Winning In The Rain: Bog Spot

Saturday 4th February 2017
The Scottish Amateur Football Association Challenge Cup Competition

6th Round Tie
Tarbolton AFC 1 - 3 Oban Saints AFC
Tarbolton Public Park
Park Road
Montgomerie Street
Tarbolton
Mauchline
KA5 5QA
Kick off 2pm
Referee Mr Steven Nicholls

Used Substitutes:-

Donald Campbell
Jamie Graham
Myles McAuley
Marc Maccallum

Unused Substitute:-

Martin Bonar

Wellington Boots come highly recommended at Tarbolton Public Park

Oban Saints were made to dig deep at Tarbolton Public Park last Saturday to battle their way through to the last sixteen of the Scottish Amateur Cup. Hosts Tarbolton Amateurs of the Ayrshire Amateur Football Association Premier League used the difficult conditions to their advantage to keep the tie hanging in the balance until the dying seconds. The match was played on an extremely soft and wet pitch which, by the end of the ninety minutes, bore close resemblance to a ploughed field and Referee Steven Nicholls was in two minds as to whether the surface was fit for play. Indeed, had it not been for some vigorous forking from the groundsman and the rain which had fallen steadily for days abating in time for kick off the match would surely have been postponed.

Line-up

With the exception of injury victim Paul Carmichael Saints Gaffer Alex Craik stuck with the same starting eleven which had fired six past Ferguslie Star at Glencruitten on the previous Saturday. Dene Cassells returned to replace Paul Carmichael alongside David McArthur in the centre of defence with Matthew Kelly and Scott Maitland completing the back four in front of ever present goalkeeper Thomas McCulloch. Stand in Skipper Paul Kerr, Willie Gemmell and Brian Mackay made up the midfield with Ross Maitland, Dean Smith and Craig MacEwan completing the line-up. Last week's absentees Donald Campbell, Jamie Graham, Myles McAuley and Marc Maccallum joined Martin Bonar on an extremely strong bench.

With the strong wind and low sun at their backs Saints took the match to their hosts from the first whistle. Ross Maitland failed to work Tarbolton keeper Allan McKelvie with a first minute shot from eighteen yards which cleared the crossbar by some distance,

The tall shot stopper was tested in the third minute after a long throw from Willie Gemmell was flicked on by Craig MacEwan. Dean Smith reacted first to Craig's header but saw his effort stopped by the feet of McKelvie.

A heavy challenge on Craig MacEwan by Tarbolton full back Evan Armstrong gave Willie Gemmell a chance to show his dead ball prowess from twenty five yards. After a slight delay for some shirt pulling on Dene Cassells by Johnny Dunlop which attracted the attention of Referee Nicholls Willie's low shot left McKelvie rooted to the spot but unfortunately slipped wide of big keeper's right hand post.

One minute later from a position level with the eighteen yard line and just in from the left touchline Gemmell then lined up another free-kick but not before Mr Nicholl issued a final warning to Johnny Dunlop for holding. The cross looking for David McArthur was cleared by a thumping header from Brandon Hendren.

Saints had their hosts pinned back inside their own half and made the breakthrough after twelve minutes with Willie Gemmell claiming the assist. Craig MacEwan won another free-kick on the left which Gemmell swung into the packed penalty box. David McArthur got in between Blair Kennedy and Brandon Hendren and from eight yards out glanced Gemmell's delivery into the bottom corner of the net past Allan McKelvie's right hand.

Gemmell was in the thick of the action again two minutes later heading a Ross Maitland corner from the left narrowly wide of McKelvie's right hand post.

After fifteen minutes of being pinned back inside their own half a Matthew Kelly foul on Jason Scobie inside the centre circle gave the hosts their first chance to get forward. The long ball from Evan Armstrong was however too heavy for Stephen Brodie and drifted harmlessly through to Thomas McCulloch.

Saints kept probing from midfield with Willie Gemmell looking to thread passes through to the front three but too often the ball would come straight back with the Tarbolton defence enjoying a spell of being on top.

The route one football employed by the hosts against the wind was relatively comfortable for the Saints back four to deal with and it took until the twenty second minute for Tarbolton to create their first chance of note.

Again from a long ball Stephen Brodie turned well away from Dene Cassells and carried the ball through the inside right channel and into the Saints box. Dene's close attentions forced Brodie wide and his low shot was blocked at the near post by David McArthur at the expense of a corner. Craig MacEwan beat Iain Philips and Steven Richardson to head the corner clear with Dene Cassells leading the charge from the back before being stopped in his tracks by a crude challenge from Jason Scobie.

From the free-kick Ross Maitland put Tarbolton's Allan McKelvie under pressure forcing the keeper to concede a throw-in on the Saints right. Willie Gemmell found the head of Craig MacEwan on the six yard line and his downward header was blocked by the feet of McKelvie on his goal line. The rebound looked perfect for Dean Smith however before he could poke the ball into the net he was pulled back by Johnny Dunlop. McKelvie pounced on the loose ball and the unsighted Mr Nicholls dismissed the penalty claim adding insult to injury by taking Smith's name for his protestations.

