Winning In The Rain: Desmond At The Battery

Saturday 2nd December 2017
The Scottish Amateur Football Association Challenge Cup Competition
Fourth Round Tie
Greenock High School Former Pupils 2 -2 Oban Saints
Battery Park
Eldon Street
Greenock
PA16 7QG
Kick off 2.15pm
Referee Mr Mark Caldwell

Saints starting line-up:-

Used substitute:-

Daniel McCuish

Unused substitutes:-

Peter MacCallum
Craig MacMillan

Greenock HSFP starting line-up:-

Used substitutes:-

Craig Boyd
Lee Curran
James McClure

A depleted Oban Saints, with two sixteen year-old's and a considerably more senior member of the coaching staff on the substitutes' bench, forced a highly creditable Scottish Amateur Cup fourth round draw at Battery Park, Greenock last Saturday. The well below full strength Saints side twice battled back from a goal behind against Central Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division Greenock High School Former Pupils to force a replay at Glencruitten this Saturday.

A crippling combination of injuries, work and family commitments forced Saints Manager Alex Craik to keep up his unwanted record of naming a different starting eleven for every match so far this season. Line-up number fourteen consisted of Graham Douglas in goal; a back three of David McPhee, Alex Craik and Craig Campbell; a midfield of Steven MacLeod, David Smith, Captain Willie Gemmell and Scott Maitland with Matthew Kelly and Myles McAuley just in front and Shaun MacIver in the centre forward role. On the bench were new signing Daniel McCuish, Craig MacMillan and, pushing the average age of the replacements over the thirty mark, Peter MacCallum.

Saints got proceedings underway at a dry but overcast Battery Park, Greenock playing into the cold wind blowing in off the Firth of Clyde. The makeshift Saints, trialing a new 3-4-2-1 formation, made a solid start against opponents Greenock who were themselves missing a few regulars.

Shaun MacIver forced the first corner kick of the match in the eighth minute after a powerful run from inside his own half from Myles McAuley. MacIver's delivery from the left was headed clear by Greenock stalwart Chris McAllister under pressure from Craig Campbell.

The High immediately responded with their first corner kick after Matthew Kelly was penalised for a foul on Lewis Graham on the half-way line. Another Greenock stalwart Barry Munro sent the free-kick into the Saints box which was headed behind by Craig Campbell. Dead ball expert Munro's corner kick from the right was watched closely by Graham Douglas as it drifted inches over his crossbar.

Munro tried his luck from the opposite flank in the eleventh minute after Alex Craik had headed a speculative Michael O'Donoghue long ball behind. David Smith's headed clearance from the six yard line only got as far as Kevin Brown on the edge of box who was quickly closed down by Matthew Kelly and Myles McAuley. McAuley set off on another driving run which was only halted by a vital sliding interception from Lewis Graham midway inside the Greenock half.

After a stoppage for treatment to Greenock right fullback Thomas MacFarlane the exchange of set-pieces continued when Myles McAuley forced a corner kick on the Saints left. Willie Gemmell picked out Craig Campbell at the back post who climbed above Kevin Brown and sent a looping header back across goal but a foot wide of keeper Neil Flack's right hand post.

Flack showed good reactions in the twentieth minute getting down smartly to his left to stop a Shaun MacIver left foot strike from the corner of the eighteen yard box. MacIver's firmly struck shot was too hot for Flack to hold with the Greenock keeper relieved to see Lewis Graham arrive on the scene fractionally ahead of Scott Maitland and turn the ball behind for another corner kick. Disappointingly for Saints Maitland's delivery from the right failed to reach the big men in the middle and was headed clear at the front post by Lewis Graham.

Greenock right sided midfielder Ryan Corr became the first entry in Referee Mark Caldwell's notebook after twenty seven minutes for a late challenge on Scott Maitland on the half-way line. From Willie Gemmell's set-piece Saints worked the ball forward with Steven MacLeod setting up Shaun MacIver for a spectacular right foot volley from the edge of the box which dipped just over Neil Flack's crossbar.

As the half wore on the home side gained the upper hand in terms of possession with Saints content to sit in and look to hit on the counter-attack. Despite enjoying the lion's share of possession the High were unable to unlock the solid looking Saints back three who were well screened by a hard working midfield.

The home side came close to breaking the deadlock in first half stoppage time from a corner kick on the left after Steven MacLeod had headed a speculative Kevin Brown long ball behind. Barry Munro's in-swinger to the back post was headed back towards the edge of the box by Chris McAllister from where Brown produced a far more threatening delivery finding the head of Harry Donaldson on the six yard line. Fortunately for Saints Donaldson, who had stolen in ahead of Myles McAuley, could only guide his header into the grateful hands of Graham Douglas keeping the scores level heading into the break.

