With Oban Saints currently enjoying a four week festive break Winning In The Rain takes a look back at the season so far beginning with the first six league fixtures:-
Saturday 10th August 2019
Central Scottish Amateur Football League
Division 1B
Craigneuk 0 - 1 Oban Saints
After a disastrous preseason where every friendly match had to be cancelled due to their scheduled opponents having to withdraw Oban Saints made their eagerly awaited Central Scottish Amateur Football League debut on 10th August.
At a sun kissed Dalziel Park, Motherwell several spurned opportunities and a red card left Saints clinging on desperately to record a Division 1B opening day victory against Craigneuk.
Craig MacEwan bagged the honour of scoring Saints first goal in their new league set-up while Paul Carmichael has the slightly less prestigious distinction of picking up the first red card in a tight Division 1B encounter with Craigneuk.
Co-Manager Donald Campbell was on holiday leaving other half Willie Gemmell in sole charge for the club's first competitive outing of the season. Already without injured the James Ford suspended Steven MacLeod, Gemmell was dealt a further blow when work commitments forced Cammy Hill to withdraw from the travelling party on the eve of the match.
Saints got their noses in front five minutes before the interval from a free-kick on the edge of the Craigneuk box after a promising Matthew Kelly run had been brought to a premature end by Greig Williams. The home defence couldn't deal with Lewis Cameron's delivery and Craig MacEwan pounced on the loose ball to open Saints Central Scottish Amateur Football League account.
Craigneuk keeper Semrua produced an incredible eightieth minute triple save to keep his side in contention. After pushing out a Lewis Cameron shot from twenty yards Semrua was quickly back on his feet to deny firstly Matty Kelly and then Dean Smith on the rebound much to the disbelief of the Saints bench.
Saints continued to look the more likely to add to the scoring at this stage and Lewis Cameron's eighty first minute free-kick was helped on agonisingly wide of Semura's right hand post by the left boot of Craig MacEwan.
A straight ball over the top saw Taylor Lawrence winning the foot race with Carmichael and, with Graham Douglas well off his line, the big centre half elected to tug back the Craigneuk striker giving Mr Murdoch an easy decision to make.
As Craigneuk tried to capitalise on their numerical advantage Greig Williams was left unmarked at the back post and the Saints defence were relieved to see the big fullback's header from a right wing corner kick hit Dean Murdoch and deflect wide of target.
The Saints defence, well marshalled throughout by Skipper Dene Cassells, survived what remained of the Craigneuk onslaught to get their Central Scottish Amateur Football League Division 1B campaign off to a hard fought winning start.
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| Craig MacEwan nets the only goal of the game |
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| Dean Smith congratulates goal scorer Craig MacEwan |
Saturday 17th August 2019
Central Scottish Amateur Football League
Division 1B
Oban Saints 2 - 1 Lesmahagow
Goals early in each half gave Oban Saints the edge over visitors Lesmahagow when the D&K Lafferty Contractors sponsored side made their first competitive home appearance since a Scottish Amateur Football League Jimmy Marshall Trophy second round win over Port Glasgow on 6th April.
In an evenly contested 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.
Getting the first glimpse of their favourites in Central Scottish Amateur Football League action 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.
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.
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 John 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.
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.
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| David Beaton is congratulated on his opening goal |
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| The Saints players celebrate Lewis Cameron's goal |
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| James McGill pulls one back for the visitors |
Saturday 24th August 2019
Central Scottish Amateur Football League
Division 1B
Oban Saints 9 - 0 ClydebankAFC
After labouring somewhat in their first two Central Scottish Amateur Football League Division 1B fixtures Oban Saints finally clicked into gear against Clydebank AFC at Glencruitten.
Keeping up a high tempo from the first whistle Saints gave their goal difference a substantial boost rattling in nine goals without reply in a polished all round performance which kept the Glencruitten faithful richly entertained throughout the ninety minutes.
Already without the unavailable Myles McAuley, Saints Management duo of Donald Campbell and Willie Gemmell were dealt a further blow when Dean Smith was forced to withdraw from the squad at the eleventh hour.
The late changes meant places on the substitutes bench for both Co-managers alongside Daniel Croarkin, James Ford and Ross Maitland.
