Winning In The Rain: A Bridge Too Far

Saturday 28th July 2018

Preseason Friendly

Oban Saints AFC 1 - 2 Kincardine AFC

Glencruitten 1

Glencruitten Drive

Oban

Argyll

PA34 4EB

Kick off 2.00pm

Referee Mr Martin Rae

Oban Saints continued their build up to the new season with a highly competitive friendly match against Kincardine at Glencruitten last Saturday. Runners-up spot in last season's Stirling and District Amateur Football Association Division 1B was enough to secure promotion to the Premier Division for the first time in the Fifers short history and they provided a stiff test for Saints in front of a fair sized crowd on the Rugby pitch.

A family holiday for Co-Manager Willie Gemmell left Donald Campbell in sole charge for the first time however he was well supported on the day by coaches Peter MacCallum and Jamie Graham and club Secretary David Buchanan.

The Gaffer's options were hampered by the absence due to injury of Matthew Kelly, Myles McAuley and Craig MacEwan however this opened the door to youngsters Kenneth Black, Gavin Forgrieve and Cammy Hill who all impressed in second half substitute appearances.

Saints lined up with Graham Douglas in goal behind a back four of Ruaridh Horne, Captain Dene Cassells, Paul Carmichael and Dougal Graham. In the holding midfield roles were Kerr Newbigging and Scott Maitland with James Ford. Lewis Cameron and Fraser MacFarlane supporting centre forward Shaun MacIver. On a well balanced bench of youth and experience were Donald Campbell, Daniel Croarkin, Jamie Graham, Steven MacLeod and Matty Rippon with Kenneth Black, Gavin Forgrieve and Cammy Hill providing the youth.

Saints started strongly knocking the ball about purposefully and won a free kick wide on the left through Fraser MacFarlane. Lewis Cameron's delivery was headed out to the edge of the box from where James Ford's powerful volley was deflected behind for a corner kick.

From the corner flag Fraser MacFarlane sent the ball into the six yard box where Shaun MacIver climbed well only to see his header saved by the legs of the Kincardine keeper the first of a number of important interventions by the Fifer's number one.

A long ball over the top in the twelfth minute had Graham Douglas racing out to the edge of his box however, despite making a good block on the Kincardine striker, the ball spun behind off the Saints keeper for a corner kick on the Kincardine left.

Saints worrying trend for conceding from corner kicks continued when Kincardine centre half Ally McCallum was given time and space in the six yard box to get on the end of the delivery from Gareth Thomas and place a text book downward header wide of Graham Douglas and give the visitors the lead.

A good passing move on the left involving Dougal Graham, Fraser MacFarlane and Lewis Cameron in the nineteenth minute saw Cameron pick out Shaun MacIver for a spectacular overhead kick which looped just wide of the keeper's right hand post.

James Ford had an excellent opportunity to bring Saints level in the twenty fifth minute but his delicate chip when clean through on the right was comfortably plucked out of the air by the Kincardine keeper.

Shortly after being spoken to by Referee Martin Rae for catching Dene Cassells in a head-lock, Kincardine's burly striker continued to show he hadn't just come to Oban for a nice day out at the seaside and launched a very late and over the top stamp into the right thigh of Saints keeper Graham Douglas. Fortunately the Saints number one was able to continue after treatment however Mr Rae showed extreme leniency in not giving the Kincardine man his marching orders settling instead for a yellow card.

Saints early promise diminished as the half wore on and, despite retaining the lion's share of possession, the killer final pass to open up the experienced Kincardine defence was lacking.

Having coped well with the Saints pressure it was the visitors who ended the first half on the front foot. A forty fourth minute long throw from the left level with the penalty spot was flicked on to the back post where Dougal Graham won an important header to knock the ball behind for a corner kick. Once again Saints struggled to deal with the delivery from the corner flag and needed a goal-line clearance from Ruaridh Horne to keep the deficit at one goal going into the half-time interval.

With eight on Saints bench second half changes were guaranteed starting with Matty Rippon replacing Ruaridh Horne at right back from the restart. Saints quickly regained the initiative with Lewis Cameron setting up Fraser MacFarlane for an effort from the edge of the box inside the first sixty seconds.

