With Oban Saints currently enjoying a four week festive break Winning In The Rain takes a look back at the season so far concluding the trilogy with the five league fixtures from September to December:-
Saturday 28th September 2019
Central Scottish Amateur Football League
Division 1B
Blantyre RGM 2 - 5 Oban Saints
Oban Saints bounced back from their West of Scotland Cup exit at the hands of old foes Inverclyde with a convincing Central Scottish Amateur Football League Division 1B away win against closest challengers Blantyre RGM in Bellshill . 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 reward in 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.
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| Thomas MacCulloch |
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| Lewis Cameron opens the scoring |
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| Familiar goal celebration from Donald Campbell |
Saturday 26th October 2019
Central Scottish Amateur Football League
Division 1B
Oban Saints 6 - 1 Garrowhill Thistle
Following the drama of the Scottish Amateur Cup tie against Vale of Earn which took two games and a penalty shoot-out to resolve, Oban Saints returned to league business at Glencruitten for the visit of Garrowhill Thistle. Second half substitute Matt Rippon successfully converted his third penalty kick of the season to round off a 6 - 1 win adding to a brace from Donald Campbell and a hat-trick from leading goalscorer Craig MacEwan.
Management duo Donald Campbell and Willie Gemmell made two changes to the starting line-up from the previous week's trip to Crieff promoting Cammy Hill from the bench to replace David Beaton and rewarding Gavin Forgrieve for his recent impressive displays for the second team with a place in midfield affording Matty Kelly a rest following his exertions with the Central Scottish Amateur Football League Select.
Saints kicked off attacking the railway line end where Willie Gemmell twice came close to opening the scoring inside the first ten minutes. Firstly Gemmell squeezed a lay-off from Craig MacEwan after a Scott Maitland overlapping run and cross inches wide of target before Thistle keeper Callum McAuley threw up a strong left hand to stop a thumping twenty five yard strike from the Saints Co-Gaffer.
The home faithful didn't have too much longer to wait for the opening goal which came from the head of Craig MacEwan in the thirteenth minute. Ruaridh Horne sent a tempting cross from the right onto the six yard line where MacEwan held off the challenge of William Coulter to nod the ball into the bottom corner past a static Callum McAuley.
Saints doubled their advantage on the half hour mark from a patient passing move from the back. Gavin Forgieve picked up the ball in the centre circle from Dene Cassells and sent Scott Maitland scurrying forward on the left. Maitland found Craig MacEwan in the Jags box who carried the ball to the bye-line and, after a double step over, picked out Donald Campbell arriving at the near post to knock the ball home with the outside of his right foot.
Thistle keeper Callum McAuley produced two fines saves to prevent Saints from further stretching their advantage. After standing up well at his near post to beat away a Craig MacEwan left foot effort from the corner of the six yard box McAuley leapt acrobatically to his left to push a curling Donald Campbell shot bound for the top corner round the post.
Scott Maitland continued the form which has earned him a call-up to train with Scottish Amateur Football Association Select with a darting forty third minute run into the Jags box but was denied a strike on goal by a perfectly timed sliding interception by Josh McCormick.
Maitland thought his tackle on Craig Lamont sixty seconds later was equally well timed however Mr McCann thought otherwise and awarded the visitors a free-kick midway inside the Saints half. Gavin Forgrieve's sliced clearance of Lamont's delivery into the box landed at the feet of Paul Thomson seventeen yards out. Already harbouring a sense of injustice Saints were left incredulous when Mr McCann pointed to the penalty spot after Lewis Cameron was penalised for handball protecting his face from Thomson's point blank range shot. While Steven MacLeod debated the decision with Mr McCann Jags striker Lee Drummond placed the ball on the spot and on the Referee's whistle slammed the ball home to half the deficit.
With their composure restored Saints made the perfect start to the second half immediately regaining possession through Cammy Hill who made a driving run at the heart of the Jags defence. Hill threaded a well measured diagonal ball for Craig MacEwan cutting in from the left who wasted no time in clipping a shot across the advancing keeper and into the far corner of the net.
