Winning In The Rain: Sweet Little Sixteen

Saturday 6th February 2016

The Scottish Amateur Football Association Challenge Cup Competition
6th Round
Stirling City AFC v Oban Saints AFC
Kings Park
Park Avenue
Stirling
FK8 2JT
Kick off 2pm
Referee Mr. Dennis Cotterhill

Saints starting line-up:-

Thomas McCulloch

David McArthur
Marc Maccallum (Captain)
Jamie Graham
Dougal Graham

Donald Campbell
Paul Kerr
Scott Maitland

Dean Smith
Allan Mackay
Craig MacEwan

Used Substitutes:-

Dene Cassells
Willie Gemmell
Keith Millar

Unused Substitute:-

Alex Craik

Saints Goalscorers:-

Craig MacEwan ⚽
Donald Campbell ⚽
Own Goal

Keith Millar

Match Report

Saints marched into the last sixteen of the Scottish Amateur Cup with a convincing win over Central Scottish Amateur Football League Division 1B side Stirling City last Saturday afternoon. The match was played at Kings Park in the shadow of Stirling Castle on a grass park which started out soft and deteriorated steadily under the incessant rain. Manager Alex Craik's run of good fortune in being able to name the same squad for consecutive fixtures ran out with Ross Maitland's non-availability due to family commitments forcing a reshuffle in the starting line-up. Allan Mackay kept his place after an impressive showing against New Farm Loch in the West of Scotland Cup with Dean Smith getting the nod to replace Ross Maitland on the right of the front three. Saints started well playing some great football and had the home side pinned back in their own half straight from the kick off. Despite their early territorial advantage Saints were unable to test Ross Graham in the City goal as the home defence comfortably repelled first a Scott Maitland out-swinging corner kick from the left then a Donald Campbell free kick also from the left after Dougal Graham had been brought down by Scott Younger. City lost the services of Gerard McCaferty in the seventh minute with his place in the middle of the park being taken by substitute Bryan White. Saints made the deserved breakthrough in the ninth minute after Allan Mackay won a corner kick on the Saints right. Scott Maitland's in-swinger was headed clear but returned immediately by Paul Kerr picking out Dean Smith on the right who was brought down by Harry Prescott giving Saints another dead ball opportunity. Scott Maitland's delivery was excellent and Craig MacEwan forced his way in between Lewis McKinlay and Mark Donnelly on the six yard line to power a downward header past Ross Graham. Donald Campbell picked up the first yellow card of the day in the eleventh minute for a late challenge on Stuart White in the centre circle which the Referee was quick to punish despite the underfoot conditions having contributed considerably. White launched the free kick deep into the Saints box looking for Lewis McKinlay but put too much on it and sent the ball harmlessly behind for a goal kick. City slowly edged their way into the game with Scott Younger looking lively up front and keeping the Saints back four of David McArthur, Marc Maccallum, Jamie Graham and Dougal Graham on their toes. City had their first real sight of goal in the twenty fourth minute with Scott Younger making a good run into the box past Dougal Graham and picking out Mark Donnelly at the back for a powerful header which Thomas McCulloch saved well. Saints immediately broke up field with Craig MacEwan making a terrific run on the right hitting the bye-line and cutting back for Donald Campbell to tap in from two yards to double Saints advantage. Saints went looking for a third and came close when Allan Mackay beat City skipper Lewis McKinlay to power a net bound header from a Scott Maitland cross which Ross Graham did well to claw away diving to his right. On the half hour mark Saints survived a penalty appeal when Scott Younger got in behind the Saints back four and went down under a challenge from Thomas McCulloch. The big Saints keeper was grateful to receive the benefit of the doubt with Referee Dennis Cotterhill ruling that Thomas had fairly beaten his man to the ball. Scott Younger's movement up front caused more problems in the thirty second minute when he spun away from Dougal Graham and hooked a shot from an Allan Robertson pass over the crossbar. City tried the aerial route in the thirty ninth minute with Stuart White launching a deep free kick from inside the centre circle which Thomas McCulloch did well to hold under pressure from Lewis McKinlay. Saints carved open the City defence again in the forty second minute and only a desperate last gasp sliding interception from Danny MacDonald prevented Scott Maitland from adding to the scoring. Donald Campbell slipped an excellent ball through to Craig MacEwan on the left who cut into the box and squared for Scott only for MacDonald to slide in and turn the ball behind for a corner kick. Donald Campbell went short with the corner working a one-two with Dougal Graham to open up the angle for a cross. Donald's cross was headed away by Mark Donnelly but only as far as Scott Maitland whose left foot shot from the edge of the box cleared the cross bar by a foot. Saints ended the half on the attack with Allan Mackay forcing a corner kick on the left from which Donald Campbell sent in a tempting cross that Ross Graham read well to come through a ruck of players and punch clear. Referee Cotterhill brought the half to an end and, unusually for this level of football, both sides retired to the dressing rooms for a ten minute interval giving the bedraggled spectators the chance to seek out some shelter of their own.

