Winning In The Rain: Scotstoun Sunday Sunshine

Sunday 10th May 2018
Scottish Amateur Football League
Premier Division
St Joseph's FP AFC 2 - 1 Oban Saints AFC
Scotstoun Sports Campus
72 Danes Drive
Glasgow
G14 9HD
Kick off 2pm
Referee Mr Don Flanigan

Oban Saints starting line-up:-

Used substitutes:-
Matthew Kelly
Fraser MacFarlane
Alex Craik

An eighty fourth minute winner from striker Michael McGowan in Scotstoun last Sunday afternoon gave reigning Champions St Joseph's FP the points they so desperately need if they are to have any chance of holding off the challenge of Goldenhill and retain their Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division crown.

Moved to the Sunday to accommodate the Argyll Select v Scottish Amateur Football League Select Joe Paterson Memorial Trophy match in Tarbert, the match was played in glorious sunshine at the excellent Scotstoun Sports Campus facility where St Joseph's have relocated from their traditional base in Duntocher.

Three players from the Oban Saints ranks and four from St Joseph's had featured in the Select encounter in Tarbert on the day previous so the tight William Street grass park would have been a far more welcoming sight for weary limbs than the wide open space of the large 3G playing surface at Scotstoun especially on such a hot day.

Saints Gaffer Alex Craik made two changes to the line-up which had lost to Goldenhill eight days earlier with Craig MacEwan and Keith Millar coming in to replace the unavailable Ruaridh Horne and Matthew Kelly dropping to the bench.

Saints survived a fourth minute scare when Scott Smith failed to capitalise on a missed clearance by Dene Cassells. Thankfully for Saints Smith, who was a stand-out performer for the Scottish Amateur Football League Select at Tarbert the day previous, placed a very presentable chance from eighteen yards just wide of Graham Douglas' right hand post.

Saints replied in kind ten minutes later when Paul Carmichael sent an attempted lob from the edge of the box over the St Joe's crossbar after a well weighted ball over the top from Captain Donald Campbell.

Just sixty seconds later the Saints Skipper found Shaun MacIver in a promising position on the left of the St Joe's box. MacIver created space for a shot but, from a tight angle, could only find the side netting.

Despite the warm sunshine the game zipped along at a good pace and although there was little at stake for Saints there remained a competitive edge to every challenge throughout the afternoon.

Keith Millar felt the weight of a meaty challenge on the half-way line from old adversary Ryan Halpin which earned the big striker a twenty first minute yellow card.

Slightly against the run of play Saints made the breakthrough in the twenty third minute with a passage of play started by Dene Cassells on his own eighteen yard line. Making just his second start on the season, Cassells slid in well to beat Kieren O'Brien to a Colin Gailey through ball. Steven MacLeod latched onto the interception by Cassells and sent the ball up the right wing for Kerr Newbigging to chase. St Joe's striker Ryan Halpin tracked Newbigging's run and knocked the ball out for a throw-in which Newbigging took quickly to Paul Carmichael who turned and fired a low cross along the six yard line for Donald Campbell to turn in at the back post.

St Joe's struck back when Michael McGowan threaded a thirty fifth minute pass through for a suspiciously offside looking Ryan Halpin. Referee Flanigan however ignored the loud Saints appeals and allowed play to continue with Steven MacLeod having to look lively to nip in and turn the ball behind for a corner kick. Mr Flanigan made matters worse for Saints by failing to spot Ryan Halpin's use of his left arm to control the ball when rolling Willie Gemmell and tucking a John Paul Seagrave knock down from Martin McComish's corner kick into the bottom corner from six yards.

Both sides created further half chances before the interval which arrived after treatment for a head knock sustained by Keith Millar in making an excellent goal line clearance to deny Ryan Halpin a tap-in from a Michael McGowan knock down.

Saints started the second half in positive fashion with Steven MacLeod having a rare shot on goal from twenty five yards which Scott Urquhart saved well low down to his right.

Ryan Halpin lasted just five minutes of the second half before being replaced by veteran striker Stephen Dallas who would use his considerable experience to keep the Saints back four on their toes.

In the fifty second minute Donald Campbell and Craig MacEwan linked up on the Saints left for Campbell to send a cut back to Paul Carmichael who was denied a strike on goal by an excellent Keiran Greene sliding interception.

That proved to be the final involvement for Scottish Amateur Football League Select Skipper Greene who was spared any further exertions and replaced on the left of the St Joe's back four by Kearn Docherty.

Willie Gemmell found his way into the Referee's notebook for a heavy challenge on Stephen Dallas in the fifty eighth minute. Dallas clearly suffered no ill effects as he rose well at the back post to head Michael McGowan's free-kick wide of target.

Also showing no ill effects from his earlier head knock was Keith Millar whose tenacity in the centre circle dispossessed Colin Gailey and sent Donald Campbell through the inside left channel for a shot from twenty yards which Scott Urquhart saved well.

Millar joined Willie Gemmell in the book for a sixty fifth minute challenge on Kieran O'Brien which stopped the St Joe's winger in his tracks as he burst forward on the right.

Saints Gaffer Alex Craik rang the changes after seventy minutes sending on Matthew Kelly and Fraser MacFarlane to replace Jamie Graham and Paul Carmichael.

As the second half wore on the hosts pressed hard for the winning goal which they desperately needed to keep them in title race while Saints remained a threat on the counter-attack.

A driving run on the right wing in the seventy fifth minute by Fraser MacFarlane left Donald Campbell and Craig MacEwan groaning in frustration at the cut-back which failed to come as MacFarlane took one touch too many and carried the ball behind.

MacFarlane fared better seven minutes later teeing up Shaun MacIver for a shot from the corner of the box which flew just over the crossbar.

Michael McGowan who remained a handful for the Saints defence gained the reward for his endeavours with just six minutes remaining. An under the weather Matthew Kelly, who had been deployed in an unfamiliar left-back role, was robbed by the industrious McGowan who cut in from the right and sent a sweet left foot strike into the bottom corner past the despairing right hand of Graham Douglas.

Before the restart the Gaffer joined the fray in place of Kerr Newbigging and took the left-back berth pushing Kelly into more familiar midfield territory.

Saints almost struck back immediately but were denied by an excellent save by Scott Urquhart. Willie Gemmell sent a long throw-in from the left onto the six yard line where Craig MacEwan sent the ball spinning towards goal with the outside of his right boot. Scottish Amateur Football League Select keeper Urquhart showed lightning quick reactions to throw himself to his right and palm the ball away at full stretch.

At the other end Stephen Dallas came close to adding a third for the home side with a ninetieth minute header over the crossbar before Mr Flanigan brought proceedings to a close after three added minutes.

Despite the disappointment of a seventh defeat of the league campaign Saints can console themselves that they once again ran reigning Champions St Joe's very close and with better luck on the day may well have secured a share of the points.

Saints play their penultimate away fixture of the season this Saturday when they travel to Seedhill, Paisley to face Alba Thistle. Alba still have a chance of pipping St Joe's and Goldenhill to the Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division title therefore Saints can expect another difficult afternoon on the road.