Winning In The Rain: August 2018

Sunday, 26 August 2018

Sunday, 19 August 2018

Saturday 18th August 2018
VSN Sport Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division
Oban Saints AFC 8 - 1 Dunoon AFC
Glencruitten 2
Mossfield Avenue
Oban
Argyll
PA34 4EH
Kick Off 2pm
Referee Mr Jimmy Litster

Oban Saints got their 2018-19 Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division campaign off to a flying start with an emphatic 8 - 1 win over newly promoted Dunoon at Glencruitten last Saturday. Only some excellent saves from Dunoon goalkeeper Stephen Boyd and an equal measure of wayward finishing prevented Saints from reaching double figures in the first ever top flight meeting between the clubs. However, in true football parlance, new Management duo Donald Campbell and Willie Gemmell will be "over the moon" to take full points from their first competitive fixture.

Oban Saints starting line-up:-

Used substitutes:-

Daniel Croarkin
Jamie Graham
Matthew Kelly
Kerr Newbigging
Matthew Rippon

Saints lined up with Graham Douglas in goal behind a back four of Ruaridh Horne, Steven MacLeod, Captain Dene Cassells and Dougal Graham. In the holding midfield roles were Willie Gemmell and Scott Maitland with James Ford, Lewis Cameron and Fraser MacFarlane behind striker Craig MacEwan. On the bench were Daniel Croarkin, Jamie Graham, Matthew Kelly, Kerr Newbigging and Matt Rippon.

Saints kicked off attacking the railway line end and were immediately on the attack with Lewis Cameron shaving the outside of Stephen Boyd's right hand post inside the first minute.

The visitors gave an early warning of their threat on the counter attack when Kjeld MacIntyre pounced on a misplaced pass just inside the Saints half in the third minute. MacIntyre raced forward and attempted to lob Saints goalkeeper Graham Douglas who had to scamper back to his goal-line to safely gather the ball just under his crossbar.

Saints shrugged off this brief scare and swept to the other end where Ruaridh Horne won a corner kick on the right. Lewis Cameron's delivery was headed out to edge of the box by Craig Anderson but immediately returned by Willie Gemmell who picked out James Ford nine yards from goal. Ford's drilled low right foot shot gave Stephen Boyd no time to adjust his feet and the ball nestled in the net to give Saints an early lead.

Ruaridh Horne's endeavour on the right won another corner kick in the seventh minute from where Lewis Cameron found the head of Craig MacEwan. Saints top goal scorer for the past two seasons climbed well above Kjeld MacIntyre but was unable to direct his header on target.

Dunoon keeper Stephen Boyd made the first of a number of good saves in the twelfth minute denying Lewis Cameron after the Saints striker had been played in by a slide rule Willie Gemmell pass.

Saints thought they had doubled their tally in the twenty fifth minute when Stephen Boyd allowed a Fraser MacFarlane shot to squirm beneath him. Boyd got a hand to the ball stopping it on the goal-line before Craig MacEwan slid in to knock the ball into the net. Referee Jimmy Litster controversially ruled MacEwan's challenge to be illegal and awarded a free-kick to the visitors.

Mr Litster was again the centre of attention five minutes later when Dunoon levelled the scores through Jamie Robertson. Saints were caught out on the counter-attack and, despite Steven MacLeod's desperate late challenge Robertson was able to force an effort on target from ten yards. Graham Douglas was adamant that he had prevented the ball from crossing the line but Mr Litster awarded the goal much to the annoyance of the Saints number one. In awarding the goal Mr Litster may well have spared Steven MacLeod a red card for his challenge however this was of little consolation to Douglas who was denied a highly prized clean sheet.

Craig Anderson picked up the first yellow card of the afternoon for chopping down Lewis Cameron on the edge of the D straight from the restart. Having failed to test the keeper with three previous efforts Willie Gemmell finally found his range and bent his free-kick around the Dunoon wall only to see Stephen Boyd pull off an excellent finger tip save low to his left.

It was Boyd to the rescue again two minutes later denying Lewis Cameron with his legs from close range.

Fraser MacFarlane had a goal bound effort deflected behind for a corner kick before Dene Cassells and Dougal Graham both sent shots narrowly wide of target.

Jamie Robertson joined Craig Anderson in the booked for hauling down Scott Maitland twenty two yards from goal. Willie Gemmell's quickly taken free-kick played in Lewis Cameron but once again Cameron was unable to get the better of Stephen Boyd.

Mr Litster's half-time whistle arrived with the scores somehow still level at one goal a-piece but with the prospect of another busy forty five minutes ahead for the embattled Dunoon defence.

Management team Donald Campbell and Willie Gemmell withdrew Dougal Graham at half-time and dropped Scott Maitland back to left-back replacing him in midfield with substitute Matthew Kelly.

