Winning In The Rain: Back To Earth

Saturday 18th March 2017
Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division
Oban Saints AFC 0 - 3 St Joseph's FP AFC
Glencruitten 2
Mossfield Avenue
Oban
Argyll
PA34 4EH
Kick Off 2pm
Referee Mr John Scott

Used Substitutes:-

Martin Bonar
Ross Maitland
David McArthur
Kerr Newbigging
Dean Smith

After the euphoria of the previous week's Scottish Amateur Cup seventh round replay win against Letham Saints were brought crashing back to earth last Saturday with a crushing home league defeat to title rivals St Joseph's FP. The 3 - 0 reverse leaves Saints trailing Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division leaders Goldenhill by eleven points albeit with three games in hand. Crucially St Joseph's now open up a three point gap on Saints with a further game in hand over their old rivals.

St Joseph's FP arrived in Oban on an excellent run of good form which had seen them knocked out of the Scottish and West of Scotland Amateur Cups only narrowly to the very strongly fancied Colville Park and Southside. They were also unbeaten in their last four visits to Oban winning three and drawing one marking Glencruitten out as a very happy hunting ground for the Duntocher men.

Injuries to Paul Kerr and Scott Maitland forced Manager Alex Craik to change his line-up from the previous week with Dene Cassells, Matthew Kelly and Myles McAuley all promoted from the bench. Kelly and Jamie Graham filled the full back berths with Cassells joining Skipper Marc Maccallum in the centre of defence in front of keeper Thomas McCulloch. McAuley took Paul Kerr's midfield position alongside Willie Gemmell with Brian Mackay playing just ahead of them. Up front Donald Campbell continued to lead the line with Paul Carmichael and Craig MacEwan providing the width. The Gaffer was able to name a strong bench with Martin Bonar, David McArthur and new signing Kerr Newbigging joining last week's substitutes Ross Maitland and Dean Smith.

The visitors kicked off attacking the Mossfield end and created the first opening of the match in the second minute. Wide midfielders Kieran O'Brien and Martin McComish combined with O'Brien spraying a delicious diagonal ball from right to left sending McComish in behind Matthew Kelly however the low cross from McComish was fractionally too far in front of strikers Gregor Cree and Ryan Halpin.

St Joe's keeper Nathan Bogle, one of eleven new faces in this season's squad, made a fine save low down to his left in the sixth minute to deny Donald Campbell from Saints first strike on goal. Paul Carmichael made good ground on the right and sent a cut back to Myles McAuley in space on the edge of the box. With the ball screaming to be hit, the notoriously shot shy Myles elected to let the ball run through his legs to Donald Campbell who had to take a touch to beat St Joe's Skipper Kieran Boyce before getting his shot away from eighteen yards.

The woodwork came to Saints rescue in the eighth minute after Ryan Halpin had beaten Dene Cassells in the air to help on a Nathan Bogle goal kick. Martin McComish, one of just four survivors from St Joe's visit last May, raced away on the left driving into the box and smacking a left foot shot off Thomas McCulloch's right hand post.

After a slow start Saints enjoyed a decent spell of pressure leading up to the quarter hour. Craig MacEwan won a corner from a Willie Gemmell throw-in on the right. Willie's corner was partly cleared but Jamie Graham kept the pressure on returning the ball to Willie on the right touchline. Willie showed good control before picking out Donald Campbell's back post run which Kieran O'Brien made an excellent sliding challenge to intercept on the corner of the six yard box.

At the other end a clearance from Matthew Kelly was returned by Scott Smith with the St Joe's midfielder's dipping effort from twenty two yards clearing the Saints crossbar by some distance.

The eighteenth minute saw Referee John Scott produce the only yellow card of the match for a late challenge by Kieran Boyce. An excellent pass from Willie Gemmell sent Paul Carmichael away on the right with the St Joe's Skipper scything tackle halting Paul's run level with the eighteen yard line. Willie's free kick from the right was contested by Paul Carmichael and Craig Cameron with Paul winning the header without getting any direction on it allowing Fraser Murray to thump the loose ball clear.

A good turn and cross from the corner of the Saint eighteen yard box from David Gallagher tested the handling of Thomas McCulloch who needed two attempts to get the ball safely under control under pressure from Ryan Halpin. The former Kilbowie Union striker then used his upper body strength to ease Dene Cassells off the ball wide on the right to set up a chance for strike partner Gregor Cree. Dene was convinced he had been fouled but Referee Scott ruled the challenge to be shoulder to shoulder and allowed play to continue. Halpin's low cross picked out Cree in space who scuffed a good chance wide of Thomas McCulloch's right hand post.

Halpin was enjoying renewing hostilities with old adversary Marc Maccallum and his physical presence was giving the Saints back four plenty to think about. On the half hour mark Halpin chased down a Jamie Graham back pass blocking Thomas McCulloch's attempted clearance and lifting the ball to the back post where Matthew Kelly won a vital header before McCulloch recovered his ground to clutch the ball under his crossbar.

Willie Gemmell had a chance to repeat his free kick heroics from the previous week when a heavy challenge from Martin McComish on Donald Campbell earned Saints a free kick thirty yards from goal. Unfortunately Willie's eye wasn't in on this occasion with his effort flying high and wide of target.

