Winning In The Rain: Saints Have That Semi-final Feeling Again

Saturday 16th March 2019
West of Scotland Amateur Cup
6th Round
Oban Saints 3 - 1 Cambria
Oban Community Sports Field 3G
Soroba Road
Oban
Argyll
PA34 4JB
Kick Off 1pm
Referee Mr Stephen Payne
Assistant Referee Mr Jimmy Litster
Assistant Referee Mr Matthew Farr

A sensational strike from Lewis Cameron and an equally impressive save from Graham "Sugar" Douglas helped Oban Saints to see off the challenge of old rivals Cambria and seal a place in the semi-finals of the West of Scotland Amateur Cup last Saturday afternoon. Cameron's wonder strike in off the crossbar re-established the lead for Saints before Sugar broke Cambria hearts with a wonderful reaction save and a free flowing move, rounded off by Daniel Croarkin, made the tie safe for Saints.

The incessant rain ended any hopes of the match going ahead on the grass at Glencruitten so a switch to the all weather surface at Oban High School was hastily arranged for the 1pm kick-off watched by a large number of spectators who had braved the miserable weather conditions.

Donald Campbell clearly enjoyed his deep lying midfield role in the previous week's victory over Rutherglen and named himself alongside his Co-Manager Willie Gemmell in front of a back four of Matthew Kelly, Steven MacLeod, Captain Dene Cassells and Scott Maitland. Daniel Croarkin filled the hole between the Gaffers and the front three of James Ford, Lewis Cameron and Craig MacEwan while Graham Douglas, who was joined for the warm-up by the now free from injury back-up keeper Ben Pollock, took his accustomed place between the posts. On the bench were David Beaton, Dougal Graham, Jamie Graham, Cammy Hill and Fraser MacFarlane.

Oban Saints starting line-up:-

Used substitutes:-
Cammy Hill
David Beaton
Jamie Graham

Unused substitutes:-
Dougal Graham
Fraser MacFarlane

The visitors kicked off attacking the school end with the wind, unusually blowing from the Dalintart end, at their backs. After some early sparring Craig MacEwan put former team-mate David McArthur under pressure on the corner of the Cambria box and fashioned a half chance for James Ford in the middle who couldn't turn onto his right foot allowing Gordon Hanley to clear the danger.

Hanley did well again sixty seconds later to read Donald Campbell's pass through the inside left channel for James Ford and usher the ball back to his goalkeeper.

As the game began to open up Scott Maitland made a good twelfth minute run on the left and sent a dangerous low ball into the box however the Cambria's cental defensive pairing remained in control with Donald Mackay successfully holding off Craig MacEwan for Adam Rennie to gather safely at his feet.

Cambria launched a quick counter attack on their left where Matthew Kelly's tug on Cambria left winger Nicholas Irvine's shirt earned the Saints fullback the first yellow card of the afternoon.

Five minutes later Saints were left appealing in vain for a similar offence on Lewis Cameron on the edge of the centre circle. Referee Stephen Payne, who together with Assistants Jimmy Litster and Matthew Farr kept a tight grip on proceedings, allowed play to proceed with Nicholas Irvine spreading the ball wide to Andrew McEwan on the right and continuing his run into the box to meet McEwan's cross at the back post with a volley which flew high and wide of target.

Craig Coleman was next to find his way into the Referee's notebook for attempting to pull back Lewis Cameron in the centre-circle in the twenty fourth minute. Cameron showed enough strength to keep going and it was only when the ball eventually went out of play on the left that Mr Payne reached for his top pocket. From Scott Maitland's throw-in Craig MacEwan tee'd up Cameron for a left foot shot from seventeen yards which flew narrowly wide of Adam Rennie's left hand upright.

Adam Rennie's goal-kick produced a moment to forget for the Cambria defence as Gordon Hanley found himself quickly closed down in the left-back position by James Ford. The big centre-half slipped and scuffed a pass back which was pounced on by Craig MacEwan who calmly slipped the ball under the advancing goalkeeper and into the bottom corner for the opening goal.