Stephen Boyd continued to keep the Saints attack at bay shovelling a James Ford shot behind sixty seconds after the restart. The Dunoon defence could only partly clear the resulting corner kick from the right with James Ford returning the ball to the danger area from the corner of the eighteen yard box. Craig MacEwan's misfortune in front of goal continued when he allowed Ford's ball to slip under his left boot with the goal at his mercy.

The Dunoon keeper twice more denied James Ford as Saints kept probing while Scott Maitland and Lewis Cameron both sent efforts wide of target.

Saints made their second change in the fifty eighth minute bringing on Matt Rippon to replace Fraser MacFarlane.

The Saints pressure eventually told in the fifty ninth minute from a Lewis Cameron corner kick on the right. Cameron and Ruaridh Horne worked a short corner to the corner of the eighteen yard box for Matthew Kelly. Kelly's cross come shot into the "corridor of uncertainty", coupled with lurking presence of Craig MacEwan, deceived Stephen Boyd with the ball bouncing past him and into the net.

Having taken fifty five minutes to find a way past Stephen Boyd for a second time it took only five minutes more for Saints to conjure a third goal. Lewis Cameron robbed Dunoon defender Andrew Lochrie midway inside the Dunoon half and slipped the ball through for Matt Rippon who steered the ball into the bottom corner past the advancing goalkeeper.

A Dene Cassells foul on Conor McClymont in the sixty eighth minute gave Dunoon the chance to put the ball into the Saints box. The Saints rearguard was unable to clear the danger from Kjeld MacIntyre's delivery and was indebted to Graham Douglas for an excellent finger tip save to deny McClymont from close range.

Co-Manager Willie Gemmell repaired to the sidelines to join Donald Campbell for the closing twenty minutes. Gemmell's place in the midfield was taken by Kerr Newbigging.

Craig MacEwan finally found his shooting boots in the seventy seventh minute with a good turn and left foot shot which beat Stephen Boyd low down to his right. Opting to quit while he was ahead MacEwan trotted off to be replaced by Daniel Croarkin.

Croarkin had only been on the field of play for sixty seconds when he had a shot blocked by Jamie Robertson. The ball broke kindly for James Ford who slammed an unstoppable effort into the bottom corner for Saints fifth goal.

With ten minutes remaining on the clock Ruaridh Horne made way for Jamie Graham in Saints final change of the afternoon.

A quickly taken free-kick on the left in the eighty fourth minute sent Lewis Cameron jinking into the box where he was tripped by Dunoon Skipper Stuart MacIntyre. Referee Litster had no hesitation in pointing to the penalty spot from where Cameron sent Stephen Boyd in the wrong direction adding a sixth goal for Saints.

Two minutes later Cameron doubled his tally from his own corner kick on the right. Kerr Newbigging's off target volley from the back post across the face of goal was controlled by Cameron who beat second half substitute Cairn Limbert on the corner of the six yard box and slammed the ball into the opposite corner of the net.

One of the three minutes added by Mr Litster had elapsed when Daniel Croarkin robbed Jordan McIlkenny midway inside the Dunoon half and fed midfield colleague Matty Kelly. Kelly's driving run into the box left Stuart MacIntyre and Craig Anderson trailing in his wake as he rounded Stephen Boyd and rolled the ball into the unguarded net to round off the scoring.

Next up for Saints is a trip to Cowan Park, Barrhead to face last season's Premier Division One Champions Barrhead Arky.

Team Captains Dene Cassells and Stuart MacIntyre with Referee Jimmy Litster

James Ford opens the scoring

Harry Hall and Jamie Robertson slide in on Scott Maitland

Harry Hall pulls back Dougal Graham

Stephen Boyd punches clear

Willie Gemmell curls a freekick around the Dunoon wall

Dene Cassells pursued by Scott Cameron

Craig MacEwan congratulates Matt Rippon on his goal

James Ford makes it 5 - 1

Steven MacLeod

Daniel Croarkin

Lewis Cameron adds a sixth from the penalty spot

Lewis Cameron slams home number seven

Jamie Graham

Kerr Newbigging beats Fraser Paterson in the air

Matthew Kelly goes around Stephen Boyd before rolling home goal number eight

Daniel Croarkin and James Ford congratulate Matthew Kelly on his goal

#monthesaints

Sunday, 12 August 2018

Preseason Finale

Wednesday 8th August 2018
Preseason Friendly

Oban Saints AFC 8 - 0 Oban Saints Under 19's Select
Glencruitten 2
Mossfield Avenue
Oban
Argyll
PA34 4EH
Kick off 6.45pm
Referee Mr Jimmy Litster

Let down by scheduled opponents South Lochaber Thistle, Oban Saints played their final preseason friendly ahead of the new season against an Under 19's select at Glencruitten last Wednesday evening. Despite the opposition not providing the test they would have hoped for, Management Duo Donald Campbell and Willie Gemmell will be reasonably satisfied with the night's work. Huge thanks are due to the Under 19's Select for stepping in as late substitutes and for putting in a spirited performance despite the odds being heavily stacked against them.

