Winning In The Rain: Saints On The Spot

Saturday 23rd April 2016

Scottish Amateur Football League
Jimmy Marshall Trophy Third Round

Colquhoun Park, Conon Avenue, Bearsden, East Dunbartonshire G61 1EN

Kick off 2pm
Referee Mr Greig Allan

FC Clydebank AFC 0 - 0 Oban Saints AFC
Saints win 5 - 4 on penalty kicks

Saints starting line-up:-

Thomas McCulloch

Craig Campbell
Willie Gemmell
Marc Maccallum (Captain)

Ross Maitland
Myles McAuley
Paul Kerr
Scott Maitland
Dougal Graham

Allan Mackay
Keith Millar

Used Substitute:-
David McArthur

Unused Substitute:-
Alex Craik

Saints Scottish Amateur Cup Semi Final hangover continued in the Jimmy Marshall Trophy at Colquhoun Park, Bearsden last afternoon as they struggled to find a way past a determined FC Clydebank of SAFL Premier Division Two. Injuries, suspension and holidays restricted Manager Alex Craik's selection options again forcing him to name himself on the bench this time alongside David McArthur. Adding to the teams problems was an accident on the A82 resulting in an enforced detour through Helensburgh, Cardross and Dumbarton which saw the Saints travelling party arrive at Colquhoun Park just thirty minutes prior to kick off. Alex opted for a return to the 3-5-2 formation favoured by previous Manager Iain Jackson with Craig Campbell, Willie Gemmell and Skipper Marc Maccallum forming the back three in front of keeper Thomas MacCulloch. Ross Maitland, Myles McAuley, Paul Kerr, Scott Maitland and Dougal Graham made up the midfield with Keith Millar joining Allan Mackay in attack. The two sides may be separated by twenty two places on the Scottish Amateur Football League ladder but the Bankies have a lost only two games at home all season and were to prove a tough nut for the depleted Saints line-up to crack.

Stand-in striker Keith Millar had the first opportunity of the match in the second minute but his stabbed effort with the outside of his right foot flew wide of keeper Liam Wood's left hand post. Saints dominated the opening exchanges but offered little in the way of an attacking threat with the home defence doing a good job in snuffing out any danger on the edge of their own box. The Bankies had a rare chance to test Thomas McCulloch in the Saints goal when Dougal Graham gave away a free kick on the corner the box in the twenty fifth minute. Bankies wide man Kevin McInally took aim for the top corner but sent his right foot shot high and wide of target. On the half hour mark Saints finally managed to get through the Bankies back four with Myles McAuley dribbling his way into the box all the way to the six yard line where he was foiled in the act of shooting by a well timed challenge from Ross Jackson. Saints were finding a bit of room on the right and in the thirty ninth minute Ross Maitland got on the end of a long pass from the back from Marc Maccallum to win a throw in level with the penalty spot. Willie Gemmell wound up one of his long throws and found the head of Allan Mackay who beat Graeme Watson to win a near post flick on. Saints had Ross Maitland and Keith Millar piling in at the back post unfortunately the pair got in each others way with neither getting a good contact and the ball rebounding back across the face of goal and wide of keeper Wood's left hand post. As the clock ticked down to the half time interval Saints continued to use the extra space afforded them on the right with first Craig Campbell and then Ross Maitland sending in deep crosses looking for Scott Maitland coming through from left midfield. Craig's cross was slightly over hit and gave Lewis Wood an anxious moment as he watched the ball shave the top of his crossbar on it's way over. Ross was also a little heavy with his cross and left Scott with too tight an angle to test the keeper with his hooked left foot shot hitting the side netting. Referee Greig Allan brought the first half to an end with Saints looking reasonably comfortable at the back but definitely needing to the up the tempo if they were to turn their superior possession into goals.