The second half was only three minutes old when Matthew Kelly joined Greenock's Ryan Corr in Mr Caldwell's notebook for a foul on Michael O'Donoghue just inside the Saints half. The danger from Barry Munro's free-kick was however snuffed out when Graham Douglas showed good handling to claim the ball under pressure from David McLean.

From the clearance Willie Gemmell worked the ball forward to Myles McAuley who looked to have played Shaun MacIver in with a defence splitting pass. MacIver's efforts in rounding Neil Flack and tucking a neat finish into the bottom corner were however in vain as Mr Caldwell gave the benefit of an extremely close offside call to the home side much to Saints frustration.

To compound the agony the scoreline didn't remain blank for much longer with the High getting their noses in front after fifty two minutes. Ryan McCorkindale's run into the box was forced left by Alex Craik with the Greenock striker digging out a cross from the bye-line which looped over Graham Douglas and was poked home at the back post by Ryan Corr who held off the attentions of Scott Maitland to open the scoring.

Saints struck back almost immediately with Scott Maitland and Shaun MacIver combining to force a corner on the left straight from the restart. So often chipping in with vital strikes already this season, Willie Gemmell added to his growing list of telling contributions curling an equaliser direct from the corner flag just inside the far post.

The thrills and spills kept coming and just three minutes after the equaliser Harry Donaldson was felled in the Saints box with Mr Caldwell pointing to the penalty spot. A lengthy stoppage ensued for treatment to Donaldson who was unfortunately unable to continue and was replaced by Craig Boyd. Kevin Brown struck the crossbar with his spot kick with Alex Craik heading the rebound to the edge of the box where Myles McAuley won a free-kick for a push in the back by Thomas MacFarlane.

On the hour mark Ryan Corr headed a good chance high and wide from the corner of the six yard box after Michael O'Donoghue had beaten David Smith on the left to send over a tempting cross from the bye-line.

At the other end Shaun MacIver tried his luck again from distance crashing a twenty five yard left foot strike over the Greenock crossbar.

At the midway point of the second half Saints gave a debut to sixteen year-old Daniel McCuish as a replacement for David Smith who had put in a good shift in the middle of the park alongside Skipper Willie Gemmell. The home side also made a change introducing James McClure to replace Ryan McCorkindale up front.

The home side regained the lead in controversial circumstances after seventy two minutes. After a tussle with Daniel McCuish on the Greenock right Chris McAllister sent a long ball into the box which Craig Boyd appeared to handle under pressure from David McPhee. Referee Caldwell saw nothing wrong and ignored the loud Saints appeals allowing Ryan Corr on the edge of the box to lob the loose ball back towards goal. A backpedaling Steven MacLeod got his head to the ball but only succeeding in sending it back to Boyd who, from six yards, beat the combined efforts of Graham Douglas and Alex Craik to find the bottom corner.

Reeling from this latest setback Saints were almost caught out again in the seventy fifth minute requiring a timely intervention from Scott Maitland to deny Ryan Corr a strike on goal from fifteen yards.

Although the game was played predominantly in a good spirit second half substitute James McClure was lucky to escape with just a warning after a late seventy sixth minute challenge on Steven MacLeod deep inside the Saints half.

Shaun MacIver continued his shoot on site policy ignoring the supporting run from Scott Maitland and sending a left foot strike from twenty yards curling wide of Neil Flack's right hand post.

In a bid to get back into the match Saints were committing more players forward and were relieved to see Graham Douglas make a good save after a smart seventy ninth minute turn and shot from Craig Boyd.

The extra endeavour from Saints paid dividends with just ten minutes remaining on the clock. Young Daniel McCuish slipped a perfect ball through the inside left channel for the overlapping run of Scott Maitland who beat the advancing Neil Flack with a low left foot finish drilled into the bottom corner.

The deserved equaliser gave Saints the lifeline they needed and they almost snatched a winner in the eighty third minute with McCuish again the architect. The Saints youngster sent Shaun MacIver racing through but unfortunately MacIver was unable to get the ball out of his feet allowing David McLean to make a vital interception on the eighteen yard line.

Sixty seconds later the High had their chance to seal victory with the Gaffer proving the Saints saviour getting a crucial touch to deny Kevin Brown inside the Saints box.

The home side made their final change in the eighty sixth minute when cramp got the better of Ryan Corr who limped off to be replaced by Lee Curran.

Saints had to endure the five minutes of stoppage time added on by Mr Caldwell with ten men thanks to a senseless red card picked up by Shaun MacIver. The young striker, who lead the line extremely well on his first outing since recovering from an operation, needlessly lashed out at Greenock second half substitute Lee Curran in retaliation for a trip ten yards inside the Saints half.

The remaining minutes of what was a very entertaining Scottish Amateur Cup tie were played out with little incident leaving Saints the more satisfied of the two to have secured another cup reply for the Glencruitten faithful to enjoy.