The visitors broke the deadlock in the thirty fourth minute when Saints failed to clear their lines from a long ball knocked up to Halpin. The loose ball fell kindly for Scott Smith who smacked the ball into the bottom corner past Thomas McCulloch's despairing left hand.

Saints made an immediate response with Brian Mackay running at the heart of the St Joe's defence and setting up Willie Gemmell for a shot from eighteen yards which curled wide of Nathan Bogle's left hand post.

David Gallagher gave Willie Gemmell another opportunity with the deadball after illegally halting Brian Mackay twenty eight yards out. Willie opted not to shoot instead rolling the ball square to Myles McAuley in space. Willie's memory must be starting to fail him as Myles is the last man in the Saints team likely to take on a shot from that range. Myles instead played the ball up to Paul Carmichael on the corner of the eighteen yard box where he was crowded out must to the frustration of the Saints bench.

Saints ended a frustrating first half still probing for openings in a solid looking St Joe's back four. A good break in the forty fourth minute saw Donald Campbell spray a pass out to Paul Carmichael on the right and continue his run into the box. Paul's cross picked out Donald at the back post but it was a difficult ball to control forcing Donald to turn away from goal to retain possession. Symptomatic of the error strewn first half from Saints Donald then hopelessly misplaced an attempted pass to the overlapping Jamie Graham before Referee John Scott blew the half-time whistle.

Saints Manager Alex Craik made a tactical switch to a 3-5-2 formation for the start of the second half which saw Matthew Kelly and Paul Carmichael taking the wide roles in midfield. Kelly immediately pushed forward straying marginally offside for a forty sixth minute Carmichael cross from the left. From the resulting free-kick the long ball almost bore fruit for the visitors. Ryan Halpin's knock down was cheekily back-heeled by Gregor Cree opening up space for Kieran O'Brien who shot high and wide of target.

A forty seventh minute driving run from Myles McAuley had the St Joe's back-peddling however his pass into the inside right channel fell frustratingly between Craig MacEwan and Matthew Kelly allowing Nathan Bogle to slide out and collect comfortably.

Craig MacEwan was inches away from finding the head of Paul Carmichael diving in at the back post in the fifty first minute curling a cross from the corner of the eighteen yard box from a Willie Gemmell throw-in on the right.

Dene Cassells surged forward in the fifty third minute holding off Scott Smith's challenge to feed Matthew Kelly wide on the right. Kelly's deep cross was met perfectly on the volley by Willie Gemmell who saw his effort bravely charged down by David Gallagher who required a rub down with the magic sponge before he could continue.

Despite there being valuable league points up for grabs Saints seemed to lack the urgency required to put the visitors under sustained pressure and it was they who would strike again in the sixty fourth minute. The second goal falls into the gift category with shambolic defending gifting possession to Gregor Cree who fed Martin McComish on the left of the box and rolled the return ball into the empty net.

Paul Carmichael came close to pulling one back from the restart making a good near post run to meet Donald Campbell's cross from the left but lifting his cushioned volley over the crossbar under pressure from Craig Cameron.

With twenty two minutes remaining Saints Manager Alex Craik made a triple substitution withdrawing Jamie Graham, Willie Gemmell and Brian Mackay replacing them with David McArthur, Ross Maitland and debutant Kerr Newbigging.

While Saints were adapting to the changes Craig Cameron ventured forward from his defensive beat and fired in a shot which Thomas McCulloch stood up well to block at his near post. David Gallagher then scuffed a left foot shot well wide spurning a good opportunity to put the result beyond any doubt.

Paul Carmichael continued to have the best of Saints chances and ought to have done better with a seventy fifth minute header. Kerr Newbigging, who looks to be a good addition to the Saints squad, won a free-kick twenty yards from goal and right of centre. Ross Maitland curled the ball towards the back post where Paul Carmichael got across Kieran Boyce but flashed his header inches wide of Nathan Bogle's left hand post.

When Saints finally did hit the target they found Nathan Bogle to be equal to the task. Kerr Newbigging combined on the right with Matthew Kelly and dug out a good cross which Craig MacEwan met with a powerful header which Bogle dived to his left to tip round the post.

Bogle was off his line smartly moments later spreading himself at his near post to block from Matthew Kelly after a neat one-two with Craig MacEwan.

The Maitland and Carmichael combination provided another near thing in the eighty fifth minute after a good pass from David McArthur sent Ross into space on the right wing. Ross hit the bye-line and crossed towards the near post where Paul Carmichael glanced wide of the post again.

Saints final changes came with just two minutes plus stoppage time remaining giving Martin Bonar and Dean Smith little time to make any impression when they replaced Myles McAuley and Paul Carmichael.

A dispirited Saints conceded a third inside the time Mr Scott, who had a good game, had allowed for stoppages. Ross Maitland sent Saints final chance well wide of target presenting Nathan Bogle with another chance to launch a long ball into the Saints half. David McArthur beat Dominic O'Neill in the air but his header on the corner of the Saints box looped over the advancing Thomas McCulloch allowing O'Neill to nip in and roll the ball into the empty net to complete a deserved victory for St Joe's and a thoroughly miserable afternoon for Saints.

Saints have no time to dwell on the disappointment of a third league defeat of the season and must lift themselves immediately for this coming Saturday's crucial Scottish Amateur Cup Quarter Final tie against Barca-Milton 97 in Edinburgh.