Best Of The Rest

Friday 3rd May 2019
West of Scotland Amateur Cup Final
Oban Saints 3 - 3 Bannockburn (3 - 6 After Extra Time)
The Hope CBD Stadium
Hamilton
ML3 0FT
Kick Off 7.15pm
Referee Mr Ross Holms
Assistant Referee Mr Josh Hay
Assistant Referee Mr Mark O'Hara
Fourth Official Mr Jim Moore

Oban Saints finished best of the rest when their valiant bid to secure a first ever major trophy ended in failure at New Douglas Park last Friday night. In front of a crowd of 623 and a further 1400 or so watching on various live streams around the world Saints ran four time cup winners Bannockburn extremely close in a thrilling nine goal West of Scotland Cup final before ultimately coming up short in extra-time.

After a goalless first half the flood gates opened in the second half where the lead changed hands three times before the ninety minutes ended three goals apiece. Man of the Match Steven Knox opened the scoring for Bannockburn one minute after the restart with Lewis Cameron levelling and Cammy Hill edging Saints ahead on the hour mark. 

Knox added the second of his hat-trick in the sixty fifth minute before Ryan Weir put Bannockburn ahead for the second time just two minutes later. Another composed finish from seventeen year old Cammy Hill took the tie into extra-time where Bannockburn's greater experience proved decisive. 

Substitute Darren Walker took full advantage of a free header from a corner kick to get the three time Scottish Amateur Cup winners noses in front again from where they didn't look back. Steven Knox completed his hat-trick to give the tiring Saints, who expended every ounce of energy they had, a mountain to climb and, after Lewis Cameron sent a penalty kick wide of target, David Grant rounded off the scoring from a counter attack in the dying minutes. 

Saints lined up with Graham Douglas in goal behind a back four of Jamie Graham, Steven MacLeod, Captain Dene Cassells and Scot Maitland. Co-Manager Willie Gemmell occupied the holding midfield role alongside Matty Kelly. Ahead of them were James Ford, Lewis Cameron and Craig MacEwan with Cammy Hill leading the line. On the bench were David Beaton, Daniel Croarkin, Dougal Graham, Ruaridh Horne and Matt Rippon.

Saints kicked off but it was Bannockburn who were first to threaten with lightning quick Scottish Amateur international Sean Heaver giving a fifth minute indication of the threat he would pose on the left by racing away from Jamie Graham onto a David Grant pass to fire a low shot into the side netting.

Two minutes later the roles were reversed when Heaver threaded a ball through for Grant who was put under just enough pressure by Dene Cassells to send his shot wide of the right hand post of Saints keeper Graham Douglas.

Saints got forward in the eighth minute with Matty Kelly's cross from the left being headed behind at the back post for a corner kick. Willie Gemmell's push in the back of Bannockburn defender meant Saints failed to capitalise on Lewis Cameron's delivery from the corner flag.

Graham Douglas saved from Sean Heaver whose pace once again took him away from Jamie Graham on the Bannockburn left just after Scott Maitland had made a good block to divert a David Grant shot wide of target.

Saints won back possession from a twenty third minute Bannockburn free-kick on the halfway line allowing Cammy Hill to pick out Craig MacEwan's run through the inside left channel. MacEwan cut inside onto his right foot and curled a decent effort from eighteen yards just wide of Bannockburn goalkeeper Adam Young's left hand post.

MacEwan was involved again two minutes later when he was felled just inside the Bannockburn box however Referee Ross Holms chose to ignore the loud Saints appeal for a penalty kick and waved play on.

Good work by Lewis Cameron opened up a shooting opportunity for Matthew Kelly who unfortunately failed to replicate his semi-final goal scoring heroics pulling his low right foot shot wide of Adam Young's right hand post.

Saints continued their good spell with James Ford making good ground on the right wing before laying the ball back to Jamie Graham to swing in a dangerous cross which Craig MacEwan headed on target but straight at Adam Young,

As the clock ticked down to the half time interval Saints survived a major scare when Steven Knox missed a glorious opportunity to open the scoring. Assistant Referee Josh Hay correctly kept his flag down for Sean Heaver's late run which left the Saints defence flat footed. Heaver's cross picked out the unmarked Knox who sliced his effort wide of target much to the relief of the large Saints contingent in the technical area and in the stands.

