Winning In The Rain: Into The Semis

Saturday 19th March 2016
The Scottish Amateur Football Association Challenge Cup Competition

Quarter Final Tie
Oban Saints AFC 2 - 1 Shortlees AFC
Glencruitten 2, Mossfield Avenue, Oban, Argyll PA34 4EH
Kick off 2pm
Referee Mr James Gallacher
Assistant Referee Mr Steven Johnston
Assistant Referee Mr Jonathan Zadok

Saints starting line-up:-

Thomas McCulloch

David McArthur
Marc Maccallum (Captain)
Jamie Graham
Scott Maitland

Willie Gemmell
Paul Kerr
Donald Campbell

Ross Maitland
Dean Smith
Craig MacEwan

Used Substitutes:-

Myles McAuley
Allan Mackay
Brian Mackay
Keith Millar

Unused Substitute:-

Dougal Graham

Saints Goalscorers:-

Willie Gemmell ⚽
Allan Mackay

Match Report

⚽

Oban Saints survived a second half onslaught from a very impressive Shortlees Amateurs side to book their first ever Scottish Amateur Cup semi-final slot in front of a large crowd at Glencruitten last Saturday afternoon. With nerves jangling all around it was a typically cool finish from second half substitute Allan Mackay which sealed the victory and put Saints within ninety minutes of a trip to Hampden Park on Sunday 22nd May.

With the exception of the suspended Dene Cassells Manager Alex Craik selected the same starting eleven to face the Ayrshire Amateur Football Association First Division side that had seen off Caledonian League Premier Division leaders Doune Castle in the seventh round. Dene's place in central defence was taken by Jamie Graham who had recovered from the bout of flu that had restricted him to a substitutes role against Doune. Taking his place alongside Dougal Graham, Allan Mackay. Keith Millar and Myles McAuley on a strong Saints bench was new signing Brian Mackay.

