Winning In The Rain: Last Men Standing

Sunday 22nd May 2016
Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division
Oban Saints AFC 4 - 1 Inverclyde AFC
Glencruitten 2
Mossfield Avenue
Oban
Argyll
PA34 4EH
Kick Off 2pm
Referee Mr Kevin McIntyre

Saints starting line-up:-

Graham Douglas

David McArthur
Alex Craik
Dene Cassells
Dougal Graham

Keith Millar
Paul Kerr
Paul Carmichael

Dean Smith
Allan Mackay
Craig MacEwan

Saints Goalscorers:-

Allan Mackay (2)
Dougal Graham
Craig MacEwan

Saints had long been dreaming of a match on Sunday 22nd May 2016, unfortunately the much longed for Scottish Amateur Cup final appearance at Hampden Park was not to be and a considerably less prestigious Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division match against Inverclyde was arranged instead. With only eleven available players it was perhaps fortunate that the opponents were Saints old foes from the tail o' the bank rather than the all conquering Colville Park as Manager Alex Craik's resources were again stretched to the limit. Dropping out from Friday's squad were Thomas McCulloch, Willie Gemmell, Donald Campbell and Ross Maitland with Craig Campbell and Jamie Graham joining the lengthening injury list. Graham Douglas and Paul Carmichael made welcome returns however Skipper Marc Maccallum's planned return from the foot injury sustained against Alba Thistle on the 27th of April had to be abandoned when he pulled up during the warm-up. The last men standing therefore lined up with Graham Douglas in goal; a back four of David McArthur, Alex Craik, Dene Cassells and Dougal Graham; Keith Millar, Paul Kerr and Paul Carmichael in midfield and a front three of Dean Smith, Allan Mackay and Craig MacEwan.

With East Kilbride FC Amateurs already crowned as league champions and neither side under any threat of relegation the match had more than a hint of that end of season feel to it. However, notwithstanding the fact there was nothing at stake, the teams produced an entertaining match played at a good tempo in warm sunshine. Saints kicked off attacking the Mossfield end and had a first sight of goal in the second minute. Paul Carmichael made a good run forward from his left midfield berth to get on the end of a lay off from Dean Smith. Paul burst into the box and shot left footed for the near post however a nasty bobble just before connection was enough to ensure the shot missed the target and hit the side netting. A moment of indecision from 'Clyde keeper Stevie Docherty was almost punished in the sixth minute by Allan Mackay. Docherty dallied too long on a clearance with Mackay closing him down and taking the ball off his toes before the big keeper recovered and dropped to smother the ball at Mackay's feet. Mackay was foiled again just one minute later this time by 'Clyde full back Christopher McGivern who made a timely interception to head away a well measured David McArthur cross with Mackay waiting at the back post to nod the ball into the net. McArthur got forward on the right again in the ninth minute linking up with Craig MacEwan after good work in the middle of the park from Dean Smith and Paul Carmichael. Paul fed Craig wide on the right who cut back to McArthur for a shot from the corner of the eighteen yard box which unfortunately flew well wide of target. The visitors had their first attempt on goal in the eleventh minute with Darren McGregor firing wide from twenty two yards. Normally deployed as an attacker Paul Carmichael was revelling in his unaccustomed midfield role but still made every effort to get forward wherever possible. A sixteenth minute give and go with Craig MacEwan on the half way line saw Paul race through the inside left channel and unleash a low shot inches wide of the near post. Saints continued to make good use of the wide areas and made a deserved breakthrough in the twenty fifth minute. Dene Cassells played a terrific long ball out from the back to the overlapping Dougal Graham on the left wing. Dougal out-paced Christopher McGivern and sent a tempting cut back to Allan Mackay who stroked an excellent first time finish into the bottom corner past keeper Docherty's left hand. Keith Millar and Skipper for the day Paul Kerr were making a good job of anchoring the midfield allowing Paul Carmichael to push forward with another Carmichael run winning a 27th minute free kick for a push in the back just outside the 'Clyde box. Allan Mackay took responsibility for the kick and sent a good ball in looking for the head of Dene Cassells who was just beaten to it by 'Clyde centre half Fraser Gunn at the expense of a corner kick. Keith Millar took the corner kick from the right which Cassells this time won nodding back to David McArthur to try a hook shot which cleared the crossbar by four feet. Cassells and McArthur were in the thick of the action again five minutes later this time with Dene sending David off on a run up the right wing with a well measured pass from inside the centre circle. David hit the bye-line and sent a low cross into the six yard box which Dean Smith slid in to connect with but only managed the slightest of touches affording Stevie Docherty a comfortable save. Saints received a big let off from a rare 'Clyde attack in the thirty third minute. 'Clyde Captain Gordon McKillop made a good run on the left wing and sent an excellent ball into the box for Darren McGregor who, fortunately for Saints, snatched at the chance and sent his shot over the crossbar wasting a great opportunity to level the score. Saints repaid the compliment almost immediately with Dean Smith sending a free header wide of target after a good run and cross from the right by Craig MacEwan. Dean was in the right place again in the thirty seventh minute but once more failed to trouble the keeper. Dougal Graham played a free kick from the half way line up to Allan Mackay on the edge of the box. Allan shielded the ball well and played a round the corner lay off to Craig MacEwan who burst into the left hand side of the box and sent a cut back to Dean which was slightly behind his strike colleague causing Dean to drag his shot which the 'Clyde defence blocked and cleared. A very quiet first half for Graham Douglas was brought momentarily to life when he took too much time with a clearance allowing Darren McGregor to close him down and get in a block which cannoned just over the crossbar much to the keeper's relief. Referee Kevin McIntyre issued the only yellow card of the day in the forty fourth minute taking the name of Nick Jack for a heavy challenge on Paul Kerr wide on the right and just inside the 'Clyde half. David McArthur lofted the resulting free kick up to the edge of the 'Clyde box looking for the head of Allan Mackay but Mr McIntyre blew for half time with the ball still in mid air.