City kicked off the second half in a more determined fashion pinning Saints back in their own half but a very solid defensive display from the Saints back four, well marshaled by skipper Marc Maccallum, kept the home side at arms length. City's injury problems continued in the fifty first minute when left full back Harry Prescott limped off with a dead leg to be replaced by Scott MacArthur. Moments later Craig MacEwan's afternoon came to a premature end when the heavy going finally took it's toll on his niggling calf injury. Craig's departure signaled a change of formation for Saints with substitute Willie Gemmell joining Donald Campbell, Paul Kerr and Scott Maitland in the middle of the park leaving Allan Mackay and Dean Smith up front. In the fifty seventh minute Dean Smith broke clear on the right wing but had his cross looking for Allan Mackay blocked on the edge of the six yard box. Allan chased down the loose ball fouling Danny MacDonald by the corner flag in the process. MacDonald attempted to steal ten yards for the free kick and was cautioned by Referee Cotterhill for initially refusing to take the kick from the proper position. Two minutes later Donald Campbell sent Smith tearing down the right wing again this time winning a throw in level with the penalty spot. Willie Gemmell's long throw was flicked on by Allan Mackay and hooked goalwards by David McArthur who couldn't believe his luck when Lewis McKinlay somehow managed to get back to clear the ball off the line just inside the far post. The slippery conditions were making things difficult for both sets of players but certainly added to the old fashioned cup tie atmosphere. Dean Smith made another break forward on the right in the sixty fourth minute but, cutting inside, over ran the ball sliding into Scott MacArthur and picking up a yellow card in the process. In the sixty ninth minute Donald Campbell made a good run evading several lunging challenges before slipping a low left foot shot inches wide of the base of the keeper's right hand post. City continued to press high up the park leaving space behind for Saints to break into. In the seventy second minute Dean Smith sent Donald Campbell racing through the inside right channel where he was headed off by Danny MacDonald. Donald refused to give up and closed down and dispossessed the tall central defender laying the ball back to David McArhur who swung in a right foot cross which deceived everybody and hit the far post. The ball dropped to Scott Maitland who sent the ball back across the six yard box where Lewis McKinlay showed great composure to clear the danger. With fifteen minutes remaining Dene Cassells replaced Dean Smith up front with Dene's fresh legs immediately looking a threat to Ciy's high defensive line. Two minutes after coming on Dene's direct running opened up the City defence again with the supporting cast of Allan Mackay, Willie Gemmell and Scott Maitland all passing up decent shooting opportunities before allowing the home defence to clear the danger. With the clock ticking down City pushed central defender Danny MacDonald up front but the Saints defence stood firm paving the way for a wave of counter attacks. David McArthur lead another charge up the right wing and picked out Willie Gemmell's run through the inside right channel with Willie's low shot clipping the outside of the Ross Graham's left hand post with the big keeper rooted to the spot. In the seventy ninth minute Graham was on his toes to pull off an excellent save from Allan Mackay at the back post after Allan had peeled away from Lewis McKinlay to volley a David McArthur right wing cross net bound. The beleaguered City defence were under pressure again almost immediately when Ross Graham failed to get any distance on a goal kick inviting Dene Cassells to race forward and fire in a right foot shot which, much to the keeper's relief went the wrong side of the post and into the side netting. Saints profligacy in front of goal was punished in the eighty first minute when Danny MacDonald volleyed home from the edge of the Saints box finding the bottom corner after Saints had only partially cleared another lofted long ball from Stuart White. City's hopes of a forcing an equaliser were short lived and within three minutes Saints restored their two goal advantage. Donald Campbell picked out another surging run from Dene Cassells who powered into the box and fired a shot across the goal keeper which the unfortunate Bryan White slid in and turned into his own net. Manager Alex Craik made his final change with five minutes remaining sending on Keith Millar to replace Allan Mackay leaving Saints to complete the match with a very unfamiliar front pairing of Dene Cassells and Keith Millar. The unlikely lads combined to complete the scoring in the eighty eighth minute. Dene closed down City skipper McKinlay and played in Keith racing through the inside left channel. With just the keeper to beat Keith calmly slotted the ball inside the keepers right hand post making the final score 4 - 1 to Saints. In the remaining minutes Donald Campbell twice came close to adding to the scoring before Referee Cotterhill, who handled the match well, blew for full time sending a happy Saints camp into Wednesday's seventh round draw.

Saints now turn their attention back to West of Scotland Amateur Cup duty for the visit to Oban next Saturday of runaway Central Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division leaders Colville Park.