Winning In The Rain: Easthall's Star Shines Brightest

The Scottish Amateur Football League Jimmy Marshall Trophy

Friday 26th May 2017
Scottish Amateur Football League Jimmy Marshall Trophy Final
Easthall Star AFC 2 - 2 Oban Saints AFC
Easthall Star win 3 - 2 on penalty kicks
Fullarton Park
Easterhill Street
Glasgow
G32 8LZ
Kick Off 7.15pm
Referee Mr James Litster
Assistant Referee Mr Patrick O'Donnell
Assistant Referee Mr Steven Wylie

Saints starting line-up:-

Used Substitutes:-

David McArthur
Brian Mackay
Ross Maitland

Unused Substitutes:-

Jamie Graham
Kerr Newbigging
Dean Smith

Last Friday night at Fullarton Park, Tollcross Oban Saints had the Scottish Amateur Football League Jimmy Marshall Trophy snatched from their grasp thanks to a ninety third minute equalier and a penalty shoot-out defeat to Premier Division One Easthall Star. Saints will lament a succession of missed opportunities to make safe a game which they dominated for the most part however the dogged determination of Star to take something from a season which saw them relegated for the first time in their twenty six year history was not to be denied.

After struggling for numbers over the past few weeks, Saints Manager Alex Craik's biggest problem was who to leave out as full squad reported for Saints fourth Jimmy Marshall Trophy Final appearance in five seasons. Saints lined up with Thomas McCulloch in goal; a back four of Matthew Kelly, Captain Marc Maccallum, Dene Cassells and Scott Maitland; a midfield of Myles McAuley, Willie Gemmell and Donald Campbell and a front three of Fraser MacFarlane, Craig MacEwan and Paul Carmichael. In reserve were Jamie Graham, David McArthur, Brian Mackay, Ross Maitland, Kerr Newbigging and Dean Smith.

After the traditional introduction of players and match officials to Scottish Amateur Football League President Matt Armstrong Saints kicked off playing into the low sun and were given an immediate warning that they were in for a game. Star worked a throw-in from just inside their own half on the left quickly up to pacy left winger Colin Gilmour who cut inside Matthew Kelly and flashed a low left foot shot across Thomas McCulloch and inches wide of the Saints keepers' left hand post.

From the goal-kick Saints moved the ball quickly up to Paul Carmicheal wide on the left who lifted an exquisite right foot shot into the postage stamp corner past a helpless Donald Grant. However Assistant Referee Steven Wylie was quick to raise his flag and Referee Jimmy Litster disallowed the goal.

Saints continued their pursuit of a quick reply to the Easthall Star opener with Craig MacEwan and Paul Carmichael both having shots blocked by the Star defence. Paul's fifth minute blocked effort won a corner kick on the right from which Fraser MacFarlane picked out the head of Dene Cassells nine yards out. Dene's classic downward header bounced just inside the six yard box beating Donald Grant's right hand but crashing back off the crossbar to be thumped clear by Alec Gilmour.

Easthall Star took the lead in the eighth minute from a quick break on the right wing. Daniel Cameron sped away from Scott Maitland and fired a low ball across the face of goal where Colin Gilmour nipped in ahead of Matthew Kelly to slam into the net.

The lead lasted just eight minutes before Saints deservedly restored parity through top scorer Craig MacEwan. Craig cut into the box from the left but was halted by a well timed challenge from Star central defender Martyn Hutchinson who would go on to pick up the Man of the Match award for an accomplished defensive performance. Fraser MacFarlane swung in the resulting corner kick from the left which was headed down by Paul Carmichael inside the six yard box with Craig MacEwan reacting quickest to poke the loose ball into the net from four yards.

An injury for Martyn Hutchinson in the nineteenth minute caused a lengthy stoppage giving both sets of players an opportunity to take on water in what was an extremely warm Glasgow evening. Hutchinson recovered however the stoppage took it's toll with the game entering a flat spell with Saints clearing needing to lift the pace if they were to turn their superior possession into chances.

Star central midfielder Andrew Malcolm's long throw-in's provided his team with a useful weapon however the Saints defence remained untroubled coping well with the aerial danger.

A twenty seventh minute foul on Myles McAuley by Lee McNicol gave Willie Gemmell a chance to put the ball in the danger area which he did successfully picking out Craig MacEwan at the back post. Unfortunately Craig couldn't get the ball under control and the slipped harmlessly behind for a goal kick.

