Winning In The Rain: Gone With The Wind

Saturday 30th January 2016
Scottish Amateur Football Association
Colville Park Country Club West of Scotland Amateur Cup
Fourth Round Tie
Oban Saints AFC 3 - 1 New Farm Loch AFC
Oban Community Sports Field (3G), Soroba Road, Oban, Argyll PA34 4JB
Kick Off 1.30pm
Referee Mr Stephen Payne

Saints starting line-up:-

Thomas McCulloch

David McArthur
Marc Maccallum (Captain)
Jamie Graham
Dougal Graham

Scott Maitland
Paul Kerr
Donald Campbell

Ross Maitland
Allan Mackay
Craig MacEwan

Used Substitutes:-

Dene Cassells
Willie Gemmell
Keith Millar
Dean Smith

Unused Substitute:-

Alex Craik

Saints Goalscorers:-

Ross Maitland ⚽
Craig MacEwan ⚽
Willie Gemmell

Match Report

Saints overcame New Farm Loch and the tail end of storm Gertrude to secure their place in the fifth round of the West of Scotland Amateur Cup on the 3G at Oban High School last Saturday afternoon. By the middle of the middle of the week it was obvious that Glencruitten had no chance of surviving the deluge therefore an early decision was made to switch the tie to the all weather surface. Manager Alex Craik had the rare luxury of being able to name the same squad for the third game running but decided to make two changes to his starting line-up bringing in Scott Maitland and Allan Mackay with Willie Gemmell and Dean Smith dropping to the bench. Prior to kick-off a silence of remembrance was held for friend of New Farm Loch and former Craigie Amateurs player Sammy McCutcheon who sadly passed away during the week. The visitors won the toss and chose to have the benefit of the wind in the first half leaving Saints to kick-off into the howling gale blowing from the Games Park end. In the opening two minutes the decision to allow the match to proceed looked questionable as Saints were locked inside their own half and unable to get the ball under control. New Farm Loch or the Loyal as they like to be known rained in high balls and wind assisted long throws which had the Saints defence in all sorts of trouble. David McArthur headed a long throw behind for a corner kick which was lifted over everybody but, thankfully for Saints, landed on top of the crossbar and bounced behind for a goal kick. Saints still couldn't get out of their own half and in a melee in their box Thomas McCulloch made a save at the feet of Dale Andrews. Saints weathered the early Loyal storm and had their own first chance in the fourth minute when a neat Craig MacEwan back heel opened up space for an Allan Mackay shot which keeper Blair Cousar tipped around the post for a corner kick. The normally deadly accurate Ross Maitland cross failed to materialise as the wind took the ball well off course and away from waiting Saints heads in the penalty box. Despite managing to keep the visitors at a safe distance Saints continued to struggle to get their own game going and it wasn't until the twentieth minute that the New Farm Loch keeper was forced into action again. Allan Mackay won a free kick ten yards inside the Loyal half which Donald Campbell lofted into the box looking for Craig MacEwan. Craig showed good touch to control the ball and set up Allan Mackay for another shot from twelve yards which was again tipped round the post by Cousar. For the second time Ross Maitland's corner kick was well off target and the danger was cleared. In the twenty third minute David McArthur made a driving run into the box and won a corner kick off a good interception by Loyal left full back Chris Young. Ross Maitland finally looked to have the measure of the wind and landed his corner kick straight onto the forehead of Craig MacEwan who bulleted a powerful header over the crossbar from seven yards out. Saints were knocking on the door now and the breakthrough came just one minute later. Donald Campbell played a diagonal pass to Ross Maitland who tore through the inside left channel and, from the corner of the box, curled a delightful finish past the despairing dive of Cousar and into the far corner of the net to give Saints the lead. From the re-start the visitors raced straight up the park and forced Dougal Graham into conceding a corner on the Saints left. The corner kick was landed right on top of Thomas McCulloch who showed excellent handling to pluck the ball from the air under pressure from New Farm Loch central defender David Sharkey. The visitors lost the services of Chris Young in the thirty second minute when the left back, who was already carrying an ankle knock, collapsed under a fairly innocuous looking Donald Campbell challenge on the half way line and had to be helped from the field of play. High balls at the centre of the defence were proving extremely difficult to judge and a sliced Jamie Graham clearance gave Kevin Michael the chance to deliver a dangerous cross into the box which Saints skipper Marc Maccallum had to dive full length to head behind for a corner kick. The Saints defence headed the corner behind for a second corner from the opposite flank which was headed clear by Paul Kerr at the back post. The Loyal had their best chance of the half in the thirty seventh minute when Alan Baird got in between David McArthur and Marc Maccallum for a shot on goal from which Thomas McCulloch made an excellent save throwing up a strong right hand to turn the ball behind for a corner kick. Saints ended the half on the front foot with Ross Maitland narrowly failing to pick out Allan Mackay in the middle after a good run up the right wing. In the forty fourth minute Craig MacEwan looked set to double Saints lead when he beat the offside trap and attempted to round Blair Cousar only to be caught by the slightest of touches by the visiting keeper. Craig went down under the challenge but Referee Stephen Payne, who handled the match well throughout, ruled that he had gone to ground too easily and booked the Saints man for simulation. It was a satisfied Saints camp at half time well pleased that they had negotiated the testing first half conditions to emerge with a clean sheet and a slender lead on which to build.

