Winning In The Rain: Golden Green

The Scottish Amateur Football League Jimmy Marshall Trophy

Tuesday 21st May 2019
Scottish Amateur Football League Jimmy Marshall Trophy
Semi-final
Goldenhill v Oban Saints

Glasgow Green Football Centre
28 King's Drive

Glasgow
G40 1HB

Kick Off 8.00pm
Referee Mr Decio Espinha
Assistant Mr Derek Milton
Assistant Mr Jamie Andrews

Oban Saints bid for a second cup final appearance of the season faces a thorough examination at Glasgow Green Football Centre on Tuesday 21st May. Saints opponents for the Scottish Amateur Football League Jimmy Marshall Trophy semi-final are last season's Scottish Amateur Cup runners-up Goldenhill who despite not quite reaching the dizzy heights of their sensational 2017 - 18 season will still be formidable opponents.

Last season's 100% league record was always going to be a tall order for the Clydebank men to replicate and a home reverse against Saints at the beginning of March plus home and away defeats at the hands of arch rivals St Joseph's FP has seen the Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division title slip from their grasp.

The Centenary Cup, won in such convincing style in Goldenhill's most successful season in their forty eight year history, was also prised away in a surprise semi-final defeat against Kings Park Rangers leaving the Jimmy Marshall Trophy as the club's only chance of silverware this season.

After edging out Premier Division Two Duncanrig FP by the odd goal in five at home in the first round Goldenhill crossed the Erskine Bridge to face Paisley in the second round. The Buddies were no match for their opponents from the other side of the Clyde and Goldenhill ran out comfortable 7 - 2 winners.

The Gowdie were back on home soil for the quarter-final with Premier Division Two once again providing the opposition. Port Glasgow OBU made the journey up from the tail o' the bank. Unfortunately for the Old Boy's Union their anchor failed to hold and Goldenhill marched into the semi-finals with a resounding 6 - 1 victory which included a four goal haul for recent signing from Beith Juniors Ross McPherson.

Goldenhill Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division Champions 2017-18

Saints route to the semi-final

1st Round
Saturday 26th January 2019
Lochgilphead Red Star 0 - 2 Oban Saints

Saints journey to their sixth Jimmy Marshall Trophy semi-final appearance in seven seasons began with an Argyll Derby against Lochgilphead Red Star. The Lochgilphead men had knocked Saints out at the first round stage last season after a penalty shoot-out on a rain soaked night at Oban High School however there was to be no repeat of that drama at Lochgilphead Joint Campus.

After a goalless first half strikes from Donald Campbell and Fraser MacFarlane finally broke Red Star's stubborn resistance and saw Saints comfortably through to the second round and a home tie against Port Glasgow.

The Saints pressure eventually told when Ben Forbes, who had a good game at the centre of the Star defence, made his only mistake of the afternoon and sent Matthew Kelly sprawling in the box with a mistimed tackle from behind. Donald Campbell made no mistake from the spot sending the keeper in the wrong direction and giving Saints the lead which their second half endeavour deserved.

With thirteen minutes remaining Saints introduced Aaron McKay at the expense of David Beaton and the youngster was quickly involved linking up well with Donald Campbell who curled a delightful left foot effort inches wide of the junction of post and bar with Kalache rooted to the spot.

The big keeper was equally deceived by Fraser MacFarlane's low eighty third minute snap shot from twenty two yards which nestled in the bottom corner to seal victory for Saints.

This proved to be MacFarlane's last involvement as he and Dougal Graham, who produced a solid performance alongside Skipper Dene Cassells at the heart of the defence, were withdrawn to give Kenneth Black and debutant Keir MacLean a brief run out. MacLean took on the centre forward's mantle while Black joined the defence which continued to protect Graham Douglas to such an extent that the Saints number one didn't have a single save to make all afternoon.