Saints put some daylight between themselves and their visitors in the fifty first minute when Dene Cassells returned a Callum McAuley clearance with a thumping header which Craig MacEwan helped onto Donald Campbell who rounded the advancing keeper and, from a tight angle, slotted the ball into the unguarded net.
Scott Maitland's perseverance on the left won a sixty first minute corner kick which Callum McAuley came through a pile of bodies to punch clear. Unfortunately for the Jags keeper his punch landed neatly at the feet of Craig MacEwan who steered the ball past the still off balance McAuley to seal his hat-trick.
The fifth goal was the cue for a triple Saints change with David Beaton, Aaron McKay and Matt Rippon coming on to replace Gavin Forgrieve, Cammy Hill and Craig MacEwan.
Rippon almost made an instant impact making a good run through the inside right channel to collect a Lewis Cameron pass but seeing his low shot blocked by the feet of Thistle keeper McAuley.
David Beaton's pace through the middle was causing problems for the visitors and his eighty sixth minute run was brought to a premature end by Ryan Latter giving Mr McCann an easy decision to point to the spot.
Matt Rippon kept up his 100% record from the penalty spot sending his effort into the top corner beyond the despairing dive of Callum McAuley to notch a sixth goal for Saints.
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| Donald Campbell tucks away the fourth goal |
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| Matt Rippon rounds off the scoring from the penalty spot |
Saturday 16th November 2019
Central Scottish Amateur Football League
Division 1B
Clydebank 0 - 2 Oban Saints
A goal keeping crisis forced Oban Saints to cast the net far and wide in search of a stand-in for regular number one Graham Douglas for the trip to Clydebank. With Ben Pollock, Murdo MacKenzie and all other back-up options also unavailable, former Celtic youth keeper Jamie Strachan answered the call and produced an assured performance to pave the way for Saints ninth consecutive Central Scottish Amateur Football League Division 1B win. Second half goals from Dene Cassells and Lewis Cameron were enough to secure the points against a stuffy Clydebank side who battled hard throughout.
With Co-Manager Donald Campbell beginning a work related football sabbatical and Scottish amateur international left fullback Scott Maitland also missing, the remaining half of the Management duo, club stalwart Willie Gemmell, opted for a change of formation and took his place in the middle of a back three alongside Steven MacLeod and Captain Dene Cassells. In midfield were Matty Kelly, Lewis Cameron and Myles McAuley with Ruaridh Horne and Ross Maitland as wing backs. Up front were Cammy Hill and Craig MacEwan. Making up a strong bench were David Beaton, James Ford, Gavin Forgrieve, Aaron McKay and Matt Rippon.
The hosts kicked off attacking the North Elgin Street end of the heavy and extremely narrow grass pitch at John Brown's, Clydebank which placed free flowing football at a premium. Former St Mungo's and Westercommon Star keeper Jamie Strachan was given an early touch to calm the nerves when Willie Gemmell got back well to usher a Jamie Pollock ball looking for Ryan McGilveray through to his new signing.
Both sets of players were finding the surface difficult and a miscued fourth minute finish wide of Andrew Cameron's left hand post from Cammy Hill let Clydebank off the hook after his well timed run connected with a Ross Maitland cross from the left.
Jamie Strachan was the first of the two keepers to be forced into action getting down well to his right to hold a Jamie Pollock shot from eighteen yards after the Bankies wide man had come in from the right to reach a Ryan Banks through ball from the halfway line.
Saints Skipper Dene Cassells had the ball in the net from a Lewis Cameron fifteenth minute free-kick but only after Referee John Quinn had blown for some pushing and shoving between Cammy Hill and Bankies central defender Benjamin Pierre Junges. Harry McLachlan cleared Lewis Cameron's retaken effort with a spectacular overhead kick which came at a heavy price when he landed heavily on his left wrist.