Dougal Graham made way for Donald Campbell in the forty eighth minute and the Gaffer soon made his presence felt with a powerful run from midfield to create an opening for Shaun MacIver. The big striker's shot from sixteen yards was arrowing on target but was spectacularly tipped over by the Kincardine keeper. Fraser MacFarlane's corner kick from the right was headed out to the edge of the box and returned by Kerr Newbigging but too heavily for Paul Carmichael to connect with allowing the Kincardine keeper an easy catch.

A good move on the left in the fifty first minute opened up another shooting opportunity for Shaun MacIver who curled a decent effort inches wide of the junction of post and bar.

Lewis Cameron's trickery drew a foul on the corner of the Kincardine box in the fifty eighth minute giving the Saints central defensive pairing of Paul Carmichael and Dene Cassells the chance to move forward for the set-piece. Cameron's delivery was parried down by the Kincardine keeper under pressure from Donald Campbell with Carmichael lifting the loose ball from nine yards over a ruck of players and just over the crossbar.

On the hour mark Kerr Newbigging's run-out against his former team mates came to an end when he and Fraser MacFarlane made way for Daniel Croarkin and Cammy Hill.

Saints kept knocking on the door and a well timed interception by Kincardine Skipper Ally McCallum prevented James Ford from pulling the trigger after another sweeping move through the midfield in the sixty second minute. Lewis Cameron's corner kick from the right found it's way to Ford inside the six yard box who couldn't believe his luck when the Kincardine keeper saved with his legs to deny the youngster an equaliser.

The frustration continued for Ford when three minutes later he cut in from the left and fired a low shot across the keeper and inches wide of the post.

With twenty five minutes remaining Saints made their final four changes withdrawing Paul Carmichael, Dene Cassells, Scott Maitland and Shaun MacIver and replacing them with Kenneth Black, Gavin Forgrieve, Jamie Graham and Steven MacLeod.

Still adjusting to the changes Saints gifted an opening to the visitors which was deflected behind for a corner kick. This time Saints made a better job of defending the set-piece with Graham Douglas taking command of the situation and punching clear at his front post.

Saints moved quickly to the other end where Kenneth Black fired well over from a Donald Campbell knock down.

A misplaced pass at the back almost let the visitors in again but an excellent sliding interception by Daniel Croarkin took the ball away from the Kincardine striker.

Impressing on his debut young Cammy Hill won a free-kick on the edge of the Kincardine box in the seventy third minute. Lewis Cameron tried to beat the keeper at his near post but the Kincardine number one, who didn't put a foot wrong all afternoon, read his intentions well to make a comfortable save.

At the other end Graham Douglas matched the heroics of the Kincardine keeper tipping over a dipping shot as the visitors threatened to strike on the counter attack.

James Ford had another excellent opportunity to level for Saints in the eightieth minute but, delaying his finish a split second too long, he was robbed by a perfectly timed sliding tackle which turned the ball behind for a corner kick. Donald Campbell and Lewis Cameron worked the corner from the left short setting the Gaffer up for a shot which curled just wide of the postage stamp corner.

Birthday boy Jamie Graham gift wrapped a killer second goal for the visitors with eight minutes remaining. From a position of no apparent danger a mishit diagonal pass from deep inside the Saints half landed perfectly at the feet of the burly Kincardine striker who accepted the gift gratefully and rolled the ball past the stranded Graham Douglas and into the empty net.

The Kincardine keeper pulled off the pick of an impressive bunch of saves in the eighty third minute diving full length to his right to finger tip a net bound effort from Cammy Hill round the post.

Saints finally found a way past the inspired Kincardine keeper in the eighty fifth minute. A driving diagonal run from left to right from Cammy Hill left defenders trailing in his wake and opened up space for Donald Campbell who slammed an emphatic finish high into the net.

The home side kept pressing for the little time that remained but couldn't find their way through the very hard working Kincardine defence for a second time.

Despite the result the Saints management can be reasonably satisfied with another good workout in the build-up to the new season.

This coming Saturday Saints travel to Lochgilphead to defend the Argyll & Bute Cup. The holders have been drawn in group two alongside hosts Lochgilphead Red Star, Port Glasgow and Neilston.

Oban Saints starting line-up:-