Having enjoyed a let-off at the end of the first half Saints weren't so fortunate moments after the start of the second forty five. Cammy Hill was robbed by Kenny McLellan on the halfway line as Saints looked to press forward. McLellan's quick through ball for Chris Ogilvie on the right wing turned the Saints defence with the Bannockburn wide man sending an inviting ball into the Saints box. Dene Cassells did well to get back but his attempted clearance landed at the feet of Steven Knox who took great delight in making up for his first half miss by tucking the ball past Graham Douglas from close range.

Saints responded with a Cammy Hill near post header into the side netting from a Lewis Cameron left wing corner.

An injudicious fiftieth minute Matty Kelly challenge on David Grant sent the big striker sprawling in the Saints box giving Mr Holms an easy decision to point to the penalty spot. Kenny McLellan sent Graham Douglas in the wrong direction but saw his spot kick come back of the upright.to save Kelly's blushes.

From a well defended Bannockburn corner kick Saints worked their way forward on the left in the fifty third minute. Cammy Hill and Matty Kelly were both involved before Scott Maitland sent Lewis Cameron in behind the Bannockburn defence with the outside of his left foot. Cameron had just the keeper to beat and passed the ball across Adam Young and into the bottom corner to bring Saints level.

Saints almost made it a quick fire double two minutes later when Adam Young stood tall at his front post making a good save to deny Cammy Hill from a narrow angle after the Saints youngster had  jinked his way along the bye-line.

Sean Heaver's pace on the left showed no sign of diminishing and he raced away again in the fifty sixth minute only to see his low shot saved by the outstretched left leg of Graham Douglas.

Saints took the lead on the hour mark after exploiting a mishit clearance from Bannockburn keeper Adam Young. Lewis Cameron's ball over the top looking for the run of Cammy Hill was met on the volley by Young five yards outside his box. Not making the contact he desired Young's attempted clearance fell kindly for James Ford who resisted the temptation to shoot instead slipping the ball to Cammy Hill. Showing maturity beyond his years Hill rounded keeper Young and, from the corner of the six yard box passed the ball into the far the far bottom corner.

Before play could restart Craig MacEwan, who was struggling with a back injury, made way for the fresh legs of David Beaton.

The Saints lead lasted barely five minutes as Bannockburn came roaring back with two goals in as many minutes. From a throw-in on the right David Grant used his strength to hold the ball up well and find strike partner Steven Knox who slotted a good finish past the despairing dive of Graham Douglas. Two minutes later danger man Heaver broke away on the left and found Grant on the penalty spot. The big striker stabbed a short pass to industrious midfielder Ryan Weir who capped a good performance with a comfortable finish from ten yards.

This was the cue for Bannockburn to make their first change with David O'Brien coming on to replace David Donaldson.

Saints looked for a quick response of their own with a Cammy Hill near post header from a short corner routine on the left which Adam Young gathered at the second attempt.

Now approaching veteran status Jamie Graham and Willie Gemmell, who had both put in good shifts against the pace of Sean Heaver and Ryan Weir respectively, made way for youngsters Ruaridh Horne and Daniel Croarkin.

Parity was restored in the seventy fourth minute when Cammy Hill produced another composed finish on the end of a perfectly weighted Lewis Cameron through ball calmly steering the past Adam Young's right hand and in off the base of the upright.

David Beaton and James Ford both had efforts off target before Matthew Kelly, who had run himself to a standstill, was replaced by Matt Rippon in the eighty second minute.

Darren Walker took the place of Ryan Weir in the Bannockburn midfield for the closing five minutes of the regulation ninety.

David Grant, in search of his fifty first goal of a sensational season, sent a good chance wide before Chris Ogilvie sliced a shot from the corner of the box well off target bringing to a close a pulsating ninety minutes of top quality amateur football.

The first period of extra time for Saints began in the same disappointing manner as the second half of normal time had when substitute Darren Walker was left unmarked at the back post to head a corner kick past the helpless Graham Douglas.

Bannockburn's Robbie Todd picked up the first yellow card of what was an easy match for Referee Ross Holms to handle in the seventh minute of extra-time before Sean Heaver set Steven Knox up with an opportunity to seal his hat-trick. Heaver once again put on the afterburners on the left and fired over a perfect cross for Knox whose powerful header from ten yards was sensationally pushed round his left hand post by Graham 'Sugar' Douglas.

Knox wasn't to be denied his hat-tick goal which came in the tenth minute when he peeled away from Dene Cassells to collect a pass from strike partner David Grant and fired high into the net past Sugar's left hand.