Bankies Skipper Andrew Cameron safely gathered a twenty two yard effort from opposite number Dene Cassells after the big Saints central defender had connected with a Myles McAuley throw-in before enjoying a massive slice of good fortune sixty seconds later. From another McAuley throw, Craig MacEwan glanced a header onto the inside of Cameron's right hand post a straight back into the grateful keeper's arms.
The momentum was with the away side in the lead up to the interval and Andrew Cameron denied Ross Maitland what would have been a deserved opening goal when he stood up well to win a one-on-one with the Saints wide man on the stroke of half-time.
Saints continued where they left off and opened the second half with a Myles McAuley shot from the corner of the box which curled just wide of the postage stamp corner.
The deadlock was broken in the fifty second minute when the home defence couldn't clear a Lewis Cameron free-kick after the Saints Scottish amateur international had been felled on the corner of the box by Benjamin Pierre Junges. Cameron's free-kick was bundled behind for a corner kick on the left presenting the Saints talisman with another dead ball opportunity. Having opened his goal scoring account from the penalty spot in Saints last outing, Saints Skipper Dene Cassells doubled his tally for the season with a glancing near post header from three yards which gave Andrew Cameron no chance.
Saints added a second goal in the seventy second minute when Central Scottish Amateur Football League Select pair Matty Kelly and Lewis Cameron combined to good effect through the middle. Kelly won the ball inside the centre circle and fed Cameron who jinked his way through the Bankies defence and slotted the ball into the bottom corner past the left hand of Andrew Cameron.
The hosts responded well and were unlucky to see a Jamie Pollock effort slip just wide of target when the Bankies wide man was allowed to cut in from the right and fire off a low shot.
Sixty seconds later second half substitute Thomas Stewart was denied what would have been a deserved consolation goal for the hosts when he raced unchallenged into the box but couldn't find a way past Jamie Strachan who made an excellent save with his legs to keep his highly prized clean sheet in tact.
Having weathered Clydebank's spirited attempt at a comeback Saints came close to extending their lead through David Beaton and Lewis Cameron who both sent decent efforts narrowly wide of target.
Aaron McKay and James Ford were given late run outs as replacements for Ross Maitland and Lewis Cameron the latter being withdrawn as a precaution ahead of the following day's inter league match between the Central Scottish Amateur Football League and the Strathclyde Saturday Morning Amateur Football League at New Tinto Park, Govan.
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| Dene Cassells heads the opening goal |
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| Lewis Cameron makes it 2 - 0 |
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| Craig MacEwan heads over |
Saturday 23rd November 2019
Central Scottish Amateur Football League
Division 1B
Oban Saints 2 - 0 Craigneuk
Oban Saints warmed up for their impending Scottish Amateur Cup trip to Rothienorman with a less than convincing home win against Central Scottish Amateur Football League Division 1B basement boys Craigneuk who battled hard throughout the ninety minutes at Glencruitten. Two early strikes from leading goalscorer Craig MacEwan were enough to clinch Saints tenth consecutive league victory making it ten out of ten with a far from ten out of ten performance in a dour encounter which did little to excite the home support.
Now in sole charge due to management colleague Donald Campbell's work commitments in deepest, darkest Warwickshire, Willie Gemmell made five changes to the starting line-up from the previous week's trip to Clydebank. Graham Douglas and Scott Maitland were once again available for selection while James Ford and teenagers Gavin Forgrieve and Aaron McKay were all promoted from the bench. Also making welcome returns to the squad after long absences were Kerr Newbigging and Fraser MacFarlane.
Playing in a more advanced role due to the absence of Lewis Cameron, Matty Kelly was upended one yard in from the left touchline by Craigneuk Skipper Paul Rooney. Kelly sent the resulting free-kick into the box where Neuk keeper Graeme Divers beat Dene Cassells to make a solid connection with his punched clearance which fell invitingly for Scott Maitland on the eighteen yard line. Maitland's shot was charged down by Greig Williams and then sent invitingly back into the box by Gavin Forgrieve where Referee Allan Loch, who handled proceedings well throughout, ruled Kelly to have strayed offside.