On the half hour mark Referee Litster denied Saints a penalty kick when Star keeper Donald Grant appeared to have a hold of Craig MacEwan's right leg when the Saints striker had the goal at his mercy. MacEwan was sent sprawling eight yards from goal however Mr Litster was unmoved and waved play on. Saints kept up the pressure with a quickly taken Matthew Kelly throw-in on the right to Willie Gemmell. Willie's delivery into the box was glanced on by Myles McAuley seven yards out but unfortunately wide of the keeper's right hand post.

Gemmell had the chance to put the ball in the mixer again in the thirty second minute after Paul Carmichael had been felled on the right but once again Saints were unable to get a decisive touch and Craig MacEwan bundled the ball wide of the post.

Saints had another penalty kick appeal dismissed by Mr Litster in the thirty sixth minute. Dene Cassells made a strong run out from the back but was dispossessed midway inside the Star half. With Cassells out of position Easthall looked to counter but Willie Gemmell dropped deep to cover and launch another Saints attack. Willie's long ball from the back picked out Donald Campbell wide on the right who sent a cross into the box looking for Myles McAuley. Before he could get his head to the ball Myles took a boot to the face which somehow neither the Referee or his assistant Mr Wylie considered to be dangerous play.

Saints kept pressing and rattled the crossbar for the second time in the thirty eighth minute. Donald Campbell's right foot shot from eighteen yards left Donald Grant rooted to the spot but came crashing back off the bar. Craig MacEwan was first to the rebound but had his shot parried by Grant who was quickly back on his feet to take the bouncing ball off outstretched boot of Fraser MacFarlane.

Donald Campbell's forty first minute cross was slightly too deep for Craig MacEwan but Star Captain Alec Gilmour was took no chances and headed behind for a corner kick. Fraser MacFarlane's delivery from the right was headed back across the six yard box by Dene Cassells but, with no Saints takers in the six yard box, was cleared by Martin Glen.

Saints failed to produce the flash of inspiration necessary to break down the resolute Star defence during the five additional minutes allowed by Mr Litster and survived a rare Star foray forward when Matthew Kelly slid in the take the ball away from Colin Gilmour as he raced into the Saints box on the left.

Saints Gaffer Alex Craik resisted the temptation to make any half-time changes contenting himself with an appeal for an increased sense of urgency from his starting eleven. Easthall Star kicked off the second half with the sinking sun in their eyes and had the better of the early second half exchanges. Another Andrew Malcolm long throw was headed over the Saints crossbar by Craig Smith and Colin Gilmour continued his personal battle with Matthew Kelly getting in behind the young Saints full-back and forcing Thomas McCulloch into a good save at his near post.

Saints countered on the left through Donald Campbell who was fouled by Lee McNicol level with eighteen yard line. Willie Gemmell's lofted free-kick looking for Craig MacEwan at the back post was well fielded by Donald Grant who wasted no time in launching the ball up field. The long ball gave the Saints rearguard serious problems with Daniel Cameron coming in from the right wing to round Thomas McCulloch on the edge of his box and aim a shot on target which Dene Cassells somehow managed to get back to block the line.

In a brief flurry Donald Campbell tested Donald Grant with a right foot effort after tricking his way past Martin Glen on the left and Scott Maitland sent a cross, also from the left, to the back post but agonisingly too far in front of Craig MacEwan.

Saints Gaffer Alex Craik finally decided changes were necessary regain the initiative and withdrew Fraser MacFarlane and Myles McAuley in favour of Ross Maitland and Brian Mackay just before the hour mark.

An incisive pass through the inside left channel from Willie Gemmell sent Scott Maitland in behind the Star defence but his tempting low cross along the six yard line found no takers in navy blue.

Pushing forward in search of an opening Saints continued to live dangerously at the back with Marc Maccallum having to make an important block to deny Craig Smith a clear run on goal.

An unfortunate seventieth minute slip by Scott Maitland allowed second half Star substitute Ross Campbell to run in behind and fire in a fierce shot which Thomas McCulloch did well to parry at his near post. The big Saints stopper made it a double save by denying another of Star's second half substitutes veteran striker John McDonald.

A flurry of chances came and went for Saints including Donald Campbell dinking a lob over Donald Grant which drifted just over the crossbar, and Craig MacEwan glancing a near post header from a Ross Maitland corner kick also over the bar.

