Winning In The Rain: On We Gow

Saturday 17th August 2019
Central Scottish Amateur Football League
Division 1B
Oban Saints 2 - 1 Lesmahagow

Glencruitten 2

Mossfield Avenue

Oban

Argyll

PA34 4EH

Kick Off 2.00pm
Referee Mr John Quinn

Goals early in each half gave Oban Saints the edge over visitors Lesmahagow when the D&K Lafferty Contractors sponsored side made their first home appearance of the season at Glencruitten last Saturday.

In an evenly contested Central Scottish Amateur Football League Division 1B encounter strikes from David Beaton and Lewis Cameron had Saints two goals to the good before a fifty ninth minute reply from James McGill set up a nervy closing third of the match for the Glencruitten faithful who were relieved to see their favourites cling on to claim the points.

Saints made two changes to the squad which had defeated Craigneuk seven days earlier adding James Ford and Cammy Hill at the expense of Martin Bonar and Willie Gemmell.

Lining up in goal behind an unchanged back four of Ruaridh Horne, Paul Carmichael, Captain Dene Cassells and Scott Maitland was Saints number one Graham Douglas. Myles McAuley and Matthew Kelly retained the holding midfield roles behind the further advanced three of David Beaton, Lewis Cameron and Craig MacEwan. In the only change to the previous week's starting eleven Cammy Hill was handed the number nine shirt in preference to Dean Smith who dropped to the bench. Keeping Smith company on the bench were Daniel Croarkin, James Ford, Aaron McKay and Kerr Newbigging.

Used substitutes:-
Daniel Croarkin
James Ford
Kerr Newbigging
Dean Smith

Unused substitute:-
Aaron McKay

Saints kicked off attacking the railway line end and were immediately on the attack with Lewis Cameron forcing a corner kick on the Saints left. Captain Dene Cassells climbed highest to meet Cameron's delivery on the six yard line but his glancing header flew wide of target.

Getting the first glimpse of their favourites in competitive action since 6th April the Glencruitten faithful didn't have too long to wait to savour the first home goal of the season when David Beaton's second minute diagonal run from the left was expertly picked out by Craig MacEwan. Beaton held off the attentions of Dean McLean and, with the outside of his right boot, lifted the ball over the advancing keeper Christopher Shaw and into the net to give Saints an early lead.

Beaton and Shaw were in direct opposition again two minutes later when Beaton collected a Matty Kelly pass and fired off a shot from sixteen yards which Shaw did well to push behind for a corner kick. Lewis Cameron again sent in a good delivery which Paul Carmichael at the back post sent crashing over the crossbar.

On the quarter hour mark Saints Skipper Dene Cassells headed out a long ball out from the Lesmahagow defence giving opposite number Johnny Logan a chance to wind up his prodigious long throw. The Saints defence coped well with the danger and launched a swift counter attack up the left wing from where Craig MacEwan's diving header on the end of a Scott Maitland cross was well held by Christopher Shaw diving low to his left.

Two minutes later Saints good start was almost undone from another long throw-in. Central defender Darren Smith demonstrated that Johnny Logan doesn't have the monopoly on the long throws and launched a looping delivery from the left deep into the Saints box. Shaun Malone's run wasn't tracked and his free header bounced back off the far post before being thumped clear by Scott Maitland.

Referee John Quinn controversially denied Saints what appeared to be a clear eighteenth minute penalty kick when Lewis Cameron was tripped inside the Lesmahagow box. To the bemusement of all, instead of pointing to the penalty spot, Mr Quinn gave the decision in favour of the visitors and cautioned Cameron for simulation.

The visitors were becoming more of a force in the game and Graham Douglas in the Saints goal did well to push a fierce James McCrorie left foot strike behind for a twenty first minute corner kick. The Saints defence struggled to get Johnny Logan's delivery from the right fully cleared and were relieved to see McCrorie's dangerous ball across the six yard box fizz behind with no takers.

Craig MacEwan sent a low shot wide of target in the twenty sixth minute before being denied a further shooting opportunity sixty seconds later. Returning to the Gow after a brief spell in the junior ranks with Cumbernauld United former club Captain Robbie Kilpatrick made a perfectly timed sliding interception in his own penalty box to prevent MacEwan from testing Christopher Shaw.