As the clock ticked down towards the half time interval Saints became less of an attacking threat too often looking for an extra touch on the boggy surface which favoured the hosts more direct style.

Dean Smith did manage to test Allan McKelvie in the thirty seventh minute with the big keeper making a good save to his right to turn Dean's twenty yard effort behind for a corner. In between times Blair Kennedy sent a speculative effort high over Thomas McCulloch's crossbar and Stephen Brodie picked up a yellow card for a foul on Paul Kerr inside the centre circle. The first half finished with Brandon Hendren lifting a shot over the bar and Saints, courtesy of their strong start, good value for their narrow lead.

Wind Advantage

Saints knew that the second half wind advantage would bring an aerial bombardment from the hosts however they failed miserably to deal with the first test and conceded the equaliser forty seconds after the re-start.

From the Saints kick off Craig MacEwan and Brian Mackay drove at the heart of the Tarbolton defence with the final ball from Brian just beyond Craig leaving Allan McKelvie an easy task to collect at the edge of his box. The kick from hand from the keeper carried almost to the Saints eighteen yard line where David McArthur missed his header allowing Stephen Brodie to run in behind and lift the ball over Thomas McCulloch and into the net.

With their first half efforts undone in an instant Saints knew they were in for an extremely difficult forty four minutes or so.

In the forty eighth minute Jason Scobie picked up a booking for clattering into Matthew Kelly just inside the Saints half. Willie Gemmell sent the resulting free kick forward which Dean Smith flicked on with Ross Maitland only narrowly beaten to it by keeper McKelvie.

The inevitable lump up the park followed which again caused panic in the Saints defence with David McArthur heading out for a throw-in. This then brought another useful weapon into play for Tarbolton with Iain Phillips launching a Rory Delap style low trajectory long throw into the danger area which Scott Maitland managed to turn behind for a corner. The corner kick from the right was met at the near post with a spectacular overhead kick from Stephen Brodie which flew narrowly wide of Thomas McCulloch's left hand post.

At the other end a powerful run from Brian Mackay forced a corner on the Saints right which sparked a stramash in the Tarbolton box. In a frantic spell Dene Cassells, Willie Gemmell, Brian Mackay and Dean Smith all had efforts blocked by the Tarbolton defence before Allan McKelvie finally safely gathered a tame shot from the edge of the box from David McArthur.

Once again McKelvie sent his clearance deep into the Saints half where Iain Philips and Jason Scobie combined well in the inside left channel with Scobie sending a decent effort into the side netting.

After only ten second half minutes Manager Alex Craik rang the changes bringing on Marc Maccallum, Myles McAuley and Donald Campbell to replace Matthew Kelly, Dean Smith and Ross Maitland. The introduction of Skipper Maccallum to the back four saw David McArthur move to right back and gave the Saints defence a more solid look.

Willie Gemmell took over corner kick duties from Ross Maitland after another Brian Mackay run won a corner on the right. Willie's delivery was too deep for Dene Cassells at the back post with the Tarbolton defence able to clear the danger.

There was panic in the Saints defence once again in the sixty fourth minute with Thomas McCulloch having to claw away an in-swinging corner from the left at his near post.

Tarbolton midfielder Daryl Nimmo picked up a booking for dissent in the sixty seventh minute with Jason Scobie also spoken to for another heavy challenge on Paul Kerr.

Donald Campbell sent Brian Mackay up the left wing with twenty minutes to go where Brian's perseverance won another corner. Willie Gemmell's delivery was short to the near post looking for Craig MacEwan who made a good run but sent his hooked shot wide of the post.

Willie Gemmell then made way for Jamie Graham which signalled a change to a 3 - 5 - 2 formation with Jamie slotting in at the back alongside Marc Maccallum and Dene Cassells.

The front pairing of Craig MacEwan and Donald Campbell linked up in the eighty first minute creating the opening which would lead to Saints second goal. MacEwan showed good strength to hold off Johnny Dunlop and hook the ball over his head for Campbell to run on to. Donald made his way into the box where his run was held up by Evan Armstrong. Donald turned and ran across the box drawing an injudicious challenge from Armstrong which sent Donald sprawling in the mud. Mr Nicholls had no hesitation in pointing to the penalty spot from where Craig MacEwan gave Saints the lead beating McKelvie's right hand tucking the ball neatly into the bottom corner.

The relief among the Saints contingent was tangible however there was still plenty of time left for Tarbolton to try and force a second equaliser. A push from Dene Cassells on second half substitute John Aitken gave Blair Kennedy a chance to put the Saints defence under pressure with a delivery into the danger area however Kennedy elected to go directly for goal which Thomas McCulloch fielded comfortably.

Craig MacEwan had a shot just wide of target before Referee Nicholls announced four minutes of stoppage time. The added minutes gave the hosts some renewed hope however that was quickly snatched away from them when they conceded the second penalty kick of the afternoon. Donald Campbell sent the every willing Brian Mackay racing up the left wing and into the edge of the box where he was hauled down by the unfortunate Evan Armstrong. Craig MacEwan once again made no mistake from the penalty spot to finally calm the nerves on the sidelines and send Saints through to Friday's seventh round draw.