Winning In The Rain: Jags In The Pink

Saturday 19th August 2017
VSN Sport Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division
Oban Saints AFC 0 - 3 Motherwell Thistle AFC
Glencruitten 2
Mossfield Avenue
Oban
Argyll
PA34 4EH
Kick Off 2pm
Referee Mr Jimmy Litster

Saints starting line-up:-

Substitutes used:-

Daniel Croarkin
Shaun MacIver
David McPhee
David Smith

Unused substitute:-

Alex Craik

Oban Saints first home fixture of the 2017-18 season ended in a disappointing defeat against Motherwell Thistle at Glencruitten last Saturday. After the previous weekend's defeat at newly promoted Hillington, Saints Manager Alex Craik had hoped for an improved display on home territory. The dismal start to the season however continued with another toothless display against the South Lanarkshire men who followed up convincing Centenary Cup wins over Kings Park Rangers and Duncanrig FP with a comfortable victory in their first league outing.

Saints welcomed back experienced figures Craig Campbell, Paul Carmichael and Keith Millar to the starting line-up with Alex Craik and Daniel Croarkin dropping to the bench and young Nathan Allan returning to the youth ranks. Graham Douglas lined up in goal behind a back four of Matthew Kelly, Skipper Marc Maccallum, Craig Campbell and Scott Maitland. Willie Gemmell was joined in midfield by returnees Paul Carmichael and Keith Millar. Up front Dean Smith lead the line flanked by Fraser MacFarlane and Craig MacEwan. On the bench were Alex Craik, Daniel Croarkin, Shaun MacIver, David McPhee and David Smith.

Motherwell Thistle had a squad of just twelve players and Referee Jimmy Litster, resplendent in his pink kit, allowed a thirty minute delay to kick-off pending the late arrival of a car load of players who had experienced some mechanical difficulties en-route. Of the dozen who did eventually turn up, ten had featured in Thistle's 3 -2 victory in their only previous visit to Oban last April contrasting starkly with the eleven changes in the Saints ranks.

Saints kicked off and opened brightly attacking the railway end on an excellent Glencruitten surface which defied the recent heavy rain which continued to fall well into the first half. Inside the opening minute Craig MacEwan hit the top of the crossbar from an acute angle on the left with Thistle keeper Paul Aiton well beaten. In the fourth minute Thistle central defender James Gibbons made a vital interception to halt Paul Carmichael's driving run into the eighteen yard box. Sixty seconds later Dean Smith sent a low shot wide of target after a good turn twenty yards from goal.

Following the promising start from Saints a sloppy pass in midfield almost opened the door for the visitors in the seventh minute with Craig Campbell covering well to head off new addition to the Thistle squad Paul Woodlock.

Graham Douglas in the Saints goal produced a stunning save sixty seconds later springing high to his right to stop a delightful curling left foot effort from Colin Gillies.

Gillies was immediately involved again turning away from Scott Maitland and almost playing in James Faughnan who was denied by a timely interception from Marc Maccallum.

Dean Smith, Craig MacEwan and Scott Maitland combined well on the Saints left for Scott to send a cross fractionally in front of Fraser MacFarlane running in at the back post.

Graham Douglas produced another fine save to deny James Faughnan as the visitors once again pounced on a sloppy pass in the Saints midfield.

From a give and go with Craig MacEwan, Scott Maitland drove into a threatening position in the opposition box but before he could get his shot away Thistle right back Daniel Young slid in on the corner of the six yard box with a perfectly timed challenge to deny the Saints man a strike on goal.

Saints pressed the self destruct button on the half hour mark sparking a disastrous eight minute spell which would see the visitors race into a three goal lead. Another misplaced pass on the half-way line was intercepted by William McMaster who fed James Faughnan. Paul Carmichael's clumsy challenge just inside the Saints box sent Faughnan tumbling and had Referee Jimmy Litster pointing to the penalty spot. Colin Gillies slotted the spot kick low to the right of Graham Douglas sending the Saints keeper in the opposite direction to open the scoring.

Willie Gemmell responded with Saints first effort on target which Paul Aiton saved well low down to his left but more agony was to follow in the thirty second minute.

