Winning In The Rain: Not So Sweet In Sugar Town

Anxious to improve upon their opening day showing against East Kilbride FC Amateurs Saints made their first away trip of the season last Saturday with normally happy hunting ground Battery Park, Greenock the destination. Lying in wait were newly promoted Inverclyde themselves smarting from a 4 - 0 opening day defeat by Shawlands FP and anxious to get their first points on the board. Work and family commitments deprived Saints of the services of Ross Maitland, Myles McAuley and Allan Mackay with Manager Alex Craik opting for a starting line-up of Thomas McCulloch in goal; a back four of Jamie Graham, Marc Maccallum, Dene Cassells and Scott Maitland; a midfield of Willie Gemmell, Paul Kerr and David McArthur; and a front three of Lewis Cameron, Donald Campbell and Craig MacEwan. Alex named himself on the bench alongside David Beaton, Martin Bonar and Keith Millar. Prior to kick off the players observed a one minute silence for former Scottish Amateur Football League Secretary and Executive Committee member Jack McConnell who had sadly passed away during the week.

Inverclyde Captain Gordon McKillop won the toss and elected to switch ends to defend the Greenock end in the first half. Both sides started slowly with the opening fifteen minutes played out almost entirely in the middle third and no chances of note for either side. The match eventually came to life on the quarter hour mark when determined work on the right by Lewis Cameron forced the game's first corner. Lewis swung over the corner kick where Donald Campbell's challenge prevented Inverclyde central defender Stevie Docherty from making clean contact with his clearing header. The loose ball dropped kindly for Dene Cassells whose snap shot through a ruck of players was deflected wide for a second corner. Lewis Cameron's in swinger from the left was met by a good run to the near post by Craig MacEwan who made good contact but sent his powerful header over the crossbar. Saints were at last beginning to pass the ball about but still without the pace and accuracy necessary to unlock the determined looking Inverclyde defence. Saints best chance of the half came almost exactly at the midway point, Willie Gemmell found a gap in the 'Clyde back four and played an excellent pass sending Craig MacEwan through one-on-one with keeper Michael Ptolomey. The vastly experienced keeper stood up well refusing to commit himself and made a terrific save with his legs sending the ball out for a throw-in. Willie Gemmell found Lewis Cameron with the throw but his curling right foot shot from the corner of the box flew harmlessly over the crossbar. The 'Clyde made their first serious foray up the field in the twenty fifth minute with a terrific right wing cross picking out the unmarked Craig Ellis at the back post whose weak header was comfortably held by Thomas McCulloch in the Saints goal. From the clearance Saints attacked up the right wing and, with the 'Clyde defence looking to have the situation under control, Jamie Graham pressurised left back Gordon McKillop into a mistake and robbed the' Clyde skipper inside his own box. Jamie got his shot from a tight angle on target but once again the legs of keeper Ptolomey came to the rescue of the 'Clyde defence. In the 28th minute Saints skipper Marc Maccallum made a hash of an attempted clearance allowing Darren McGregor the chance to run in behind the Saints back line. The' Clyde centre forward was through on goal but with the Saints defence regaining their ground Marc prevented a shot by pulling back his man just outside the penalty box. The foul earned the 'Clyde striker a free kick and the Saints skipper a yellow yellow card. Fortunately for Saints McGregor sent the free kick high over the crossbar but the relief was shortlived. Barely two minutes later McGregor made a terrific run up the right wing beating Scott Maitland before cutting inside and tucking a neat left foot finish just inside Thomas McCulloch's left hand post. Saints continued to struggle to get behind the well marshaled 'Clyde back four but Willie Gemmell's 37th minute pin point pass to Lewis Cameron eventually unpicked the lock. Lewis cut in from the right but, just as he got his shot away, a last ditch interception from central defender Greg Wilson took the sting out of the shot giving keeper Ptolomey a comfortable save at his near post. With five minutes of the first half remaining Donald Campbell was brought down twenty eight yards from goal and slightly left of centre. Willie Gemmell had already had a free kick from a similar position charged down by the 'Clyde defensive wall, this time he almost cleared the wall but a ricochet off two' Clyde heads sent the ball through for Ptolomey to gather safely. On the stroke of half time the 'Clyde almost doubled their advantage when Jamie Docherty made a terrific run into the box in the inside right channel before shooting across goal where Thomas McCulloch got down well to his right to catch cleanly.

Attacking the Gourock end in the second half Saints went in search of a quick equaliser but, despite a bright opening five minutes, the breakthrough failed to materialise and the frustrations of the first half continued. In the forty seventh minute Scott Maitland was brought down wide on the left just inside the 'Clyde half. Willie Gemmell swung in a dangerous freekick looking for Lewis Cameron at the back post. With Lewis poised for a spectacular volley the ball was prevented from reaching him by the outstretched boot of an Inverclyde defender deflecting the ball behind for a corner. Two minutes later Willie Gemmell and Jamie Graham linked up well on the right but Willie's tempting low cross along the six yard line found no takers in navy blue. On the hour mark Lewis Cameron made a jinking run across the face of the box picking out David McArthur in the inside left channel. David's goal bound shot was charged down bouncing agonisingly out of reach of Craig MacEwan in front of goal. Two minutes later Donald Campbell got on the end of another Willie Gemmell pass and, making a good run on the right, sent over a low cross fractionally too close to keeper Ptolomey and out of reach a Craig MacEwan. Manager Alex Craik rang the changes in the 65th minute sending on David Beaton and Keith Millar to replace Jamie Graham and David McArthur. Alex also decided to switch to a 4-2-4 formation to try and force an equaliser. Unfortunately, with Saints still adjusting to the new shape, the change had completely the opposite effect. The new midfield pairing of Paul Kerr and Keith Millar lost Jamie Docherty with Paul eventually recovering enough ground to get in a challenge bringing down the 'Clyde midfield man midway inside the Saints half. Second half substitute Brendan Gillan's long range freekick dipped just in front of Thomas McCulloch which the big Saints keeper did well to stop. Unfortunately Craig Ellis reacted quicker than the Saints defence and the keeper was left cruelly exposed as the 'Clyde midfielder slotted home the rebound from close range to double the home side's advantage. The second goal knocked the stuffing out of Saints and it was fully fifteen minutes before they could muster another effort on goal when a Lewis Cameron shot from the edge of the box brought out a good save from Michael Ptolomey low down to his right. Saints made their final change in the 82nd minute bringing on Martin Bonar to replace Craig MacEwan. Saints fell further behind in the 86th minute switching off completely at a 'Clyde throw-in on the Saints right. The ball was played to Brendan Gillan on the opposite wing who cut inside Scott Maitland and tucked a neat left foot finish inside Thomas McCulloch's left hand post. With the result well and truly beyond doubt Saints rallied slightly in the closing stages. In the 90th minute Donald Campbell made a good run showing well for a Willie Gemmell throw-in hitting the byeline and sending a tempting cut back to David Beaton whose curled a left foot shot over the junction of post and bar. Saints got their scarcely deserved consolation goal in the 93rd minute when Donald Campbell flicked on a Willie Gemmell pass into the path of David Beaton running through the inside right channel. The youngster easily outpaced central defender Stevie Docherty before lifting the ball over Michael Ptolomey and into the net. There was barely enough time left to restart the match before Referee John McQuilter, who handled the match well, blew for full time bringing a very disappointing afternoon for Saints to an end.

Saints can have no complaints about the result against an Inverclyde team who worked harder throughout and took their chances well. A dramatically improved performance is necessary if Saints are to record their first win of the new season in next Saturday's Argyll Derby at home to Campbeltown Pupils.