosts Rhu Amateurs with the teams playing each other once in matches lasting 70 minutes.

First up on the well prepared but steeply sloping and very soft playing surface were Saints and Rhu. Saints started with Daniel Cassells in goal; a back four of Martin Bonar, Dene Cassells, Willie Gemmell and Jamie Graham; a midfield of Myles McAuley, Paul Kerr and Donald Campbell; and a forward line of Ross Maitland, Allan Mackay and Lewis Cameron. On the bench were David McArthur, Shaun MacIver, Kevin Keen and Matthew Kelly. Saints were quickly out of the blocks taking the game to their Caledonian League hosts right from the first whistle. Saints first chance came in the third minute with Martin Bonar pushing forward on the right and having a powerful shot blocked but only into the path of Lewis Cameron who shot narrowly over from a tight angle. The pitch wasn't particularly wide but Saints were making it as wide as possible with full backs Bonar and Graham pushing forward at every opportunity. In the 10th minute a deep Ross Maitland cross from the right was headed behind for the first corner of the match. Lewis Cameron's corner kick to the back post was headed back across the face of the goal by Allan Mackay for Paul Kerr who was unable to direct his header on target. Two minutes later Saints made the breakthrough, Jamie Graham made a good run cutting in from the left wing and slipped the ball to Lewis Cameron whose low cross from the left of the box was deflected into his own net by a Rhu defender. After a raking Willie Gemmell pass from the back Lewis and Jamie linked up again in a similar position to win a free kick when Jamie was tripped just outside the box. Lewis curled the free kick around the wall towards the keeper's bottom left hand corner and despite the keeper getting both hands to it he was unable to keep the ball out of the net. In the 20th minute Saints threatened again from a set piece, Jamie Graham won another corner on the left from which Lewis Cameron picked out the head of Martin Bonar whose back post header was cleared off the line by the Rhu defence. Saints were completely dominant in this first period and added a third when another long pass from Willie Gemmell picked out Lewis Cameron's run through the inside left channel. With the defence beaten a first time flick with the outside of his right boot from Lewis caught the advancing keeper totally by surprise and the ball nestled in the bottom corner of the net. Saints were, perhaps, being too adventurous and were almost punished for committing too many men forward when Jamie Graham was dispossessed deep in the Rhu half. A swift counter attack left Saints short at the back and only a well timed interception from Dene Cassells prevented Rhu from getting their effort on target. At the other end the Rhu defence was far more charitable with Ross Maitland the grateful recipient pouncing on a wretchedly short back pass to roll the ball into the net past the stranded keeper. Rhu had a late flurry in the final minute of the first half winning a free kick on the edge of the Saints box which was charged down by the Saints wall but a well struck shot from the rebound brought out a terrific save from Daniel Cassells diving full length to tip the ball round his right and post. Saints failed to pick up their men from the corner kick and allowed a free header six yards out which fortunately flew over the crossbar.

Manager Alex Craik deployed all four substitutes at half time sending on David McArthur, Matthew Kelly, Kevin Keen and Shaun MacIver to replace Jamie Graham, Paul Kerr, Lewis Cameron and Allan Mackay. Saints started the second half casually and were made to pay after just sixty seconds when Stuart McGillivray sprung the Saints offside trap for an easy finish past Daniel Cassells. After the sloppy start Saints got back in the groove and almost restored their four goal advantage in the 39th minute when a crashing header from Shaun MacIver brought out a tremendous save from the Rhu keeper after Martin Bonar had delivered a pin-point cross onto the head of the young Saints striker. MacIver showed good strength to get another effort on target when, after a good pass from Donald Campbell, he held off the attentions of four Rhu defenders before testing the keeper low down to his left. Saints had further opportunities in the 50th and 52nd minutes with the Rhu keeper pulling off good saves from two close range Ross Maitland shots the second of which the keeper couldn't hold but recovered well to save the rebound at the feet of Matthew Kelly. The Saints defence was caught napping at a deep Rhu free kick but Daniel Cassells spared their blushes with a good save after Martin Bonar had been easily beaten at the back post. Martin redeemed himself shortly afterwards in a similar position with a terrific diving header behind for a corner. On the hour mark Saints got their fifth goal when Shaun MacIver made a good run to get on the end of a terrific defence splitting pass from Donald Campbell leaving the Rhu defence appealing in vain for offside as he rounded the keeper and steered the ball into the unguarded net. With rolling substitutions permitted Saints made two further changes before the end with Lewis Cameron and Jamie Graham coming on to replace Ross Maitland and Dene Cassells for the closing stages. Central Scottish Amateur Football League Referee James Gallacher brought the first of his three matches to an end allowing Saints a ten minute breather before facing the fresh legs of West of Scotland Amateur Cup holders Greenock High School Former Pupils.