The early Saints pressure eventually paid off when Lewis Cameron slipped Cammy Hill through on goal with the big striker side footing a low finish into the net past the advancing Andrew Cameron.
After hooking a twenty yard effort over the crossbar, David Beaton doubled Saints advantage in the fourteenth minute reacting quickly to tuck away the loose ball after a Craig MacEwan shot had been blocked by Darren Murray.
Cammy Hill outpaced the Bankies defence to reach a twenty second minute Kerr Newbigging flick-on and take Saints goal tally to three. Hill kept his composure to round the exposed Andrew Cameron before tapping home a composed left foot finish from close range.
A mistimed Ian Huggan sliding challenge on Cammy Hill inside the Bankies box gave Referee Tom Cavanagh an easy decision to make in awarding Saints a thirty eighth minute penalty kick. Andrew Cameron got down well to his left to push away Lewis Cameron's spot kick and was quickly up on his feet to save Cameron's second effort on the rebound and complete an excellent double save.
A forty second minute driving run through the inside left channel from Craig MacEwan had the Bankies defence on the back foot. MacEwan's pass inside found Cammy Hill who in turn picked out Lewis Cameron for a shot on goal. Cameron's effort was blocked and sent wide of target however Matty Kelly kept the move alive and cut the ball back from the left for Craig MacEwan to lift over Andrew Cameron for Saints fourth goal.
Kieran McLeod had a chance to utilise his long throw after David Beaton had stood up well to block McLeod's attempted cross from the left. Graham Douglas was able to safely gather the long throw into the six yard box before launching a swift Saints counter attack on the right. Ruaridh Horne's run had the Bankie's defence backpedalling and his cross to the back post picked out Craig MacEwan. MacEwan's Bergkampesque exquisite first touch to control Horne's cross took him away from the advancing Andrew Cameron and opened up the space for him to roll the ball into the empty net for a wonderful goal that will linger long in the memories of the Glencruitten faithful.
Despite Saints domination of proceedings Clydebank kept battling away gamely and came close to notching a consolation goal in the fifty seventh minute. Dene Cassells, who was once again in commanding form at the heart of the Saints defence, was robbed playing out from the back by Barry O'Donnell. O'Donnell was able to thread the ball through for the run of Jamie Pollock who was denied by an excellent save from Graham Douglas to keep his highly prized clean sheet intact.
Last season's top scorer Lewis Cameron made up for his earlier penalty miss notching Saints sixth goal on the half hour mark. Matty Kelly provided his second assist of the afternoon picking out Cameron for a crisply struck shot across his namesake in the Bankies goal which nestled neatly in the bottom corner of the net.
This was the cue for Ross Maitland, who has been in impressive form with Saints second team, to make his return to the first eleven. After ripping his boots in training during the week, and learning of his recall to the first team, a frantic search for new boots for Maitland's dainty feet had ensued. With Oban Sports Shop unable to help, and no branches of Mothercare locally, a pair of boots had to be borrowed from Under 13's striker Zander Craik.
Also making a return after a long absence was Co-manager Donald Campbell who has been out of action since being stretchered off during last season's West of Scotland Cup semi-final. Campbell took Cammy Hill's place up front for the final twenty five minutes.
James Ford curled a left foot effort wide of Andrew Cameron's right hand post before Donald Campbell added a seventh goal in the eightieth minute. Campbell read the bounce of the spinning ball perfectly after a Matty Kelly shot had been partially blocked and volleyed past the helpless Andrew Cameron from close range.
Young Zander Craik's boots certainly did the trick for Ross Maitland as the evergreen wide man latched onto an eighty second minute Donald Campbell through ball to slam home goal number eight.
Maitland, who has been turning on the style for Saints since before some of the current crop of players were born, thumped home another excellent twenty two yard finish taking Saints goal tally to nine in the eighty seventh minute.
