Winning In The Rain: Pink Evergreens

Saturday 27th July 2019
Preseason Friendly
Oban Saints v Shortlees

Glencruitten 1

Glencruitten Drive

Oban

Argyll

PA34 4EB

Kick Off 2.00pm
Referee Mr Anthony McCann

Due to Port Glasgow United's withdrawal several week's ago, and the lack of available replacement opposition, Oban Saints Management duo of Donald Campbell and Willie Gemmell were forced to arrange a full scale practice match last Saturday morning to keep their preseason plans on track.

With a number of first team squad members unavailable Elliot Dougall, youngster Sol Smith and evergreens Alex Craik and Ross Maitland were drafted in at short notice to ensure a full compliment for both the pink and yellow bibs in a 9.00 a.m. kick off at Glencruitten.

There was less than sixty seconds on Referee Peter MacCallum's watch when James Ford opened the scoring for the yellows catching the pink's back four cold before slotting past a helpless Graham Douglas.

Douglas saved with his legs to deny Dean Smith from a James Ford lay-off before the pinks restored parity in the twenty first minute. Captain Dene Cassells was left cursing the lack of an offside call from Referee MacCallum as Aaron McKay raced through and gave Ben Pollock no chance with a composed finish.

Evergreens Ross Maitland and Alex Craik combined to good effect in the twenty seventh minute when Craik beat Dene Cassells in the air to glance a Ross Maitland left wing cross beyond Ben Pollock and edge the pinks ahead.

Maitland turned from provider to scorer to extend the pink's lead twenty minutes into the second period. Aaron McKay, who covered every blade of grass in an industrious display in midfield beat opposite number Gavin Forgrieve in the air to head an under-hit Ben Pollock clearance into the path of Maitland who sent a thumping right foot finish across Pollock and into the far corner of the net.

The yellows enjoyed the majority of the second half possession but failed to pose any real threat to the Pink's defence which was well marshalled by the experienced head of Alex Craik.

The scoring was rounded off in the eighty sixth minute when Keir MacLean prodded home a Scott Maitland cross from the left after a swift counter attack.

Kerr Newbigging and Elliot Dougall

Alex Craik celebrates his goal

Sol Smith

Ross Maitland

James Ford and Scott Maitland

Dene Cassells, Craig MacEwan, Elliot Dougall and Alex Craik keep their eyes on the ball

Myles MacAuley and Keir MacLean

Aaron McKay beats Gavin Forgrieve in the air to set up Ross Maitland's goal

Gavin Forgrieve lets fly

Matty Kelly and Dene Cassells

The D&K Lafferty Cup aside, Saints last played a home fixture on 6th April and the action starved home faithful will be rewarded in style for their forbearance this Saturday when 2018 Scottish Amateur Cup winners Shortlees visit Glencruitten.

The Kilmarnock men have been at the top of the amateur game in recent years collecting both the Scottish and the West of Scotland cups in a glorious spell which also saw them end perennial league champions Hurlford Thistle's domination of the Ayrshire amateur football scene. A thrilling 2017-18 Ayrshire Amateur Football Association Premier League battle saw the two great rivals trade blows throughout the season before finishing level on forty nine points. The Lees' superior goal difference was however enough to finally dethrone reining champions Thistle and take the league trophy back to Shortlees.

Saints and Shortlees are no strangers and have gone toe to toe in some classic cup ties over the years. In 2013 at their intimidating Burnpark home ground in front of a huge crowd the Ayrshire men required extra-time to see off Saints in a West of Scotland Cup fourth round tie.

Almost exactly three years later Shortlees brought their vociferous support to Glencruitten for a Scottish Amateur Cup quarter-final tie which will linger long in the memory's of the Glencruitten faithful. By now very much at the top of their game Shortlees were a force to be reckoned with however Saints, who had already taken the scalps of Postal United, Craigshill Thistle, Stirling City and Doune Castle, were also in excellent form.

A trade mark Willie Gemmell free-kick gave Saints a thirty eighth minute lead which the visitors cancelled out just after the hour mark. After being felled in the box by a rash tackle from second half substitute Myles McAuley, Shortlees danger man Keir Knapp dusted himself down and slotted the penalty kick underneath the despairing dive of Thomas McCulloch to bring the visitors level. The much fancied visitors pushed hard for a winner however the Saints defence remained firm setting up Donald Campbell for a deadly eighty eighth minute counter attack. After leaving the Shortlees defence trailing in his wake Campbell calmly tee'd up Allan Mackay to slot home what turned out to be the winning goal sending Saints through to a semi-final meeting with Leven United.

With Burnpark out of action the 2018 West of Scotland sixth round tie between the two went ahead on the all weather surface at Grange Academy. An eighty ninth minute wonder goal from amateur football sensation Keir Knapp finally killed off a spirited performance from a depleted Saints side who continued to punch above their weight throughout a season of adversity. Perfectly placed set-piece strikes from Willie Gemmell twice brought Saints level after firstly a Richard Mullen header and then a deflected John Muir cross had edged the hosts ahead. There was, however, to be no repeat of the extra-time drama of five years earlier as Owen Quigley was left unattended in the six yard box to head home a Keir Knapp free-kick before Knapp himself struck the final blow with a swashbuckling run and finish late in the proceedings.

The most recent encounter came just four months ago at the neutral venue of New Douglas Park home of Hamilton Academical where, after fifty plus years of trying, Saints finally reached the final of one of the major cup competitions with a 2 - 1 victory over Shortlees. The West of Scotland Cup semi-final played in bright sunshine in front of a healthy crowd was an evenly contested affair which Saints just edged by the odd goal in three. Keeping up his record of scoring in every match against Saints, Keir Knapp gave Shortlees the lead direct from the corner flag early in a first half which the then reigning Ayrshire Amateur Football Association Premier League Champions enjoyed the better of. Saints however recovered and drew level through a thirty eighth minute Matty Kelly strike before suffering a major blow with the loss to injury of Donald Campbell on the stroke of half-time. Saints gave a far better account of themselves in the second half and a towering sixty fourth minute header from Captain Dene Cassells from a Willie Gemmell free-kick sealed the win and booked a return to Hamilton for the final against four time competition winners Bannockburn on Friday 3rd May.

Saturday's friendly encounter at Glencruitten 1 will provide a good test for both sides as they continue the build-up to the start of the new season which kicks off on the 10th of August and also presents an opportunity to renew some old acquaintances. Another familiar face on show will be match Referee Tony McCann who took charge of the West of Scotland cup sixth round tie in Kilmarnock in 2018 and was the fourth official for the semi-final of the same competition in April of this year.

Previous encounters:-

23rd March 2013 West of Scotland Cup 4th Round
Shortlees 2 - 2 Oban Saints (Shortlees win 4 - 2 after extra-time)

19th March 2016 Scottish Amateur Cup Quarter Final
Oban Saints 2 - 1 Shortlees

17th February 2018 West of Scotland Cup 6th Round
Shortlees 4 - 2 Oban Saints

13th April 2019 West of Scotland Cup Semi Final
Oban Saints 2 - 1 Shortlees