James Ford found his way into the Referee's notebook for a late challenge on Bannockburn Skipper Harry Bruce which appeared to be more as a result of tiredness rather than any real malice.

Kenny McLellan fired a shot from a short free-kick wide of target after Matt Rippon had been harshly penalised for a trip on the corner of the Saints box before Referee Holms ended the first fifteen minutes of extra-time.

Having clinched his man of the match award winning hat-trick goal Sean Heaver was afforded a rest for the final fifteen minutes of action when he was replaced by Declan Wood.

With their hopes of clinching the trophy disappearing fast Saints gave one last push but without the guile necessary to dent their opponent's well organised defence.

Matt Rippon made a good seventeenth minute run to reach a David Beaton right wing cross but, with the ball slightly behind him, failed to find the target with his header.

Saints were handed a possible lifeline in the seventeenth minute when Lewis Cameron was tripped in the Bannockburn box. The Saints leading goalscorer however couldn't take advantage and, with Adam Young guessing correctly, sent his penalty kick wide of the keeper's right hand post.

Both sides made their final changes with Mitchell Reid replacing Scott Taylor at the back for Bannockburn and Dougal Graham taking over from the exhausted Steven MacLeod for Saints.

Saints Skipper Dene Cassells was pushed forward for the closing stages and made a strong run into the Bannockburn box in the twentieth minute but couldn't escape the attentions of the Bannockburn defence and ended up losing possession and earned himself a caution for a late challenge born out of frustration.

Despite giving it everything they had there was no way back for Saints and they were picked off on the break when the fresh legs of substitute Declan Wood raced through on the left and squared to David Grant for a simple tap-in for his fifty first goal of the season and Bannockburn's sixth goal of another successful night for the Central Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division club.

Grant's strike rounded off the scoring and sealed a fifth West of Scotland Cup success for Bannockburn in this their fiftieth anniversary year. This latest West of Scotland Cup win joins the three Scottish Amateur Cups and numerous other domestic league trophies in an already well packed trophy cabinet which Bannockburn will look to add to in the closing weeks of their league campaign.

Despite the frustration of defeat Saints can be proud of their achievement in reaching their first ever major cup final and running one of the biggest names in Scottish amateur football extremely close in a terrific advert for the amateur game.

Saints will now turn their attention to domestic action where they still harbour hopes of a league and cup double to end their time in the Scottish Amateur Football League on a high before their summer move to the Central Scottish Amateur Football League. 

The Saints Management and players would like to extend grateful thanks to all those who sent good luck messages for the match and especially to the loyal band of supporters who made the journey to Hamilton. The club would also like to thank Hamilton Academical for being excellent hosts and the West of Scotland District Committee for their slick organisation of an enjoyable evening.

The match officials

Dene Cassells with mascots Jack Cassells and Donald Campbell

Oban Saints starting eleven plus mascots

Bannockburn starting eleven plus mascots

Robbie Todd

David Grant shoots wide under pressure from Dene Cassells

Scott Taylor heads wide

Craig MacEwan

Graham Douglas

Craig MacEwan curls a shot wide

James Ford and Chris Ogilvie

Steven Knox celebrates the opening goal

Cammy Hill puts Saints into a 2 - 1 lead

Cammy Hill celebrates his first goal

Jamie Graham and Sean Heaver

Sean Heaver

James Ford and Adam Young

Steven Knox nets his second goal

Ryan Weir makes it 3 - 2 to Bannockburn

Ryan Weir celebrates his goal

Cammy Hill brings Saints level at 3 - 3

Lewis Cameron and Matty Kelly congratulate Cammy Hill on his second goal

James Ford heads wide

Steven MacLeod, Matt Rippon and Chris Ogilvie

Daniel Croarkin and Scott Taylor

Daniel Croarkin

Steven MacLeod and Steven Knox

Adam Young

Darren Walker heads Bannockburn into a 4 - 3 lead

Steven Knox seals his hat-trick

Kenny McLellan shoots wide

Daniel Croarkin tries to get away from Kenny McLellan and Sean Heaver

Referee Ross Holms has a word with Dene Cassells

Steven Knox receives his Man of the Match award from West of Scotland District Match Secretary Jim Robert with some classic photo bombing from Scottish Amateur Football Association President Stuart Urquhart

Bannockburn Captain Harry Bruce receives the West of Scotland Cup

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