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| Celebrations after Cammy Hill's opening goal |
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| Craig MacEwan, Matty Kelly and David Beaton celebrate David's goal |
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| Cammy Hill makes it 3 - 0 |
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| Andrew Cameron completes an excellent double save to deny Lewis Cameron |
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| Craig MacEwan lifts the ball over Andrew Cameron for the fourth goal |
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| Craig MacEwan congratulates Lewis Cameron on his goal |
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| Ross Maitland |
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| Big smiles from Donald Campbell after his comeback goal |
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| Ross Maitland adopts a more reserved approach with his goal celebrations |
Saturday 31st August 2019
Central Scottish Amateur Football League
Division 1B
Stedfast K 1 - 4 Oban Saints
Saints continued their winning start to the Central Scottish Amateur Football League campaign with a 4 - 1 away victory against Stedfast K at Scotstoun Sports Campus.
A first minute own goal from Stedfast fullback Robert McIntyre gave Saints an advantage which they never looked back from before further strikes from Matty Kelly, Craig MacEwan and James Ford consolidated Saints position at the the top of the fledgling Division 1B table.
Work, injuries, suspension and paternity leave deprived Saints Management duo Donald Campbell and Willie Gemmell of the services of six of the squad which had put nine goals past Clydebank on the previous Saturday.
David Beaton, Lewis Cameron, Paul Carmichael, Daniel Croarkin, Cammy Hill and new dad Kerr Newbigging all dropped out to be replaced by Myles McAuley, Steven MacLeod, Matt Rippon and youngsters Gavin Forgrieve and Aaron McKay.
The match got off to the best possible start for Saints when Stedfast fullback Robert McIntyre headed past his own keeper inside the first minute. Referee Stephen Fox ignored a loud appeal from the home side for a push when Ross Maitland lifted a free-kick from the left into the Stedfast box and when the ball bounced on the six yard line McIntyre's attempted header back to his keeper evaded the grasp of George Riddick and found the back of the net.
The blustery conditions were making things difficult for both sides and a long ball over the top in the twelfth minute had the Saints defence frantically back tracking. On the score sheet four times already this season Grant Cathro looked set to add to his tally when he raced in behind the Saints defence and beat Graham Douglas to the bouncing ball on the corner of the Saints box. Fortunately for Saints Cathro's header drifted wide of target with Scott Maitland galloping back to guard the vacant goalmouth.
Saints doubled their advantage after twenty minutes from a patient build-up involving Craig MacEwan, Ross Maitland and Matt Rippon. Getting forward to support the attack, Matty Kelly picked up Rippon's lay off and took full advantage of the space created to clip the ball from the edge of the Stedfast box away from the despairing right hand of George Riddick and into the bottom corner of the net.
Matty Kelly, who put in an impressive performance in front of the watching League Select Manager Colin Hamilton, was upended by William Plommer wide on the Saints left in the twenty ninth minute giving Ross Maitland a chance to show his prowess with the dead ball. Maitland didn't disappoint and sent an excellent ball to the near post which was met perfectly on the run by Craig MacEwan who bulleted a header into the roof of the net to further stretch Saints advantage.
Stedfast Skipper James Harvey blazed a thirty two yard free-kick high over the crossbar before top scorer Grant Cathro pulled one back for the home side. A rare lapse in concentration at the back had the Saints defence struggling to clear a long ball into the box and, when Dene Cassells couldn't get the connection he was looking for with his attempted headed clearance, Cathro pounced with a hooked left footed effort which gave Graham Douglas no chance.
The home side's hopes of getting back into the match were dealt a blow when Skipper James Harvey received his marching orders from Referee Fox after picking up a second yellow card for dissent in the fifty fourth minute.
Continuing the trend for long range efforts to hit the perimeter fencing rather than the back of the net, Stedfast's former Lochgilphead Red Star youngster Ciaran McPhie blazed a thirty six yard free-kick high over the bar after Saints were caught over elaborating at the back in the fifty seventh minute.
From the restart Saints worked the ball up the left wing where a sensational jinking run into the box by James Ford was rewarded when his dinked finish evaded a last gasp attempted goal-line clearance to nestle in the back of the net and restore Saints three goal cushion.
Some excellent pressing from Saints prevented Stedfast playing out from their own penalty area in the sixty fifth minute with Ross Maitland dispossessing Robert McIntyre and setting up Matt Rippon for a shot on goal which was well stopped low to his right by George Riddick.
That proved to be Rippon's final contribution of a useful first outing of the season with his place being taken by sixteen year-old Gavin Forgrieve.