The visitors made a more positive start to the second half with Dene Cassells having to look lively to close down a promising run from Graeme Leslie and Nick Jack shooting narrowly over from a Gordon McKillop free kick. Dene Cassells produced another good pass out from the back finding Craig MacEwan on the left who tricked his way past Christopher McGivern before curling a right foot shot from nineteen yards just over the cross bar. The 'Clyde had a loud appeal for a penalty kick dismissed by Mr McIntyre in the forty second minute when Darren McGregor tumbled theatrically to the ground claiming he had been held by Dene Cassells. After a sloppy start to the second half Saints eventually clicked into gear in the sixty fourth minute with Dougal Graham starting and finishing the move for the second goal. Dougal closed down and dispossessed Darren Docherty just inside the 'Clyde half and worked a give and go with Allan Mackay. Mackay's pass through the inside left channel was perfectly weighted for Dougal who arrowed a crisp left foot finish from eighteen yards just inside the far post before the keeper had time to set himself. Saints were by now firmly back in the groove and added to the scoring four minutes later. David McArthur made a good run on the right wing and clipped a cross to the near post for Craig MacEwan to bullet a header into the far bottom corner of the net. After several tight offside decisions had gone against him, Allan Mackay finally received the benefit of any doubt in Mr McIntyre's mind in the seventy second minute rounding the 'Clyde keeper and tucking the ball into the bottom corner for Saints fourth goal. The consolation goal for the visitors came from the penalty spot in the seventy ninth minute. Dean Smith found himself on the wrong side of Graeme Leslie just inside the Saints box on the 'Clyde right. Leslie went down under Dean's challenge and Referee McIntyre had no hesitation in awarding a penalty kick. On his only previous appearance since rejoining the Club in March Graham Douglas saved two penalty kicks in a Jimmy Marshall Trophy shoot-out win over Kings Park Rangers. Unfortunately there was to be no repeat of those heroics with Neil McCole sending "Sugar" the wrong way and tucking the ball into the right hand corner of the net. With the heat beginning to play a significant part and neither side having the luxury of a substitutes bench to introduce some fresh legs the pace understandably dropped as the watch ticked down towards full time. Saints managed a couple of half chances without calling 'Clyde keeper Stevie Docherty into further action while at the other end Alex Craik kept his troops well marshaled comfortably seeing out the final eleven minutes.