Saints finally got their noses in front in the seventy sixth minute when Brian Mackay, Paul Carmichael and Craig MacEwan carved open the Star defence for Donald Campbell to slot a low finish past Donald Grant and into the bottom corner of the net.

Ross Maitland had an immediate opportunity to put some daylight between the teams but shot straight at Donald Grant when sent clear on the right by Donald Campbell.

At the other end a Dene Cassells foul on Ross Campbell invited a ball into the box which Matthew Kelly did well to head clear at the back post under pressure from Colin Gilmour.

Another Ross Maitland shot at Donald Grant was parried behind for a corner from which Donald Campbell send a wild effort high over the bar.

With five minutes remaining Saints Manager Alex Craik made his final change sending on David McArthur to replace Matthew Kelly at right back.

On the opposite flank Scott Maitland continued to support the attack and fired an eighty sixth minute left foot shot from a tight angle just over the crossbar.

Saints looked the more likely to add to the scoring however Easthall Star weren't done and kept up their aerial threat from Andrew Malcolm's long throws. The Saints defence managed to repel the danger from the arms of Malcolm and had yet another chance to kill the game in the ninetieth minute when Donald Campbell led a breakaway from a Dene Cassells clearing header. Donald had Paul Carmichael and Ross Maitland in support who worked a one-two with Ross electing to lift a lob over the keeper but unfortunately also over the crossbar when perhaps a return ball to Paul might have been the better option.

In the ninety third minute Saints conceded a free kick just inside their own half and ten yards in from the right hand touchline. Keeper Donald Grant ran forward to add his height in the Saints box for Martyn Hutchinson's delivery but it was late replacement Glen Gilmour who got his head to the ball ahead of Marc Maccallum and sent a looping header out of Thomas McCulloch's reach and into the net for a dramatic last gasp equaliser.

The Star players naturally celebrated wildly but had goalkeeper Donald Grant to thank for keeping his composure and remaining close to his line for the re-start to safely clutch Willie Gemmell's perfectly executed lob from the halfway line just underneath his crossbar.

Mr Litster brought the match to a close signalling the need for a penalty shoot-out to decide the winners.

Having won three penalty shoot-outs since their last defeat against Hillington in the 2013 Jimmy Marshall Trophy final Saints had every reason to feel confident however luck was to desert them this time around.

Veteran Ross Maitland accepted the unenviable task of taking the first penalty but will most certainly not want to include this particular episode in his memoirs when he finally hangs up his boots at the end of this season. After successfully dumping Star goalkeeper Donald Grant on his backside Ross sent his effort two feet wide of the post to get Saints off to the worst possible start.

Man of the match Martyn Hutchinson had some of the shine taken off his own excellent performance when Thomas McCulloch dived to his right to save the first Star penalty and quickly even the score.

Second half Saints substitute David McArthur left Donald Grant rooted to the spot to notch the first successful kick but Colin Gilmour immediately restored parity sending Thomas McCulloch the wrong way in the process.

Donald Grant guessed correctly for Willie Gemmell's effort but was beaten by pace as the ball crashed into the top corner past his left hand. Ross Campbell went to the opposite side where Thomas McCulloch made his second save to hand the initiative to Saints.

This season's top scorer Craig MacEwan also went to the keeper's right where Donald Grant produced the first of his vital saves. Late substitute Craig Stewart arrowed his effort low and just inside Thomas McCulloch's right hand post with too much pace and accuracy for the keeper who guessed correctly.

All sqaure at two successful kicks each the shoot-out now effectively entered sudden death where Star drew first blood when Donald Grant threw himself to his right to stop Donald Campbell's effort. The pressure was now all on Star left-back Dean Scott who retained his composure to tuck the ball low into the bottom corner past Thomas McCulloch's despairing left hand and seal a famous victory for Easthall Star.

Despite falling well short of the standards set in their march to a second successive Scottish Amateur Cup semi-final just six weeks ago Saints will be deeply disappointed not to win a match which they dominated almost entirely. However full credit must go to a determined Easthall Star side who dug deep to force a last gasp equaliser and held their nerves to prevail in the penalty shoot-out.

Scottish Amateur Football League President Matt Armstrong presented firstly Martyn Hutchinson with his Man of the Match award, both sets of players with their respective winners and runners-up medals and finally Easthall Star Captain Alec Gilmour with the Jimmy Marshall Trophy.

Oban Saints would like to express their sincere thanks to all those who sent messages of support and especially to the hardy band of supporters who made the two hundred plus mile round trip to Glasgow's east end to lend their support in person.