The visitors kicked off the second half and shocked Saints in the first minute when Graeme Cook pounced on a loose ball on the corner of the box after Saints had failed to deal with a long throw-in from the left touch line. The Loyal right full back rifled an unstoppable shot across Thomas McCulloch and into the bottom corner to bring the visitors level. Despite this setback with the wind at their backs and almost the entire second half still to play Saints were very much in pole position and proceeded to dominate the remainder of the match running out comfortable winners. Shots from distance were always likely to present a problem for the goal keeper and Donald Campbell was first to try his luck but his forty eighth minute effort flew high over the cross bar. Allan Mackay was next just one minute later but saw his shot from the edge of the box well held by Blair Cousar. In the fifty first minute Craig MacEwan went down in the box for the second time of the afternoon and this time Referee Payne had no hesitation in pointing to the penalty spot for a clear trip by Graeme Cook. Regular penalty taker Donald Campbell took aim for the bottom corner but was thwarted by an excellent finger tip save low down to his left by Blair Cousar. Paul Kerr was next with a long range effort but his twenty five yard shot was deflected behind for a corner. Allan Mackay met Ross Maitland's delivery but his header lacked direction and was easily gathered by Blair Cousar. In the fifty fifth minute Donald Campbell made a good run into the box but couldn't get the ball far enough out of his feet to get any power on his shot which was safely gathered by Cousar. Parity for the visitors lasted only one minute longer when Donald Campbell tricked his way along the byeline and squared to Craig MacEwan to tap in from one yard out. More trickery in the box, this time from Craig MacEwan, set up Ross Maitland for a shot on goal but a last ditch interception by Steven Milligan blocked the wee man's shot and the danger was cleared. The visitors suffered another injury blow just after the hour mark with central defender David Sharkey limping off to be replaced by Gavin Cooper. In the sixty third minute Craig MacEwan had a very presentable opportunity to double his tally from six yards but was denied by the feet of Blair Cousar after David McArthur had picked him out with a terrific cross from the right wing. From the resulting corner kick on the left Ross Maitland went short working a one-two with Dougal Graham creating space for a right foot shot which curled wide of the far post. Allan Mackay again tested Blair Cousar with a right foot shot which the impressive keeper did well to hold. Mark Wylie found his way into the Referee's note booked for a foul on Scott Maitland and was quickly joined there by Graeme Cook who brought a jinking sixty sixth minute Craig MacEwan run to an end on the edge of the box with a cynical trip. Allan Mackay assumed responsibility for the free-kick but sent a wayward effort well wide of the keeper's left hand post. Manager Alex Craik then made this first of his changes replacing Jamie Graham at the heart of the defence with Dene Cassells. A rare foray up field brought the Loyal a seventieth minute free kick after David McArthur was penalised for a push on Kevin Michael. The wide man sent over a good cross to the back post where Gavin Cooper stole in between Dene Cassells and David McArthur to get in a powerful header which Thomas McCulloch saved well diving to his right despite the Referee ruling that the New Farm Loch substitute has strayed off-side. Ross Maitland then made way for Willie Gemmell with Scott Maitland moving forward and Willie joining Paul Kerr and Donald Campbell in the middle of the park. Willie's first involvement was a long throw from which Craig MacEwan forced a corner kick. Scott Maitland took over corner kick duties and found Craig MacEwan in the centre who was unable to generate any power on his header giving Blair Cousar an easy catch. With ten minutes remaining Dean Smith replaced Allan Mackay at centre forward and quickly made a telling contribution. Chasing down a Donald pass in the inside left channel Dean showed good perseverance to draw a foul from Graeme Cook winning a free-kick twenty four yards from goal in prime Willie Gemmell territory. Willie didn't disappoint curling a right foot shot around the wall and inside the far post past the despairing left hand of Cousar for the killer third goal. Alex Craik then made his final change bringing on Keith Millar to replace Paul Kerr as the midfield anchor. Saints failure to add to their tally is almost entirely due to the lightning reflexes of New Farm Loch keeper Blair Cousar who stood firm behind his tiring defence to deny Saints with a string of magnificent saves. Willie Gemmell, Scott Maitland and Dean Smith can all count themselves desperately unlucky to see net bound efforts tipped around the post by a keeper on top form. With the match over as a contest and hail showers now adding to the weather problems the Referee's final whistle was a welcome sound for all. Full credit to both sets of players and Referee Stephen Payne for producing an entertaining game in extremely challenging conditions. Saints reward for this victory is a home fifth round tie against Central Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division runaway leaders Colville Park on a date yet to be set.