Saints started the game against old friends the "High" with the same line-up as the first match with the exception of Jamie Graham who made way for David McArthur at left back. The Central Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division outfit were to prove an entirely different proposition to that posed by the hosts and a very even opening thirty five minutes ensued. Ross Maitland won a 4th minute corner on the right after a good pass from Myles McAuley. Ross took the corner kick himself and found the head of Donald Campbell whose header from a prodigious leap hit the junction of post and bar rebounding to Dene Cassells who had his follow up header cleared off the line. Saints were almost caught out in the tenth minute by a swift High counter attack but were saved by a timely Paul Kerr tackle on Stephen Burden at the expense of a corner. However Saints failed to clear the danger from the corner kick from the High left and Michael McColgan bundled the ball over the line from close range. Two minutes later Saints were back on level terms after Ross Maitland had won another corner on the right this time from a Donald Campbell pass inside the full back. Once again Ross delivered a good out swinging cross which was met by a terrific diving header into the net from Allan Mackay. In the 23rd minute Willie Gemmell picked up the only yellow card of the entire afternoon when Referee Gallacher, who handled proceedings well throughout, finally tired of Willie's incessant questioning of his decisions. A good move up the left culminating in a dangerous cross from Lewis Cameron won Saints another corner off a sliced clearance in the High defence. Lewis whipped in the corner kick where Dene Cassells out jumped the High defence but couldn't get enough power in his header to trouble the keeper. On the half hour mark Donald Campbell unleashed a powerful goal bound shot from the edge of the box which unfortunately Allan Mackay couldn't get out of the way of quickly enough and the ball cannoned off his back and looped up onto the roof of the net. The luck of tournament draw saw Saints end the first half on 105 minutes of continuous high tempo football but with their opponents on just 35 minutes the pendulum was about to swing very much in the High's favour.

Two minutes after the restart Dene Cassells was harshly adjudged to have fouled his opponent resulting in a free kick in a dangerous position twenty two yards from goal. Daniel Cassells made an excellent save from the well struck free kick diving full length to his left. Two minutes later there was nothing Dan could do to prevent the High regaining the lead when an excellent low cross from the right by Kevin Brown was turned in at the back post by Michael McColgan. Saints went in search of a second equaliser and came close in the 42nd minute when Lewis Cameron pressurised the High left back into a mistake allowing him to get a shot on target which the High keeper appeared to turn behind for a corner however, much to the bemusement of all, Referee Gallacher awarded a goal kick. The High played the ball out from the back and played a long ball in behind the Saints defence which Paul Kerr did well to head behind for a corner kick. Stephen Burden delivered the corner from the High right which was cleared but only as far as Burden whose perfectly executed first time left foot strike from the corner of the box fizzed past Daniel Cassells into the bottom corner of the net. Manager Alex Craik decided on a change at this point with Jamie Graham replacing Martin Bonar at right back. Moments later Saints slipped further behind when a terrific Gordon Smith strike from the edge of the D flew past Daniel Cassells giving the big Saints keeper no chance. On 57 minutes Saints had some good build up on the left but with the ball screaming out to be cut back to Donald Campbell on the edge of the box Allan Mackay elected to shoot from a tight angle sending his shot over the junction of post and bar. From the goal kick the High again went long where Dene Cassells completely misjudged his attempted clearance slicing it into the path of the onrushing Gordon Smith who eagerly gobbled up the chance to make it 5 - 1 to the High. To their credit Saints kept plugging away in a match they were now clearing not going to get anything from but mental fatigue was setting in and failure to maintain their shape was presenting the High with chances to further extend their advantage. On the hour mark Kevin Keen and Matthew Kelly came on to replace Ross Maitland and David McArthur with young Matthew facing a baptism of fire in an unfamiliar left back role against the very experienced Barry Munro. The veteran High winger made a typically strong run out muscling the Saints youngster to fire in a fierce shot which Daniel Cassells did well to beat away at his near post. Saints managed two more attempts of note in the closing fifteen minutes with Myles McAuley testing the keeper with a powerful run and shot and Donald Campbell having a decent long range effort tipped over but the match finished without further scoring leaving Saints to hope for a home win in the final match.

The High made four changes to their starting XI for the final match where the hosts put up a far better showing but were denied a share of the points against their more illustrious opponents by a first half Stephen Burden strike earning the Greenock men the handsome Murdoch Gardening Services Trophy. Saints received some consolation for their afternoon's work in the shape of the Player of the Tournament trophy awarded to Lewis Cameron.

Saints face another busy day next Saturday when they travel to Lochgilphead for the Argyll and Bute Cup before the league season kicks off on the following Saturday with a home game against newly promoted East Kilbride.