Ryan Caskie hooks back with James Ford in close attendance

Fraser MacFarlane and James McGuiness

Scott Maitland

Luke Kalache blocks James Ford's effort

Ben Forbes

Dougal Graham and Stuart McLean

Luke Kalache

James Ford beats Ryan Caskie in the air

David Beaton can't get enough on his sliding effort to trouble Luke Kalache

Luke Kalache throws up a strong left hand to deny Craig MacEwan

Dene Cassells heads wide

Saints youthful substitutes bench

Craig MacEwan and Red Star Player/Manager Luke Naisby

Ruaridh Horne and Connor Crawford

Ruaridh Horne and Red Star teenager Neily Russell

Donald Campbell gives Saints the lead from the penalty spot

Aaron McKay

Fraser MacFarlane enjoys his goal against his former club

Fraser MacFarlane is congratulated on his goal

Keir MacLean making his competitive Saints debut

Second Round
Saturday 6th April 2019
Oban Saints 2 - 1 Port Glasgow

An experimental Oban Saints side containing five teenagers was forced to dig deep to book their place in the third round draw. Going into the match opponents Port Glasgow were top of Premier Division One and among the favourites to win promotion to next season's Premier Division therefore the Saints starting eleven was met with some surprise by the home faithful.

After being second best for the first forty five minutes Saints turned things around in the second half and, despite failing to impress, did just enough to maintain their interest in the Scottish Amateur Football League's premier cup competition.

The visitors took a deserved lead after twenty minutes when Paul Millar got in behind the static Saints defence and squared to Jamie McKay for a simple tap-in from seven yards.

Michael Hepburn curled a twenty second minute free-kick from the left wide of the junction of post and bar as the hard working visitors, who were first to every second ball, continued to hold the upper hand.

Rarely seen as an attacking force Saints mustered just their second attempt of a poor first half performance just before the half-time interval. Willie Gemmell sent a long diagonal free-kick into the Port box which Dougal Graham took down well setting up Keir MacLean for a strike on goal which the young striker unfortunately couldn't direct on target.

There was strong words from Co-Managers Donald Campbell and Willie Gemmell at the half-time team talk who promised wholesale second half changes if a marked improvement wasn't quickly forthcoming.

Port Glasgow looked to continue their domination and made a good start to the second half with Jamie McKay drawing an early save from Graham Douglas and an unmarked Michael Hepburn sending a shot from the edge of the box wide after a Dougal Graham clearing header.

The promised changes came after just five second half minutes when Donald Campbell, Daniel Croarkin, Cammy Hill and Matty Kelly came on to replace Kenneth Black, Fraser MacFarlane, Aaron McKay and Keir MacLean. Only James Ford remained on the bench as it was decided not to risk aggravating his niggling ankle injury.

Saints drew level in the sixty fifth minute when, after good work on the left, a Donald Campbell shot eluded the grasp of Stephen Kangley and was turned into his own net by the unfortunate Robert Payne when attempting the clear the ball off the goal line.

The home side at last had the bit between their teeth and had the visitors camped in their own penalty box with a succession of corner kicks which the Port defence did well to repel. Eventually the Saints pressure told and, from a sixty eighth minute throw-in on the left, Donald Campbell sent a cross into the box which David Beaton at the front post flicked on to Cammy Hill steaming in at the back post to crash a header beyond the helpless Stephen Kangley and give Saints the lead.

Saints had a chance to make the tie safe in the ninety fifth minute when Cammy Hill raced through on the right on the end of a Donald Campbell pass but sent his low cross too far in front of the supporting Matty Kelly.

With the crowd beginning to wonder if Mr Litster had forgotten to put his watch forward last Sunday he eventually blew for full time on the ninety six minute mark after correctly ruling two Port players offside chasing a ball over the top from Michael Hepburn.