The visitors kicked off attacking the Mossfield end and immediately showed their attacking intent with Alex Duffy threading a pass between David McArthur and Marc Maccallum on the right of the Saints back four looking for the diagonal run of Craig McIntosh. However Saints keeper Thomas McCulloch was alert to the danger and came sliding out to the edge of his box to safely gather the ball. Saints first effort on goal came in the second minute from the unlikely source of Jamie Graham who came striding out from the back to strike a thirty five yard shot well over the Shortlees crossbar. The Lees are a good footballing side with a wealth of experience in their ranks however they are not shy in using the aerial route to goal and looked to exploit the height advantage of towering central defender Gordon Minor at every set-piece. Right full back Gregg Calder launched a deep free kick from the half way line looking for the head of Minor after Willie Gemmell was penalised for a late challenge on Joseph Gold. The free kick evaded the head of Minor and was cleared for a throw-in by Jamie Graham. The Lees then unleashed another of their weapons with a long throw from the right touchline from left full back Graeme Anderson which Greig Rankin headed well wide of target under pressure from Willie Gemmell. A very interesting midfield battle was developing between Saints play maker Donald Campbell and the vastly experienced Jim Caldwell. Donald got the better of his man in the sixth minute to clip a pass to Craig MacEwan cutting in from the left. Craig slipped past Gordon Minor and unleashed a powerful right foot shot on target from the eighteen yard line which was charged down by Shortlees defensive rock five time Scottish Junior Cup winner William Mason. Saints dead ball expert Willie Gemmell had his first sight of goal in the eighth minute after Dean Smith had turned Gordon Minor and been tugged back by the big centre half twenty eight yards from goal. Unfortunately Willie's sights weren't yet fully focused and he sent his curling effort high over the Shortlees crossbar. The understandably nervous start from both sides continued and it wasn't until fifteen minutes in that the first effort on target was mustered. Willie Gemmell was involved again this time with another weapon in his armoury the long throw. Willie's throw from the right touchline, level with the six yard line, was flicked on by Dean Smith at the near post to Craig MacEwan who tried to guide his header inside the post but with insufficient power to trouble Shortlees keeper Garry Murdoch who gathered easily. Two minutes later Shortless danger man and Scottish Amateur Cup winner with Hurlford Thistle Keir Knapp caught out the Saints back four with a diagonal pass from the left looking for the run of Alex Duffy but Thomas McCulloch was again quick to read the danger and came well off his line to cut out the cross. Saints path to goal was blocked for a second time by William Mason whose performance at the heart of the Shortlees defence belied his forty plus years of age. Willie Gemmell played a free kick from the half way line to Craig MacEwan who came short to meet it before turning the ball wide to Scott Maitland on the left wing. Scott picked out Donald Campbell inside the penalty box who turned away from Jim Caldwell making space for a right foot shot from seventeen yards which Mason was once again perfectly positioned to block. Saints repeated the Gemmell to MacEwan free kick routine in the twentieth minute with Craig playing in Donald Campbell on the left of the box for a powerful left foot shot which Garry Murdoch did well to hold at his near post. The Lees countered again on the left with Knapp sending a deep cross to the back post looking for the head of Craig McIntosh but Jamie Graham climbed well to head the ball behind for a corner kick. The corner from right was met with a powerful near post header from Paul Kerr to clear the danger. Another of the game's interesting personal duels was that of Saints skipper Marc Maccallum and Shortlees principal goal threat Keir Knapp. On the half hour mark Knapp made a dangerous run into the Saints box but his progress was matched all the way by Maccallum who forced him wide with the Lees man eventually running the ball harmlessly out of play. Saints upped the pressure on the visiting defence with two good chances to open the scoring in quick succession. Craig MacEwan made a good run on the left wing and played the ball to Dean Smith on the eighteen yard line. With his back to goal Dean held the ball up well before slipping in Ross Maitland on the left of the Shortlees box. Ross bore down on goal and from the corner of the six yard box shot left footed trying to squeeze the ball in between Garry Murdoch and his near post but the Lees keeper narrowed the angle well to turn the ball behind for a corner kick. Ross took the kick himself and sent a dangerous ball into the six yard box which Murdoch failed to gather cleanly under pressure from Marc Maccallum with the ball dropping to Dean Smith who scooped a difficult chance over the cross bar from three yards range. Following on from Craig MacEwan and Donald Campbell Paul Kerr was next to have a goal bound shot blocked by William Mason. Paul's twenty five yard rocket was turned away by the outstretched left leg of the Lees defensive stalwart with Graeme Anderson mopping up the loose ball. With ten minutes of the first half remaining Saints had a strong claim for a penalty kick denied by Referee Gallacher. Craig MacEwan made a good run into the Shortlees box before going down under a sliding challenge from right back Gregg Calder. Despite loud appeals from the Saints contingent the Dumbarton whistler judged the tackle to be fair and waved play on. The deadlock was broken in the thirty eighth minute from the deadly right foot of Willie Gemmell. Craig MacEwan won a free kick twenty two yards from goal and slightly left of centre when he was brought down by Gordon Minor. Willie adjusted his sights from his previous off target effort and curled a delightful shot around the wall and into the postage stamp corner past a static Garry Murdoch. Straight from the restart Shortlees broke up the left wing with Keir Knapp setting up Joseph Gold for a long range shot which Thomas McCulloch held well. With the clock ticking down to the half-time interval The Lees took the aerial route again when Graeme Anderson sent in a deep free kick from just inside the Saints half looking for the head of Gordon Minor. The giant centre half flicked on from the edge of the box but Saints skipper Marc Maccallum won the second ball and cleared well setting up Craig MacEwan for a counter attack. Craig hurdled a desperate lunging tackle from Anderson on the halfway line with Referee Gallacher playing a good advantage, however Craig was unable to keep the ball in play and Mr Gallacher brought the play back for a free kick to Saints flashing the yellow card in Anderson's direction in the process. Saints failed to capitalise on the set-piece and Mr Gallacher brought the first half to an end with Saints good value for their narrow lead.

