Winning In The Rain: Kelly's Heroes

Saturday 11th February 2017
Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division
Oban Saints v Drumchapel Amateurs Colts
Oban Community Sports Field (3G)
Soroba Road
Oban
Argyll
PA34 4JB
Kick off 2pm

Referee Mr John Stobo

Used Substitutes:-

Paul Carmichael

Matthew Kelly

Unused Substitutes:-

Martin Bonar

Jamie Graham

Dean Smith

An early morning pitch inspection last Saturday found Glencruitten to be frozen solid and, despite the bright sunshine, there was no improvement in the surface by one o'clock. Fortunately the club had also booked the 3G pitch at Oban High School as a back-up and the venue was switched at the eleventh hour.

Visitors

First time visitors Drumchapel Colts arrived with just nine survivors from the 2 - 1 defeat inflicted on Saints in the reverse Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division fixture at Scotstoun last November. Notably absent due to work commitments was Club Captain Matthew Armstrong whose two free kick goals had previously proved the difference between the two sides. The thirteen man Drumchapel squad included three of the clubs seven new signings with young midfielder Stuart Hay a standout on the day and looking to be a valuable addition to the squad.

Line-up

Saints Manager Alex Craik added fit again Paul Carmichael to last week's squad in place of the unavailable Paul Kerr. Goalkeeper Thomas McCulloch made his fifteenth successive competitive start between the posts. Skipper Marc Maccallum was restored to the centre of defence alongside Dene Cassells with David McArthur and Scott Maitland filling the full-back berths. McArthur's move to right-back saw Matthew Kelly drop to the bench from where he would make a telling contribution. Myles McAuley took Paul Kerr's place and joined Willie Gemmell and Brian Mackay in midfield. Donald Campbell was also restored to the starting line-up at the expense of Dean Smith who dropped to a strong bench with Martin Bonar, Paul Carmichael, Jamie Graham and Matthew Kelly for company. The evergreen Ross Maitland and top scorer Craig MacEwan completed the line-up.

Low sun

The visitors kicked off attacking the Glencruitten end with low sun at their backs and immediately put the Saints defence under pressure. Scott Maitland conceded a free kick on the Colts right level with the eighteen yard line. Scott Peters took over dead ball duties from the absent Matthew Armstrong and sent in a dangerous cross which Thomas McCulloch completely lost in the bright sunshine. Fortunately for the big Saints keeper Josh White coming in at the back post was unable to find the target sending his header high over the crossbar. The visitors continued their early promise with Scott Macarthur making a good run on the left and setting up Kerr Hunter for a shot on goal which Marc Maccallum blocked behind. The corner kick from the Colts right sparked a mad scramble in the Saints box with David McArthur finally able to hook the ball clear of the danger area. With Saints yet to settle an over-hit pass back from Marc Maccallum gave the defence another corner kick to contend with which this time they dealt with comfortably. The shaky start from the hosts continued into the seventh minute with Marc Maccallum relieved to see Willie Gemmell making a good covering interception to foil Kerr Hunter after the Saints Skipper had missed a clearing header. The pressure on the Saints goal continued with a free-kick conceded by Dene Cassells being headed behind for another corner from the Colts right. Once again the low sun gave Thomas McCulloch trouble in dealing with Scott Macarthur's in-swinger which sailed through the keeper's hands towards Josh White lurking at the back post. The Colts midfielder did well to get the bouncing ball under control but couldn't squeeze his shot between Ross Maitland and the post instead hitting the side netting much to the relief of all in Navy Blue.

After ten minutes Saints finally realised the game had only been moved to another venue, not postponed altogether, and started to play their way into the match. Ross Maitland's free kick from the right drifted too close to Colts goalkeeper Scott Urquhart before Donald Campbell had a low right foot shot saved. From Urquhart's clearance Saints had another let-off from a swift counter up the left wing. Scott Macarthur out-paced David McArthur and sent a deep cross looking for Kerr Hunter at the back post. Hunter peeled away from Dene Cassells and headed Macarthur's cross back across the face of goal and narrowly wide of McCulloch's right hand post. In the seventeenth minute Brian Mackay made a driving run into the box on the Saints left but found his path to goal blocked by Scott Peters. Mackay fizzed a pass at Ross Maitland nine yards out who couldn't get the ball under control with the ball eventually breaking to David McArthur on the right whose low cross was smothered by Scott Urquhart at his near post. Two minutes later a searching diagonal ball from Donald Campbell just eluded Craig MacEwan's well timed back post run. MacEwan then made a driving run at the heart of the Colts defence carrying the ball from just inside the Colts half wide on the right all the way to the penalty box where he finally over-ran the ball allowing Scott Urquhart to slide out and gather at his feet. Drumchapel striker Kerr Hunter became the first entry in Referee Stobo's notebook for a late challenge on Dene Cassells on the halfway line. None the worse for wear Dene carried the ball a long way out from defence in the twenty fourth minute and fed Scott Maitland on the left who had his progress halted by Matthew White. Donald Campbell took the free-kick quickly picking out David McArthur's run into the box. Unfortunately Donald's delivery was fractionally too high for David who couldn't get over the ball and sent his header high and wide of target. At the other end a long range free kick from Scott Peters trundled harmlessly wide before a Dene Cassells foul on Stuart Hay gave Peters another chance to put the ball into the danger area. Brian Mackay intercepted the long ball from Peters on the eighteen yard line and launched a swift counter attack with Myles McAuley. Myles made good progress up the left wing before sending in a testing cross looking for Craig MacEwan only for Scott Urquhart to come off his line to claim the cross ahead of Craig. On the half hour mark Saints came within inches of opening the scoring when a late run into the box saw Brian Mackay poke a low left wing cross from Scott Maitland wide of the near post. Saints kept probing and a good run forward on the right by Myles McAuley ended with his cross along the six yard line looking for Ross Maitland being deflected into the grateful arms of keeper Urquhart by an attempted interception from Scott Peters. A thirty fourth minute measured build-up from Saints found Craig MacEwan in space on the eighteen yard line with his net bound shot being cut out at the expense of a corner by an excellent sliding interception from Colts central defender Stuart Connelly. Ross Maitland's delivery from the right picked out a clever near post run from Craig MacEwan who, from nine yards, expertly hooked the ball over the outstretched arm of Scott Urquhart and the head of Matthew White on the goal-line and into the postage stamp corner. The opening goal from Craig continued his hot streak taking his tally to twelve in six games since the festive break. Saints ended the first half on top with Willie Gemmell having a dangerous free-kick into the box punched clear by Scott Urquhart and Marc Maccallum having his obligatory once a match charge forward unceremoniously halted by Stuart Connelly.