Team Captains Steven MacLeod and Thomas Wilson with Referee Jimmy Litster

Fraser MacFarlane and Paul Millar

Steven MacLeod and Ciaran Murray

Kenneth Black

Graham Douglas saves from Paul Millar

Stephen Kangley

Dougal Graham

Keir MacLean and Kyle McGuigan

Sean McLaughlin and Paul Millar

Aaron McKay

Kenneth Black heads clear

Michael Hepburn and Jamie McKay

Thomas Wilson clears ahead of Kenneth Black

Graham Douglas saves from Jamie McKay

Aaron McKay and Sean McLaughlin

Willie Gemmell and Robert Payne

Michael Hepburn

Willie Gemmell and Peter McNeil

Donald Campbell and Robert Payne

Willie Gemmell and Ciaran Murray

Matt Rippon

Stephen Kangley slides out to deny Daniel Croarkin

Ruaridh Horne

Cammy Hill shoots wide

Matt Rippon congratulates Donald Campbell on his part in the equaliser

Cammy Hill heads Saints into the lead

Cammy Hill wheels away in celebration

Matt Rippon and Sean Kelly

Daniel Croarkin and John McGachy tangle

Matty Kelly

Graham Douglas

Ruaridh Horne and John McGachy

Quarter-Final
Saturday 20th April 2019
Motherwell Thistle 1 - 5 Oban Saints

Saints kept their hopes of ending their time in the Scottish Amateur Football League with a Jimmy Marshall Trophy final appearance alive with a comfortable quarter-final win over Motherwell Thistle at a sunny Ravenscraig Regional Sports Facility.

After David Beaton had opened the scoring midway through the first half a brace from Craig MacEwan, and one successfully converted free-kick a-piece from Willie Gemmell and Skipper for the day Lewis Cameron eased Saints through to a semi-final date with Goldenhill.

After several failed attempts Saints finally found the killer pass necessary to open up the Thistle defence when Willie Gemmell won the ball in the centre circle and threaded the ball through for David Beaton to run onto. Beaton's pace took him away from Scott Watson and James Gibbons and his well struck right foot finish from sixteen yards beat Nathan Wharton low to his left to give Saints a twenty fifth minute lead.

Hesitancy in the Saints defence however ensured the lead lasted less than sixty seconds as the hots countered straight from the restart. Mark Begg was allowed time on the edge of the box to pick out the run of Mark McGinty who sent a low shot across Graham Douglas and into the bottom corner of the net to restore parity.

Saints regained the lead in the twenty ninth minute when Lewis Cameron's trickery on the right took him to the bye-line from where he sent an inviting ball into the six yard box. Craig MacEwan met Cameron's cross but was denied by a fine reflex save from Nathan Wharton. Unfortunately for the Thistle keeper luck was not on his side when his parried save fell at the feet of MacEwan who slammed the ball high into the net from close range.

After a quiet start to the second half Saints eventually clicked into gear in the fifty fifth minute. Cammy Hill's quick feet took him away from his marker to slip the ball through for Lewis Cameron. Cameron was felled twenty five yards out and slightly left of centre by James Gibbons earning Saints a free-kick in perfect Willie Gemmell territory. After coming close on a couple of recent occasions Gemmell's eye was now firmly in and he placed a perfect effort over the Thistle wall and into the postage stamp corner giving Nathan Wharton absolutely no chance.

More good work on the left by Cammy Hill turned the Thistle defence in the sixty seventh minute and created an opening for Fraser MacFarlane. Scott Watson tugged back MacFarlane, just outside the box in Mr Cairney's opinion, an indiscretion which earned the Thistle fullback a yellow card. Lewis Cameron resumed the free-kick mantle and continued where Willie Gemmell left off by slamming the ball into the bottom corner past the right hand of Nathan Wharton for Saints fourth goal.

David Beaton's pace remained a constant threat on the right and the wide man raced away from Stuart Hunter in the eighty second minute to send a low cut-back into the box which Craig MacEwan got in front of David Collins to smash high into the net and round off the scoring.