Winning In The Rain: Buchanan's Babes Shine at Matt Busby Complex

Saturday 28th September 2019
Blantyre RGM 2 - 5 Oban Saints
Central Scottish Amateur Football League
Division 1B
Sir Matt Busby Sports Complex
Main Street
Bellshill
ML4 3DP
Kick-off 2pm
Referee Mr. Douglas Gunning

Oban Saints bounced back from their West of Scotland Cup exit with a convincing Central Scottish Amateur Football League Division 1B away win against closest challengers Blantyre RGM in Bellshill last Saturday afternoon. At a sunny Sir Matt Busby Sports Complex a Lewis Cameron hat-trick and a goal each from James Ford and Donald Campbell gave Saints the points and the luxury of some valuable game time for babes Gavin Forgrieve and Aaron McKay.

With Co-Manager Willie Gemmell unavailable the double headache of Cammy Hill withdrawing from the travelling party at the eleventh hour and Kerr Newbigging failing a pre-match fitness test rested on the shoulders of Donald Campbell ably assisted by Coach Peter MacCallum and Secretary David Buchanan. Campbell promoted himself from the bench to take the number nine shirt and gave Matt Rippon the nod to partner Myles McAuley in midfield.

Also making a rare start, and producing a typically assured performance, was Thomas MacCulloch deputising in goal for the unavailable Graham Douglas.

Saints lined up with Thomas MacCulloch in goal behind a back four of David Beaton, Steven MacLeod, Captain Dene Cassells and Scott Maitland. Matt Rippon and Myles McAuley occupied the holding midfield roles with James Ford, Lewis Cameron and Craig MacEwan ahead and Donald Campbell leading the line.

On a youthful bench were Daniel Croarkin, Gavin Forgrieve and Aaron McKay.

Saints starting lineup:-

Used substitutes:-

Daniel Croarkin
Gavin Forgrieve
Aaron McKay

Blantyre RGM starting lineup:-

Used substitutes:-

Scott Black
Christopher Hill
Sam Kelly
Conor O'Donnelly
James Clark

Playing into the sun Saints made a bright start and took the lead after just four minutes. Captain Dene Cassells carried the ball out from the back and threaded a pass through for the run of Lewis Cameron. As the home defence appealed in vain for an offside decision from Referee Gunning Cameron rounded the advancing keeper and, from an acute angle, slotted the ball into the unguarded net to open the scoring.

Blantyre looked to hit back immediately and only a fine save from the legs of Thomas MacCulloch prevented Barry McLauchlan from levelling things up when he beat stand-in Saints fullback David Beaton to a long ball on the Blantyre left.

From the resulting corner kick MacCulloch showed no signs of rustiness after his long lay off springing to his right to push behind a Martin Kelly shot from the edge of the box. Barry McLauchlan probably couldn't believe his luck as the Saints defence switched off again allowing him to pick out Kelly from the corner flag for a second time in quick succession. This time however Kelly's effort from eighteen yards flew over the crossbar.

Lewis Cameron's fourteenth minute shot after cutting in from the left was deflected behind for a corner kick on the Saints right which Blantyre keeper Adam McKay did well to claw away under pressure from Dene Cassells. The home side then launched another quick counter-attack looking for the pace of Barry McLauchlan on the left however Matt Rippon read the situation well to get back and cut out the danger with a header back to goalkeeper MacCulloch.

Saints doubled their advantage on the quarter hour mark with a sweeping move from back to front. Myles McAuley's ball up to Donald Campbell was laid off perfectly for Lewis Cameron who held his run well before lifting over Adam McKay for his second goal of the afternoon.

The home side tried for the long ball over the top again in the nineteenth minute which left Saints central defensive pairing of Dene Cassells and Steven MacLeod frustrated at the lack off an offside award from the Referee. Mr Gunning, who handled proceedings well throughout, allowed Aidan Darcy to continue his run unchecked however Thomas MacCulloch was quickly off his line and thumped the ball clear ahead of the Blantyre centre forward.

Standing in for concussion victim Ruaridh Horne who faces six weeks on the sidelines, David Beaton might have hoped for a more gentle introduction to life as a fullback but Blantyre wide man Barry McLauchlan continued to give him a torrid time. McLauchlan got away from Beaton in the twenty second minute to send a dangerous ball into the box which the Saints defence could only clear as far as Martin Kelly on the edge of the box whose thumping right foot shot was headed behind by Steven MacLeod.

The hosts hit the crossbar in controversial circumstances in the twenty fourth minute. Before the Saints defence could set themselves for a free-kick just inside the Blantyre half Martin Kelly hit the dead ball from a good ten yards further forward which sailed over the head of Thomas MacCulloch before landing on top of the crossbar and bouncing behind for a goal kick.