The change of ends gave Saints the advantage of having the low sun at their backs but once again it was the visitors who started the stronger. Scott Macarthur made a good run up the left wing and sent a dangerous ball into the six yard box which Myles McAuley did well to cut out and clear. Matthew White was next to threaten with a smart turn and shot from the left edge of the Saints box well held by Thomas McCulloch. Colts right fullback Scott Mitchell dispossessed Brian Mackay just inside the Saints half and sent in a tempting cross which Marc Maccallum dived full length to head clear of the danger zone. Saints eventually got their second half started with a slide rule pass through the inside right channel from Willie Gemmell sending Ross Maitland through on goal where only a vital interception from Scott Peters prevented Ross from testing Scott Urquhart. From the resulting corner kick Craig MacEwan climbed well but sent his header high over the crossbar. In the fifty third minute Myles McAuley replicated Gemmell's precise pass with Donald Campbell this time on the end of it. Scott Peters once again made an important block before tempers momentarily boiled over between the two. Mr Stobo swiftly put a lid on things restoring order with a yellow card for both the Colts central defender and the Saints centre forward. Ross Maitland once again found a Saints head from the corner flag with Dene Cassells sending his header from the back post across goal and wide of target. Brian Mackay won another opportunity for Ross Maitland to put a good ball into the mixer in the fifty seventh minute with Scott Urquhart's unconvincing punch being just enough to take the ball off the head of David McArthur.

On the hour mark Thomas McCulloch was forced into action at the other end. From the corner flag Matthew White's low in-swinger into the six yard box had McCulloch diving full length to punch clear at his near post. As Drumchapel kept up the pressure Dene Cassells and Willie Gemmell combined to snuff out the danger as Kerr Hunter threatened to pounce on a loose ball on the six yard.

The visitors were very much still in the game at this point and Saints Manager Alex Craik decided on a change to freshen things up. Ross Maitland made way for Paul Carmichael but it was the visitors who were to register next on the score sheet. Donald Campbell won the ball in midfield and quickly fed Myles McAuley who in turn picked out the run of Craig MacEwan. Craig pulled away from Scott Peters but from twenty two yards was unable to generate the power in his shot to trouble Scott Urquhart. The Scottish Amateur Football League Select goalkeeper launched the ball upfield with Matthew White forcing Thomas McCulloch into a smart save low down to his right. Saints failed to heed the warning and in the sixty ninth minute the visitors drew level. Stuart Hay sent Daniel Smith away on the right wing with the second half substitute fizzing a low cross along the six yard line for Matthew White to tuck away at the back post. Three minutes later Saints had to rely on an instinctive save from Thomas McCulloch to prevent the dangerous White from turning the scoreline on it's head.

With fifteen minutes remaining Saints made their final change bringing on Matthew Kelly to replace Willie Gemmell and began to enjoy a better spell. David McArthur, Paul Carmichael, Donald Campbell and Craig MacEwan all had efforts on goal but their inability to hit the target kept the outcome of the match hanging in the balance. The introduction of Matthew Kelly would prove crucial and his seventy eighth minute shot from close range forced Scott Urquhart into a save at his near post. With time ebbing away Paul Carmichael made a driving run at the heart of the Colts defence evading a desperate lunging challenge from Scott Mitchell. Scott Peters eventually halted Paul's progress on the eighteen yard line with Matthew Kelly lashing the loose ball into the bottom corner of the Colts net leaving Scott Urquhart rooted to the spot. With the lead successfully restored Saints were afforded several other opportunities to extend their advantage as the visitors refused to lie down and pushed forward in search of a second equaliser. Mr Stobo added five minutes for stoppages but Saints seemed to want to try and walk the ball into the Colts net and found every move snuffed out on the eighteen yard line. The visitors remained a threat to the end with goalkeeper and Captain for the day Scott Urquhart pushing forward to join the attack at every opportunity. Mr Stobo eventually decided he had seen enough and blew for full time with Saints just edging a game which could have gone either way. The win keeps Saints in touch with league leaders Goldenhill and leaves a good Drumchapel Colts side harshly rooted to the foot of the table.