The young Saints substitute came close to marking his competitive Saints debut with a goal however his seventieth minute shot was charged down with James Ford's tap-in of the loose ball being ruled out for offside.
George Riddick continued to dent Saints hopes of a fifth goal with another good seventy second minute save to deny Matty Kelly.
Robert McIntyre's late challenge on Gavin Forgrieve earned the Stedfast fullback a second yellow card which saw him leave the action in the ninety fourth minute. From the resulting free-kick George Riddick saved his best until last to push Craig MacEwan's twenty eight yard dipping effort over the crossbar.
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| Myles McAuley congratulates Matty Kelly on his goal |
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| Craig MacEwan heads home Saints third goal |
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| Ciaran McPhie |
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| Stedfast K goal scorer Grant Cathro |
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| The Gaffer congratulates James Ford on his goal |
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| Aaron McKay |
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| Gavin Forgrieve |
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| George Riddick saves from Craig MacEwan |
Saturday 7th September 2019
Central Scottish Amateur Football League
Division 1B
Bridgewater 0 - 3 Oban Saints
Saints made it five wins out of five to extend their lead at the top of the league table to five points but it was far from a five star performance at the Palace of Art as the D&K Lafferty sponsored side struggled to overcome determined hosts Bridgewater.
After surviving a couple of early scares a successfully converted Matt Rippon penalty kick gave Saints a first half lead with second half strikes from Craig MacEwan and David Beaton securing the points with a slightly flattering scoreline.
Ross Maitland, Willie Gemmell, Aaron McKay and Gavin Forgrieve all dropped out of the squad from the previous Saturday to make room for the returning David Beaton, Lewis Cameron, Paul Carmichael and Cammy Hill.
David Beaton's inclusion on the right was the only change to the previous week's starting eleven as Saints lined up with Graham Douglas in goal behind a back four of Ruaridh Horne, Steven MacLeod, Captain Dene Cassells and Scott Maitland. Matty Kelly and Myles McAuley occupied the holding midfield roles with David Beaton, Matt Rippon and James Ford ahead and Craig MacEwan leading the line.
On perhaps the strongest bench Saints have ever been able to name were Lewis Cameron, Donald Campbell, Paul Carmichael. Cammy Hill and Kerr Newbigging.
Saints kicked off in bright warm sunshine but were denied the chance to settle into their normal stride by their hard working hosts who would go on to dominate the early exchanges.
The deadlock was broken in the twenty ninth minute when Saints profited from a mix-up in the home defence. David Beaton pounced on a stray back pass and was sent sprawling in the box by Bridgewater keeper Graeme Macrae. Matt Rippon assumed responsibility for the spot kick and sent Macrae in the wrong direction to give Saints the lead.
Attacking the pavilion end Saints made a better start to the second half with Matty Kelly hooking a right wing James Ford cross over the crossbar.
Saints Management duo Donald Campbell and Willie Gemmell made an early change replacing goalscorer Matt Rippon with Lewis Cameron in the fifty second minute.
Cameron's introduction paid instant dividends when he retrieved a David Beaton left wing cross which central defender Ross Gemmell had helped on it's way. Cameron picked out Craig MacEwan in the middle with a low cross which the Saints leading scorer gleefully tucked away from close range.
Saints made the points secure with twenty minutes remaining when Matty Kelly's driving run and cut back from just short of the bye-line was met by David Beaton sliding in at the near post to divert the ball past Graeme Macrae and into the far corner of the net.
Beaton thought he had added a fourth in the seventy eighth minute when he appeared to time his run onto a Lewis Cameron through ball perfectly only for Referee Patterson to rule his well placed finish across Graeme Macrae out for offside.
The home side continued to press forward in search of what would have been a deserved consolation goal but were kept at bay by a Saints defence determined to keep their highly prized clean sheet intact.
Lewis Cameron and Cammy Hill both spurned good late chances on the break to put a gloss on the scoreline however Saints Management duo Donald Campbell and Willie Gemmell, despite seeing their charges fail to fully hit their stride, will be reasonably satisfied to come away from a difficult fixture with maximum points.