Saints kicked off the second half looking for the second goal which they hoped would make the tie safe but again they struggled to unlock the Shortlees back line who defended their eighteen yard line doggedly. William Mason kept up his personal crusade to ensure that no shots from open play would find their way through to keeper Murdoch when he blocked a David McArthur effort from twenty yards just inside his own box. The visitors slowly started to gain the upper hand and a long throw from Graeme Anderson forced Thomas McCulloch into an excellent finger tip save diving to his right to turn a glancing Keir Knapp round the post. Knapp was in the thick of the action again in the fifty third minute bursting through from midfield before threading a pass through the inside left channel looking for the run of Greig Rankin. David McArthur recovered well to make an important interception denying Rankin what would have been a terrific chance for the equaliser. After ten second half minutes Craig MacEwan succeeded in hitting the bye-line after a good run up the right wing. Having finally managed to turn the well drilled Lees defence Craig was disappointed to see his cut back drift into the keeper's arms and out of the reach of Dean Smith's near post run. Ross Maitland also managed to get in behind the Lees defence but couldn't bring David McArthur's through ball under control. The wee man's blushes were spared however when Assistant Referee Steven Johnston flagged him offside. There were scarlet faces in Saints defence in the fifty eighth minute when Marc Maccallum and Thomas McCulloch left a long Shortlees punt upfield to one another. Keir Knapp pounced on the moment of indecision between keeper and defender picking up the loose ball and rounding the keeper before being thwarted by a tremendous last ditch tackle by Maccallum. Moments later danger man Knapp fizzed a long range drive inches wide of Thomas McCulloch's right hand post. On the hour mark Saints Manager Alex Craik decided to ring the changes withdrawing Ross Maitland and goal scorer Willie Gemmell replacing them with the fresh legs of Brain Mackay and Myles McAuley. It didn't take Myles long to make an impact on proceedings unfortunately it was at the wrong end. Keir Knapp cut in from the right and made a terrific run along the eighteen yard line where he was upended just inside the box by McAuley. The rash tackle earned Shortlees a penalty kick and the Saints midfielder a yellow card. Knapp took the spot kick himself and although McCulloch guessed correctly the ball squirmed underneath his body and nestled in the back of the net to bring the visitors level. Shortlees had their tails up now and, urged on by their substantial travelling support, certainly fancied themselves to kick on and get the winner. With fifteen minutes remaining Allan Mackay entered the fray replacing Dean Smith up front and doing his usual good job of winning headers and holding the ball up. Shortlees continued to ask questions of the Saints defence but skipper Maccallum marshaled his troops well restricting the visitors to shots from distance. Joseph Gold and Jim Caldwell both sent efforts wide of target when set up by Gordon Minor knock downs from Graeme Anderson free kicks. Keir Knapp was brought down by Scott Maitland on the right hand corner of the box giving the Shortlees top goal scorer the chance to showcase his dead ball skills. Fortunately for Saints his left foot shot was high and wide of target posing more of a problem to ball boy Peter MacCallum than keeper Thomas McCulloch. In the eightieth minute Saints had a set-piece opportunity of their own when Paul Kerr was bundled over by Greig Rankin twenty eight yards from goal. With Willie Gemmell off the field Allan Mackay assumed responsibility and had Garry Murdoch scrambling across his goal line to field a curling right foot shot just inside his left hand post. As time ebbed away a replay in Kilmarnock was looking the most likely outcome however there was time for one last twist in the tale. In the eighty eighth minute Donald Campbell made a sensational driving run at the heart of the Lees defence. With defenders trailing in his wake Donald burst into the box and laid the ball off to Allan Mackay to calmly slot the ball past the left hand of Garry Murdoch and into the bottom corner of the net. Cue scenes of delirium both on and off the field as Saints players and supporters celebrated the goal wildly. Two minutes later Saints had the chance the completely kill the tie when Brian Mackay combined with Craig MacEwan on the right wing sending Craig to the bye-line. Craig cut the ball back for Myles McAuley at the back post for what should have been a routine tap-in but the ball stuck underneath McAuley's feet allowing Gregg Calder to clear the danger. Sixty seconds into the five minutes of stoppage time allowed by Mr Gallacher Saints made their final change with Keith Millar coming on the replace Craig MacEwan. Such were the nerves on the touchline that the stoppage time seemed to last forever and the Saints faithful had two final close shaves to endure before the agony was over. A long punt into the box fell kindly for Jim Calder but the close attentions of Paul Kerr caused Calder to miscue and send his shot well wide of target. Finally in the ninety fifth minute Shortlees won a corner on the left with keeper Murdoch running the full length of the park to join the attack. Gregg Calder's in-swinging corner curled over the hands of Thomas McCulloch but, much to the relief of all in navy blue, landed on the roof of the net. Referee Mr Gallacher who, ably supported by Assistant Referees Steven Johnston and Jonathan Zadok, handled the match impeccably brought proceedings to an end confirming an historic win for Saints.

Saints will now face Leven United of the Kingdom Caledonian Amateur Football Association in a semi final tie to be played at New Douglas Park home of Saints good friends Hamilton Academical on Thursday 31st March.