From the restart Cambria forced the first corner kick of the match on their left from where Gordon Hanley tried to make amends for his earlier error by connecting with Nicholas Irvine's out-swinger only to see the ball come off Craig MacEwan's head and spin towards his own goal where Matthew Kelly was well positioned to thump the ball clear.

Good work on the left from Scott Maitland and Craig MacEwan helped Lewis Cameron spin in behind David McArthur however his low shot from narrow angle was well parried by Adam Rennie and safely gathered at the second attempt.

From a thirty first minute free-kick ten yards inside the Cambria half Donald Campbell rolled the ball up to Craig MacEwan on the edge of the box who turned away from Ross Wilson but failed to generate enough power in his shot which looped up comfortably into the gloves of Adam Rennie.

The Cambria keeper saved again from MacEwan two minutes later as Saints continued to enjoy a good spell.

After failing to win a single corner kick in the first thirty four minutes Saints managed to force three in quick succession where Cambria stiker Jonathon Burns, back helping his defence, made two important blocks to divert shots from Donald Campbell and Daniel Croarkin off target.

A Cambria break from a quickly taken Adam Rennie kick from hand turned the Saints defence and Scott Maitland saw yellow for scything down Andrew McEwan as the Cambrian wide man threatened to burst through. The resulting free-kick from thirty four yards by Jonathon Burns however failed to trouble Graham Douglas flying high and wide of the junction of post and bar.

Saints were left cursing the award of a corner kick in the forty third minute by Assistant Referee Matthew Farr which appeared to have gone out for a throw-in by the corner flag on the Cambria right. The 2017 cup winners took full advantage of this slice of good fortune with a well rehearsed corner kick routine between Craig Coleman and Ryan O'Donnell resulting in Coleman picking out Andrew McEwan on the penalty spot who swept the ball past Graham Douglas to level the scores.

On the stroke of half-time a heavy aerial challenge by Ryan O'Donnell on Graham Douglas left the Saints keeper in a heap on the floor. Mr Payne, however, saw no infringement but had his patience stretched too far in the verbal exchanges which followed and added Cambria goal scorer Andrew McEwan to the growing list of cautions.

Saints made a bright start to the second half and had the ball in the net in the forty ninth minute from a sweeping move on the left. Scott Maitland looked to have timed his overlapping run to reach Lewis Cameron's pass to perfection and sent a square ball across the Cambria box which Daniel Croarkin slammed past Adam Rennie. However an offside decision from Mr Farr, which must have been an extremely close call, brought the Saints celebrations to an abrupt end.

More frustration was to follow for Saints just sixty seconds later when Mr Payne deemed Craig MacEwan guilty of going down in the box too easily on the end of a tackle from Cambria man of the match Ross Wilson and issued the Saints striker with the fifth yellow card of the match.

MacEwan's incident packed afternoon continued as he flashed first a glancing header from a Willie Gemmell free-kick and then a left foot volley from a James Ford pass narrowly wide of Adam Rennie's right hand post.

Donald Campbell came from deep in the fifty ninth minute to power a thumping drive from the corner of the Cambria box wide of the junction of post and bar after good approach play from James Ford, Matthew Kelly, Craig MacEwan and Daniel Croarkin.

Having dominated the opening stages of the second half Saints had goalkeeper Graham Douglas to thank for a good reaction save to deny Andrew McEwan a second goal when the Saints number one thrust up a strong left hand to push McEwan's half volley from a David McArthur cross over his crossbar.

Cambria striker Ryan O'Donnell made way for David Aubrey in the sixty second minute before Saints also made a change replacing Willie Gemmell with the fresh legs of teenage striker Cammy Hill.

Saints Skipper Dene Cassells joined the ever growing list of miscreants recorded in Mr Payne's notebook after a continued protest over a hotly disputed sixty fifth minute throw-in on the left touchline.

Saints were finally rewarded for their second half endeavours when Lewis Cameron produced a magic moment in the sixty eighth minute. Cammy Hill and Donald Mackay contested a bouncing ball on the edge of the Cambria box with the Saints youngster doing just enough to see the ball land at the feet of James Ford who cracked a shot off Mackay's back with the rebound spinning out to the left. Scott Maitland kept the move alive picking out Lewis Cameron on the corner of the box who curled a delicious right foot finish in off the underside of the crossbar to restore Saints lead.