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| Graham Douglas saves from Darren Cowan |
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| Matt Rippon after opening the scoring from the penalty spot |
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| Craig MacEwan makes it 2 - 0 |
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| David Beaton rounds off the scoring |
Saturday 14th September 2019
Central Scottish Amateur Football League
Division 1B
Oban Saints 4 - 0 Cambusnethan Talbot
A hat-trick from Lewis Cameron and a further strike from leading goal scorer Craig MacEwan helped maintain Oban Saints 100% record at the top of the Central Scottish Amateur Football League Division 1B at a rain soaked Glencruitten last Saturday.
Resplendent in their new grey and black strips, kindly supplied by principal sponsors D&K Lafferty Contractors, Saints were made to work hard for the points against a battling Cambusnethan Talbot side still in search of their first league victory of the season.
Saints Management duo of Donald Campbell and Willie Gemmell made four changes to the starting lineup from the previous week's win away at Bridgewater. In came Paul Carmichael, Kerr Newbigging, Lewis Cameron and Cammy Hill for Steven MacLeod, Myles McAuley and Matt Rippon, who all dropped to the bench, and James Ford who was unavailable for selection. Completing another strong bench were Donald Campbell and teenager Gavin Forgrieve.
Prior to kick-off Referee Kevin O'Neill led both sets of players and officials in a silence of remembrance for former Saints player and manager Henrik Madej who sadly passed away during the week.
Graham Douglas' new luminous green goalkeeper's outfit left the opposition in no doubt as to where the target was and an audacious first minute lob from Ryan Boyle was inches away from forcing the Saints number one into early action.
The deadlock was broken in the twentieth minute when Lewis Cameron regained the scoring touch from the penalty spot which had recently deserted him. Cammy Hill's galloping run up the right touchline found David Beaton inside the box where the diminutive wide man had the legs whipped away from him giving Referee Kevin O'Neil an easy decision to make.
After climbing well to win a header the subsequent fall on his head didn't quite provide the soft landing for Ruaridh Horne that many onlookers had speculated on and, despite a brief groggy return to the action, the young fullback would fail to reappear after the half-time interval.
Steven MacLeod replaced the out of sorts Ruaridh Horne for the start of the second half which saw Saints come flying out of traps. Cammy Hill and Lewis Cameron combined to set up David Beaton for a shot from eighteen yards which David Thomson did well to push behind for a corner kick.
It was Thomson to the rescue again from another sweeping Saints move on the left denying firstly Scott Maitland and then Craig MacEwan before Matty Kelly finally hooked the loose ball over the crossbar.
A sixty seventh minute substitution paid instant dividends for the home side. David Beaton was withdrawn in favour of Donald Campbell who linked up with Lewis Cameron to feed Craig MacEwan on the left. MacEwan's cross evaded keeper David Thomson who would have been impressed with the agility shown by Paul Costello to fingertip Cammy Hill's net bound cushioned volley over the crossbar. Less impressed with Costello's innovative intervention was Referee O'Neil who sent the big defender packing. Lewis Cameron made no mistake with his second penalty kick of the afternoon to double Saints lead.
More inventive work from Donald Campbell and Lewis Cameron saw Cameron unselfishly pick out the supporting run of Craig MacEwan who calmly slotted the ball past the hopelessly exposed Cambusnethan keeper to put the game well beyond the reach of the ten men.
Lewis Cameron missed the chance to seal his hat-trick in the seventy fifth minute heading a cross from Central Scottish Amateur Football League Select colleague Matty Kelly wide of target however the Saints talisman did eventually complete his hat-trick and rounding off the scoring in the eighty fourth minute slotting home from the corner of the six yard box after being sent through by young Gavin Forgrieve.
Wayward finishes from Donald Campbell and Craig MacEwan failed to find the target as Saints continued to find gaps in the visitor's stretched defence.
Referee Kevin O'Neil ruled out a Craig MacEwan strike for offside and David Thomson made another fine save to deny MacEwan a second goal of the afternoon before Mr O'Neil brought proceedings to a close.
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| Oban Saints resplendent in their new strip |
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| Graham Douglas |
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| Steven MacLeod |
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| Lewis Cameron |
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| Craig MacEwan makes it 3 - 0 |
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| Lewis Cameron completes his hat-trick |
Next week Winning In The Rain will take a look at Saints cup exploits.
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