Saints lined up with new signing Ben Pollock in goal behind a back four of Ruaridh Horne, Captain Dene Cassells, Paul Carmichael and Dougal Graham. In the holding midfield roles were Willie Gemmell and Scott Maitland with James Ford, Lewis Cameron and Fraser MacFarlane behind striker Shaun MacIver. On the bench were Graham Douglas, Jamie Graham, Craig MacEwan, Steven MacLeod and Kerr Newbigging.

The under 19's started with a back three of Lewis McPhee, Alex Craik and Nathan Allan in front of goalkeeper Jake Weir. The midfield five were Jordan Norman, Ross Maitland, Gavin Forgrieve, David Cameron and Kenneth Black with a twin strike force of Lewis Buchanan and Jay Cooper. On the substitutes bench were Aaron McKay and Trialist.

The youngsters, with evergreens Alex Craik and Ross Maitland providing some valuable experience, repelled the early Saints advances however the pressure eventual told and Fraser MacFarlane opened the scoring after sixteen minutes cracking home a low drive from twelve yards.

Scott Maitland rattled the crossbar in the twenty fifth minute before young goalkeeper Jake Weir pulled off good saves from Shaun MacIver and Dougal Graham.

Saints Gaffers past and present, Alex Craik and Willie Gemmell, came head-to-head in the thirty sixth minute when Craik slid in with a well timed challenge to halt a promising driving run forward from Gemmell. Craik's intervention was latched onto by Jordan Norman who launched a counter attack up the right which saw Ben Pollock fingertip a viciously dipping Lewis Buchanan effort onto his crossbar.

Within sixty seconds of hitting the woodwork the youngsters found themselves two goals down when Ruaridh Horne's endeavour on the right wing set up James Ford for an angled shot across the keeper which nestled in the top corner of the net.

A moments hesitation in the Under 19's rearguard was punished by the lively Fraser MacFarlane in the thirty ninth minute who dispossessed Nathan Allan before burying another tidy finish beyond Jake Weir to give Saints a three goal half-time lead.

Saints made three changes for the start of the second half withdrawing Ben Pollock, Dougal Graham and Shaun MacIver and introducing Graham Douglas, Kerr Newbigging and Craig MacEwan.

MacEwan made an instant impact setting up Fraser MacFarlane for his third of the evening inside the opening sixty seconds.

Despite the scoreline the Under 19's goalkeeper Jake Weir acquitted himself well and produced another fine save in the fiftieth minute to deny Kerr Newbigging.

Dene Cassells forced his way forward from his central defensive beat in the fifty second minute and was sent tumbling in the box however Referee Jimmy Litster saw nothing wrong with the challenge and dismissed the Saints Skipper's appeals.

James Ford doubled his tally in the fifty fifth minute with a crisp low strike across Jake Weir to move the Saints tally onto five.

Lewis Cameron got in on the scoring act in the fifty seventh minute tucking a way a Ruaridh Horne cross from the right.

Saints made two further changes for the closing thirty minutes with Jamie Graham and Steven MacLeod coming on to replace Paul Carmichael and Dene Cassells. The Under 19's also made changes giving a run-out to young Aaron McKay and, that veteran of many friendlies, Trialist.

A quiet evening for Graham Douglas was interrupted when Kerr Newbigging was penalised for a foul on Jay Cooper twenty five yards from goal and left of centre. Ross Maitland's effort towards the near post was on target and Douglas had to look sharp to scamper along his goal-line and turn the ball behind for a corner kick. Maitland stayed on dead-ball duty and sent a good delivery from the corner flag onto the six yard line from where Alex Craik headed narowly wide of target.

Still looking for his first goal of an injury disrupted preseason Craig MacEwan was unable to direct a header from a Scott Maitland cross on target in the seventy second minute thanks mainly to a strong aerial challenge from Lewis McPhee.

Ross Maitland wanted too much time to work the ball forward from the edge of his own penalty area in the seventy third minute and was caught in possession by James Ford. With the Under 19's defence already pushing up Ford had time and space to measure a sweet curled finish into the bottom corner and complete his hat-trick.

Another good delivery from the right from Ruaridh Horne sixty seconds after the restart found the head of Craig MacEwan who drew another fine save from Jake Weir flinging himself to his right to push the ball away.

Another mistake at the back was cruelly punished by Lewis Cameron who rounded off the scoring with five minutes remaining nipping in to intercept a Kenneth Black pass across the penalty area and firing home a first time effort from close range.

The real action starts for Saints this Saturday with the visit to Glencruitten of newly promoted Dunoon Amateurs for a first ever Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division encounter between the two Argyll clubs.