Kelly was involved again in the thirteenth minute when he was felled by a late challenge from Gary Raybould which earned the Craigneuk midfielder the game's first yellow card. Myles McAuley's free-kick into the box found James Ford whose shot on the turn was blocked amidst Saints appeals for handball which failed to impress Mr Loch.
The visitors mounted their first serious assault on the Saints goal in the seventeenth minute forcing Saints fullback Ruaridh Horne to turn the ball out for a corner kick. Kieron Duffy's short corner kick to Craig Rutherford was helped on to Greig Williams who sent a shot across Graham Douglas but well wide of the Saints number one's left hand post.
From Graham Douglas' goal kick Scott Maitland worked the ball forward on the left to Craig MacEwan who had the feet taken away from him on the corner of the box by Brian Totten. With everybody waiting for a cross to the far post, and prompted by Scott Buchanan on the sidelines, Matty Kelly's quick thinking picked out the near post run of Craig MacEwan who stabbed the ball past Graeme Divers to open the scoring.
James Ford's trickery on the right after Myles McAuley had won the ball well in the centre circle took him almost to the byeline in the twenty first minute. Ford's low cross along the six yard line was fractionally too heavy for Aaron McKay who couldn't adjust his feet for what would have been a tap-in at the back post.
Sixty seconds later goalkeeper Graeme Divers, one of six changes to the Craigneuk line-up from when the sides met at Dalziel Park on the opening day of the season, had a moment to forget when a Craig MacEwan shot from twenty five yards bounced just in front of him and squirmed from his grasp and into the net for Saints second goal.
MacEwan should have made it three in the twenty fifth minute when he somehow managed to plant his header from another good James Ford right wing cross inches wide of Graeme Divers' left hand post from four yards range.
Saints maintained their dominance of possession in the second half giving Graham Douglas and his back four a relatively untroubled afternoon en-route to another clean sheet. However, despite maintaining the upper hand, the home side created little of note and the few chances which did come their way were squandered.
Manager Willie Gemmell used all of his substitutes during the stop/start second period to give his full squad some valuable game time ahead of this coming Saturday's Scottish Amateur Cup fourth round tie against Rothie Rovers in the Aberdeenshire village of Rothienorman.
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| Head in hands moment for the unfortunate Graeme Divers |
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| Heads in hands for Craig MacEwan and James Ford as MacEwan misses out on another hat-trick |
Saturday 7th December 2019
Central Scottish Amateur Football League
Division 1B
Oban Saints 1 - 0 Blantyre RGM
Ten man Oban Saints produced a battling backs-to-the wall performance at a rain soaked Oban High School last Saturday afternoon to cement their place at the top of Central Scottish Amateur Football League Division 1B. Leading goalscorer Craig MacEwan put Saints ahead with his fifteenth goal of the season but a red card for goalkeeper Graham Douglas gave the home faithful a nervous closing twenty four minutes to endure along with the horrendous weather conditions.
Saints Co-manager Willie Gemmell made one enforced change to the starting line-up from the previous week's trip to Rothienorman. James Ford failed to shake off the knee injury picked up in the Scottish Amateur Cup win over Rothie Rovers and was replaced by Craig MacEwan.
Saints kicked off attacking the Dalintart end and Craig MacEwan tested the handling of Adam McKay in the first minute with a crisply struck shot from eighteen yards which the Blantyre keeper did well to parry down and gather at the second attempt.
Two of Blantyre's four changes to the starting eleven from the reverse fixture in Bellshill ten weeks ago, Ryan Duffy and Alex Hill combined for the visitor's first strike on goal in the fifth minute when Duffy threaded the ball through to Hill for a shot from the corner of the eighteen yard box which flew well over the crossbar.
The value of having a man on the post at corner kicks was proven in the fifteenth minute when Scott Maitland blocked a Ross Burns header from a Barry McLaughlan corner kick on the Saints goal line before thumping clear. The visitors appealed strongly that the ball had crossed the line but Referee Pat O'Donnell was perfectly positioned to see the incident and rule in Saints favour.