Two minutes later Craig MacEwan made a good turn on the edge of the Cambria box from a Lewis Cameron cutback and stabbed a low left foot shot inches wide of Adam Rennie's left hand post.

The visitors now had to commit more bodies to attack and a surging seventy second minute attack up the right almost saw the ball land at the feet of Jonathon Burns in the middle however a perfectly timed sliding interception by Steven MacLeod diverted the ball behind for a corner kick which MacLeod promptly headed clear of the danger area.

The quick feet of Lewis Cameron were proving difficult for Cambria to deal with and Skipper Stewart Nicoll was lucky to escape with just a talking too from Referee Payne for a heavy challenge in the seventy fifth minute.

Further changes followed from the visitors with Dean McGinnity and Jonathan Gordon replacing Craig Coleman and Jonathon Burns. Saints responded by sending on pacy forward David Beaton in place of James Ford.

Mr Payne's patience with Cambria Skipper Stewart Nicoll eventually snapped in the seventy seventh minute after another late challenge on Lewis Cameron sparked some pushing and shoving which saw Steven MacLeod join Cambria's Scottish Amateur International fullback in the book.

He may stand at six feet five inches in his stocking soles but young Saints striker Cammy Hill is blessed with a nimble touch for such a big man. In the eightieth minute Hill danced his way past three tackles in the Cambria box before he was finally denied by the outstretched legs of keeper Adam Rennie at the expense of a corner kick. Craig MacEwan couldn't quite get Lewis Cameron's out-swinger from the right under control and the bouncing ball broke for David Beaton who did well to direct an effort on target which Adam Rennie held comfortably.

With the visitors now taking more and more chances at the back the game became very open, often dangerously so for Saints given their slender lead.

Cambria goalscorer Andrew McEwan hooked a speculative effort well over the Saints crossbar from a deep free-kick in the eighty second minute.

Donald Campbell sent Craig MacEwan in behind Cambria left-back Stewart Nicoll in the eighty third minute however MacEwan's low ball along the six yard line intended for Cammy Hill was expertly cut out by David McArthur with Adam Rennie delighted to pounce on the loose ball.

The action once again swung to the other end and Dene Cassells was relieved to find Mr Payne satisfied just to award a free-kick against him for a heavy challenge on Andrew McEwan wide on the Cambria right. Ross Wilson's delivery was headed down by Craig MacEwan on the six yard line but straight into the path of Dean McGinnity whose first time effort was miraculously stopped on the goal-line by Graham Douglas. The danger however didn't end there and David McArthur's header from the rebound was blocked on the six yard line by Dene Cassells before Donald Mackay finally lashed a shot wide of the postage stamp corner.

That was a close as Cambria would come to getting back on terms and with the additional time allowed for stoppages by Mr Payne now being played Saints finally exploited the ever widening gaps in the Cambria defence. After winning back possession from a Cambria throw-in Saints swept up the right wing from where Lewis Cameron cut inside and tee'd up Daniel Croarkin for a calm side foot finish past the advancing Adam Rennie to send Saints through to a third major cup semi-final in four seasons.

Saints made one final change before the restart ensuring things remained tight at the back by replacing striker Craig MacEwan with defender Jamie Graham.

After three additional minutes, which were considerably less nervy than any of the preceding ninety, Mr Payne sounded his full-time whistle sending the large crowd home wet but happy.

The only other West of Scotland Amateur Cup sixth round tie to survive the weather was played at the Grange, Kilmarnock where 2016 winners and current Scottish Amateur Cup holders Shortlees of the Ayrshire Amateur Football Association Premier League defeated Glasgow University of the Caledonian League by three goals to two. The two remaining ties, Bannockburn versus Dumbarton Academy and Southside versus St Patricks FP will be decided this coming Saturday.

This Saturday Saints return to league business and another major test against Scottish Amateur Cup semi-finalists Alba Thistle. Kick off at Ralston Community Sports Centre, Paisley is 1.15pm.