For the second time in the match Referee Quinn left the Saints Management team of Donald Campbell and Willie Gemmell perplexed at the lack of a penalty kick award after David Beaton received a blatant shove in the back in the twenty eighth minute.

Mr Quinn gave the benefit of a tight thirty second minute offside decision to the visitors when Shaun Malone raced onto a long ball over the top however Myles McAuley, who had a good afternoon patrolling in front of the back four, was alive to the situation and got back to snuff out the danger.

Lewis Cameron and Cammy Hill combined well on the right wing for Cameron to send a cutback fractionally behind the supporting run of Matty Kelly who dragged his shot high and wide of target before Cameron sent another effort over the Gow crossbar after a good turn on the edge of the box.

The visitors were forced into an early change when Shaun Malone limped off seven minutes before the interval to be replaced by Kieran Laing.

Lesmahagow hit the woodwork for the second time just before the half time whistle when the unmarked James McCrorie headed a James McGill cross onto the inside of Graham Douglas' left hand post and back into the arms of the grateful keeper.

Saints started the second half in the same fashion as the first with a goal after two minutes. A quick release of the ball from Graham Douglas after he had safely gathered a Darren Smith long throw sent Cammy Hill away on the left only for the young striker to be upended midway inside opposition territory by Gow fullback Gordon Hamilton. Lewis Cameron's free-kick rolled up to the edge of the box was taken towards the byeline by Craig MacEwan. There was no way through for MacEwan but his lay-off to David Beaton was cut back to Lewis Cameron on the edge of the box whose low shot through a sea of legs deceived Christopher Shaw and nestled in the bottom corner.

Referee Quinn allowed a suspiciously offside James McGinn to continue his fifty ninth minute run on the right with Dene Cassells eventually getting back to concede a corner kick. From Johnny Logan's delivery the Saints defence left McGinn and Robbie Kilpatrick completely unmarked at the back post and were punished accordingly when Kilpatrick took the ball down for McGinn to poke the ball home from five yards out.

Saints responded with a David Beaton shot from the corner of the box which warmed the palms of Christopher Shaw before the Gow keeper pulled off an excellent save from Lewis Cameron. After being felled twenty four yards out Cameron picked himself up and sent a dipping effort up and over the four man wall which Shaw, at full stretch, finger tipped over the crossbar.

Cameron kept the pressure on the Gow defence with a succession of corner kicks which finally came to an end when Paul Carmichael headed wide of target at the back post.

Saints made a double substitution in the sixty sixth minute sending on James Ford and Dean Smith as direct replacements for David Beaton and Cammy Hill.

The game, which for the most part had been played in a competitive but fair spirit, erupted momentarily in the eightieth minute however Mr Quinn very quickly restored order and once the dust had settled issued yellow cards to team Captains Dene Cassells and Johnny Logan.

Saints made further changes replacing Matty Kelly with the fresh legs of Daniel Croarkin and withdrawing Lewis Cameron in favour of the added aerial presence of Kerr Newbigging.

Lesmahagow also made a change for the final five minutes taking off goal scorer James McGinn and replacing him with Derrin Mackenzie.

The visitors stepped up their aerial bombardment for the closing stages but the Saints rearguard stood firm under pressure protecting keeper Graham Douglas well.

Saints had one final chance to take the pressure off the hard worked defence with an eighty eighth minute breakaway on the left. Craig MacEwan raced into the box and, after rounding Christopher Shaw, saw his effort from a tight angle cleared off the line by Robbie Kilpatrick.

Dean Smith picked up a ninety first minute yellow card for a badly mistimed tackle on the halfway line giving the visitors another chance to lump the ball into the Saints box. Once again it was a Saints head meeting the ball and the danger was safely repelled.

Mr Quinn brought proceedings to a close after three added minutes confirming back to back league wins for Saints and a place among the early Division 1B pacesetters alongside Clydebank and Blantyre RGM.

Saints are at home again this coming Saturday when they welcome Clydebank to Oban on Central Scottish Amateur Football League Division 1B business. Kick off at Glencruitten is at 2pm with Mr Tom Cavanagh in charge.