Saints did just that and made a bright start to the second half with Keith Millar controlling a Myles McAuley pass on the left hand side of the Bankies box before turning away from Ben Watson and delivering a cross to the back post looking for Paul Kerr. Paul had taken up a good position in the box but, from a standing jump, was unable to generate enough power on his header to trouble Lewis Wood and the big keeper gathered safely under his crossbar. Recent addition to the squad Craig Campbell gives Saints some added height and the big defender was keen to join the attack for every set piece. Dougal Graham won a fifty first minute free kick on the left ten yards inside the Bankies half giving Willie Gemmell a chance to pick out Craig in the box. Willie swung in an excellent delivery but Ross Jackson proved that he is no slouch in the air either by beating Craig to the header to clear the danger. Thomas McCulloch almost gifted the home side the lead in the fifty second minute from a seemingly harmless ball over the top from Fraser Urquhart. Thomas came out to the corner of his box for should have been a routine to take but in a moment's hesitation lost possession to Kevin McInally. The Bankies winger couldn't believe his good fortune but after cutting inside delayed his shot too long allowing Craig Campbell to get back and take the ball off his toes just as he was about to give the home side the lead. Allan Mackay gave Lewis Wood his first real test of the afternoon in the fifty sixth minute turning Graeme Watson well twenty three yards from goal and unleashing a powerful right foot shot which the big keeper could only parry away. Unfortunately for Saints he got just enough on it to take the ball away from the on-rushing Keith Millar who had made a good run anticipating a loose ball. Saints kept the heat on the home defence with a sustained period of pressure leading up to the hour mark. Ross Maitland won a corner on the right and picked out Craig Campbell in the middle who bulleted a header goalward which hit the unsuspecting Alan Rodgers on the back with Martin Fleming hoofing the ball clear for a throw in. Willie Gemmell launched in another long throw from the right which Allan Mackay controlled at the near post and cut back for Craig Campbell who lost his footing in the sandpit in front of the goals and, falling backwards, was only able to hook a weak shot straight at the Bankies keeper. Another Ross Maitland corner from the right was headed clear but only as far as Scott Maitland on the edge of the box who shot high and wide of the postage stamp corner. Myles McAuley reprised his first half run into the box with a similar outcome again delaying his shot too long allowing the chasing pack to close him down. Manager Alex Craik made his only change in the sixty first minute withdrawing Keith Millar and replacing him with David McArthur. The personnel change brought with it a chance of formation with David slotting into his accustomed right back slot alongside Craig Campbell, Marc Maccallum and Dougal Graham. Willie Gemmell moved into midfield to join Paul Kerr and Myles McAuley with Ross Maitland, Allan Mackay and Scott Maitland forming the front three. With sixty six minutes gone Myles McAuley made another good run from midfield and this time elected to shoot from the edge of the box sending in a daisy cutter which Lewis Wood got down well to hold. At the other end Kevin McInally fashioned a shooting opportunity from the corner of the box getting the better of Dougal Graham to send a low shot flashing across the face of goal and wide of Thomas McCulloch's right hand post. A long ball from Mark Bird saw Bankies left winger Andy Campbell get the better of David McArthur who was grateful to see his Skipper Marc Maccallum coming across to cut out the danger on the edge of the box. A handball from Craig Campbell when trying to control a throw-in from Dougal Graham gave the Bankies the chance to pump a high ball into the Saints box. Kevin McInally sent his free kick to the back post where right back Ross Holinsworth got the better of opposite number David McArthur to head the ball back to Ross Jackson. The big central defender sent a right foot shot tantalisingly across the face of goal, inches out of the reach of Fraser Urquhart sliding in at the near post and behind for a goal kick. Surviving this scare Saints almost caught out the Bankies defence with a deep free kick of their own. Craig Campbell made a quick run forward which Willie Gemmell spotted and put the ball straight onto Craig's forehead with the big man desperately unlucky not to make it two goals in two games when Ross Jackson got back to head the ball off the goal line. Making his first start since returning from a long injury lay-off Myles McAuley was never far from the heart of the action and came close to opening the scoring in the seventy fifth minute. Ross Maitland won a throw-in on the right from which Willie Gemmell picked out Allan Mackay for another near post flick-on. The ball fell invitingly for Myles eight yards out but he steered his right foot shot a foot wide of the keeper's left hand post with Craig Campbell inches away from connecting and deflecting the ball on target. The Bankies responded with a hook shot from Allan Sillars in the seventy ninth minute which cleared the top of Thomas McCulloch,s crossbar by eighteen inches. With nine minutes remaining David McArthur made a good run on the right which was halted at the expense of a corner by Alan Rodgers. Ross Maitland swung in a deep corner to the back post which Allan Mackay controlled well and turned away from Graeme Watson before curling a right foot shot inches wide of Lewis Wood's left hand post. Manager Alex Craik probably realised that a goal wasn't going to come when yet another chance fell to the least prolific of goal scorers Myles McAuley. David McArthur and Ross Maitland linked up well on the right to find Allan Mackay in the inside right channel. Allan hit the bye-line and cut back a cross to Myles McAuley who out-jumped Ross Jackson on the six yard line but sent his header looping over the crossbar. Saints final chance of note came in the eighty seventh minute when Ross Maitland crossed from the left for Willie Gemmell to try a spectacular scissor kick which flew over the crossbar. After dominating the majority of the match without scoring Saints were almost caught with a last minute sucker punch when Andy Campbell jinked inside Dougal Graham and fired in a fierce shot which Thomas McCulloch got both hands on to turn around his left hand post for a corner kick. Kevin McInally sent over the corner kick from the right which Ross Jackson headed over before Mr Allan brought blew for full time signalling the need for a penalty shoot-out to decide who would proceed to the quarter finals.

Ross Maitland had the unenviable task of going first and got Saints off to a positive start sending Lewis Wood the wrong way. David McArthur and Allan Mackay also safely converted for Saints with Alan Rodgers, Fraser Urquhart and Allan Sillars responding for the home side. Scott Maitland followed the example of the previous three takers by going to the keeper's left however this time Lewis Wood guessed correctly and threw up a strong right hand to tip Scott's effort over the crossbar. Thomas McCulloch immediately levelled things up diving low to his right to stop from Kevin McInally and kept a close eye on the loose ball to gather safely at the second attempt. Willie Gemmell put Saints in front again but Andy Campbell scored to send the shoot out into sudden death.

Paul Kerr stepped up to take the first of the sudden death spot kicks however Referee Allan noticed that the net had come away from the crossbar opening up a hole which he insisted must be repaired before proceeding any further. Bankies official Craig McPherson produced another roll of insulating tape and carried out the necessary repairs while Paul Kerr waited patiently for the signal to proceed. Thankfully the delay had no adverse effect on Paul and he sent Lewis Wood the wrong way tucking the ball low inside the keeper's right hand post to give Saints the advantage. Lewis Wood bravely stepped up to take the Bankies sixth penalty but was left a forlorn figure as his opposite number Thomas McCulloch dropped to his left to smother the ball and send Saints through to face Kings Park Rangers in the quarter final.

Although it was far from a vintage performance from Saints full credit must go to the players whose perseverance was ultimately rewarded with a win which keeps them in the hunt for silverware on two fronts moving into the closing weeks of the season. Commiserations to FC Clydebank who contributed much to an interesting cup tie and were unlucky to loose in the lottery of a penalty shoot-out.