The visitors were enjoying the better of the early exchanges however chances for both sides were at a premium. David Beaton sent over a tempting nineteenth minute cross from the right which Adam McKay did well to cut out ahead of Cammy Hill before Blantyre central midfielder Kris Beggs broke forward but shot well wide of target.
Dene Cassells climbed well to get on the end of a thirty third minute Lewis Cameron corner kick which was blocked three yards out. Blantyre couldn't fully clear the danger and Adam McKay produced the save of the afternoon to acrobatically push Cameron's attempted lob from the right edge of the penalty box over his crossbar.
Lewis Cameron's set piece deliveries continued to trouble the Blantyre defence and Dene Cassells once again won the aerial dual from the corner flag in the thirty eighth minute but sent his header just over the crossbar.
Adam McKay made another good save in the fortieth minute springing to this left to push away a curling Lewis Cameron effort after Craig MacEwan had flicked on a Scott Maitland long ball.
The Saints pressure eventually told and they broke the deadlock with three first half minutes remaining. Venturing a long way forward from his central defensive beat, Captain Dene Cassells swung over a perfect cross from the right edge of the Blantyre box into that corridor of uncertainty between goalkeeper and defenders where Craig MacEwan sneaked in to plant a header beyond Adam McKay for what would prove to be the only goal of the game.
Saints came close to doubling their advantage on the stroke of half-time when Cammy Hill shaved the outside of Adam McKay's right hand post with a low shot after a good interchange of passes on the left with Craig MacEwan and Lewis Cameron.
Saints remained on the front foot for the start of the second half with Cammy Hill forcing a corner kick on the left after just sixty seconds. Dene Cassells was again a handful for the Blantyre defence but still couldn't find the target with a poweful header.
Saints were guilty of over elaborating at the back and were relieved to see Alex Hill slip at the vital moment and send his shot wide of target after he had intercepted a stray sixty fifth minute pass from Graham Douglas.
After winning another corner kick on the right, Lewis Cameron tried to catch out Adam McKay under his crossbar with the keeper having to climb over the top of Barry McLaughlan at the front post to make his punch. The ball looped back across the face of goal where Dene Cassells was once just off target with a header from three yards.
The defence pushing too far forward left Graham Douglas hopelessly exposed in the seventy third minute and the Saints number one raced out of his goal to concede a free-kick just outside of his box. Despite the keeper's claims that the ball had hit him on the chest, Referee O'Donnell, who had his customary steady game, correctly signalled a hand-ball and issued Douglas with the inevitable red card.
Central defender Steven MacLeod took the gloves bringing to an end Cammy Hill's involvement as the big centre forward was sacrificed for the more defensive minded Kerr Newbigging.
Newbigging slotted in alongside Dene Cassells in central defence with Craig MacEwan and Myles McAuley also adding their aerial presence to ensure the Blantyre free-kick was successfully dealt with.
Saints closest league challengers looked to capitalise on their numerical advantage causing nerves to jangle on the sidelines but Saints defended manfully from the front and stand-in keeper MacLeod remained relatively untroubled.
Further personnel changes followed when Craig MacEwan was withdrawn to make room for utility man Matt Rippon before Kerr Newbigging's troublesome hip forced him off to be replaced by Aaron McKay in the ninetieth minute.
James Clark sent a free-kick high and wide of target before David Cairney was similarly wayward with a header as the time added by Mr O'Donnell dragged slowly by.
With the hardy band of soaked to the skin onlookers beginning to wonder if the Referee's watch had stopped Mr O'Donnell finally blew for full time after six added minutes extending Saints unbeaten run to eleven games and stretching their lead over second placed Blantyre RGM to sixteen points.
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| Adam McKay pushes away Lewis Cameron's corner kick |
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| Dene Cassells heads over |
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| Graham Douglas hands over the gloves to Steven MacLeod |
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| Steven MacLeod |
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