Dene Cassells picked up the only caution of the afternoon for a late twenty eighth minute challenge on Aidan Darcy wide on the Blantyre right.

On the half hour mark Matt Rippon was unlucky to see a net bound shot from a Lewis Cameron lay-off cannon off a Blantyre defender and fly behind for a corner kick.

Craig MacEwan's perseverance won a thirty second minute throw-in on the left level with the penalty spot. Gathering in Scott Maitland's throw MacEwan carried the ball along the eighteen yard line and curled a right foot shot towards the top corner which Adam McKay acrobatically pushed behind. The Blantyre defence could only partly clear Scott Maitland's corner kick from the left with Lewis Cameron being felled just outside the box on the opposite corner. Cameron's free-kick hit the four man Blantyre wall but broke kindly for David Beaton who raced into the box and drew another excellent save from Adam McKay.

Saints kept the pressure on winning a corner kick on the right which Craig MacEwan was inches away from connecting with at the front post.

MacEwan was involved again in the thirty sixth minute making good ground on the left before picking out the supporting run of David Beaton who fired a low left foot shot just wide of Adam McKay's left hand post.

At the other end Saints survived a free-kick inside the D after Lewis Cameron was penalised for a trip on Kris Beggs. Aidan Darcy rolled the ball to Martin Kelly whose shot was blocked by the Saints wall with Kelly firing the rebound wide of target.

Donald Campbell passed up the chance to tee up Lewis Cameron for his hat-trick when the pair were clean through in the forty second minute. Campbell elected to go for goal himself but sent a tame effort looping into the grateful arms of the Blantyre keeper.

The second half was only thirty seconds old when Saints further stretched their advantage. Myles McAuley and Donald Campbell combined well to send James Ford through one-on-one with Adam McKay with the Saints man keeping his nerve to slot the ball past the hopelessly exposed keeper for Saints third goal.

Blantyre freshened things up with the introduction of Christopher Hill and Scott Black who would go on to make a significant contribution to the afternoon's events.

Thomas McCulloch showed safe hands to hold a David Rance shot before opposite number Adam McKay opted for a spectacular diving punch to clear a dangerous Scott Maitland fifty second minute left wing cross.

McKay repeated the feat ninety seconds later to take a Donald Campbell cross off the head of Craig MacEwan steaming in at the front post.

Lewis Cameron completed his hat-trick in the fifty seventh minute with Donald Campbell making it a hat-trick of assists. After a strong run on the left Scott Maitland picked out Donald Campbell on the edge of the box who in turn laid the ball off perfectly for Lewis Cameron to run in goal number four.

The hosts made a second double substitution sending on Sam Kelly and James Clark and reduced the deficit on the hour mark. Myles McAuley was penalised on the edge of the Saints box for a hotly disputed accidental handball. The Saints defensive wall stood up well to block the initial effort however the follow up effort found it's way through to Scott Black who side footed past Thomas MacCulloch.

Craig MacEwan wanted a little too much time to measure his finish after a good move up the left wing by Scott Maitland and Lewis Cameron set him up ten yards out only for James Clark to make a vital block.

Lewis Cameron almost bagged a fourth goal when he charged down an Adam McKay clearance but was unable to find the net from a tight angle with the relieved keeper getting back to gather safely on his goal-line.

Matt Rippon's good shift in the middle of the park came to an end when he was replaced by teenager Gavin Forgrieve in the sixty seventh minute.

With twenty minutes remaining on the clock Donald Campbell rounded off an excellent all round performance with a measured finish into the bottom corner from eighteen yards out after more good work on the left from Craig MacEwan and Lewis Cameron.

Before the restart Saints introduced another youngster when Aaron McKay replaced James Ford wide on the right.

Shortly afterwards Saints made their final change when Lewis Cameron took a well earned rest to give Daniel Croarkin his first run out after a five week lay off.

2018-19 John Smith's Trophy winners Blantyre kept plugging away and got their rewardin the seventy sixth minute when Scott Black notched his second goal of the afternoon with a peach of a volleyed finish. Black showed excellent technique to connect with a spinning ball which he sent flying past Thomas MacCulloch after a long free-kick had come off a Saints head on the eighteen yard line.

Blantyre keeper Adam McKay ensured the scoring ended there when he got down well to his left to turn a net bound eightieth minute Donald Campbell shot round his left hand post.

Chances were at a premium as the defences took control for the closing stages with the major positives for Saints being the performance of youngsters Forgrieve and McKay in considerably more experienced company and a first full ninety minutes of the season for Donald Campbell.

Referee Gunning brought the action to an end after three added minutes extending Saints winning start to the league season to seven games and extending their lead at the top of the Central Scottish Amateur Football League Division 1B table to eight points.