The visitors once again ruthlessly exploited Saints deficiencies with Colin Gillies intercepting a wayward pass on the Saints left and finding James Faughnan in acres of space who lofted the ball over the advancing Graham Douglas to double the Thistle advantage.

Saints picked themselves up again with Craig MacEwan bursting into the box and picking out Paul Carmichael for a difficult header which Paul sent wide of target under pressure from Thistle Captain Stuart Hunter.

The visitors completed their devastating period in the thirty eighth minute with an excellently crafted goal which left Saints with a mountain to climb. Colin Gillies beat Scott Maitland wide on the Thistle right with a delightful turn opening up space for him to measure a low cross to the front post where James Faughnan was first to react bagging his second goal of the afternoon.

The shell shocked Saints rallied again forcing Paul Aiton to come quickly off his line to save at the feet of Fraser MacFarlane. Craig MacEwan sent a twenty two yard effort over the crossbar after good work from Willie Gemmell and Dean Smith before a heavy challenge on Fraser MacFarlane gave Willie Gemmell a dead-ball opportunity on the stroke of half-time. From twenty eight yards Willie curled the ball around the four man Thistle wall beating Paul Aiton but unfortunately striking the outside of the Thistle keeper's left hand upright.

Saints Manager Alex Craik made a tactical switch at half-time moving to a 4-4-2 formation. This change necessitated a personnel change with Fraser MacFarlane coming off to be replaced by Daniel Croarkin who took up the right back berth vacated by Matthew Kelly who moved into midfield.

Good early second half pressure from Saints forced a corner kick on the right which Willie Gemmell placed onto the head of Craig MacEwan who brought out a spectacular save from Paul Aiton palming the ball over his crossbar.

Craig Campbell's afternoon came to an end in the fiftieth minute with a recurrence of the thigh strain which has plagued him for some time. David McPhee came on to replace Craig in central defence slotting in well alongside Marc Maccallum on his competitive debut for the club.

The visitors continued to sit off Saints and look to hit on the break which they did with a lovely move on the left in the fifty first minute which Marc Maccallum foiled with an excellent block just as Paul Woodlock was about to pull the trigger.

Saints hit the woodwork for the third time in the fifty fourth minute when Dean Smith controlled a Willie Gemmell pass and raced into the box before striking the outside of the post with a decent effort under pressure from Gary Tomlinson.

Saints were handed a lifeline on the hour mark when Anthony Mitchell brought down Dean Smith just inside the Thistle penalty area. Last season's top scorer Craig MacEwan accepted the challenge however Paul Aiton has an excellent record in those situations and dived to his left to block Craig's effort.

Paul Carmichael hooked a sixty fourth minute shot over the crossbar after Craig MacEwan had climbed well to nod down a Willie Gemmell cross.

The injury worries increased for Saints in the sixty eighth minute when Dean Smith twisted awkwardly on his left ankle and had to be helped from the field. Shaun MacIver came on for Dean in a straight swap joining Craig MacEwan up front.

This was also the cue for Thistle to make their only available change replacing the clearly under the weather Antony Mitchell with Marc Brown.

Saints continued to enjoy the majority of possession but with a lack of urgency which gave the solid Thistle back four far too comfortable an afternoon.

Unable to penetrate the visitor's back line Saints resorted to shots form distance from which Paul Aiton produced another spectacular save to deny Willie Gemmell from twenty five yards. Craig MacEwan followed this up with an effort from twenty yards which failed to trouble the keeper before Willie Gemmell followed suit firing high and wide after collecting a Daniel Croarkin throw-in from the right.

Second half substitute Shaun MacIver added to the procession of off-target shots firing narrowly wide of the postage stamp corner from twenty two yards when a pass to Craig MacEwan might have been a better option.

David Smith joined that action for the closing seven minutes plus stoppage time replacing Keith Millar in the middle of the park.

Mr Litster, who had a good game, brought proceedings to a close after three added minutes consigning Saints to back to back league defeats ahead of the daunting prospect of an away trip to 2015 -16 Premier Division Champions East Kilbride.