Winning In The Rain: Rothie Revenge

Saturday 30th November 2019
The Scottish Amateur Football Association Challenge Cup Competition
Fourth Round
Rothie Rovers 0 - 3 Oban Saints
Rothie Park
Rothienorman
Inverurie
Aberdeenshire
AB51 8YD
Kick off 1.45pm
Referee Mr Mark Crawford

Oban Saints made a gruelling 410 mile round trip to the chilly North East last Saturday afternoon for a Scottish Amateur Cup re-match with last season's conquerors Rothie Rovers. Thanks to the sterling efforts of the Rothie Rovers Committee, Rothie Park survived the deep freeze which wiped out half of the fourth round card passing an early morning pitch inspection to give the Saints travelling party the green light for an 8am departure from Oban.

Co-Manager Willie Gemmell was dealt a selection blow on the eve of the match when illness ruled out midfielder Kerr Newbigging and leading goalscorer Craig MacEwan forcing Gemmell to include himself on the substitutes bench alongside Ross Maitland, Matt Rippon and youngster Aaron McKay.

MacEwan's goals however were not missed with a brace from Cammy Hill, adding to David Beaton's fifteenth minute opener, giving Saints revenge for the agonising penalty shoot-out defeat in last season's epic encounter and confirming their place in this coming Friday's fifth round draw.

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 partnered Myles McAuley in the holding midfield roles with David Beaton, James Ford and Lewis Cameron supporting central striker Cammy Hill.

Oban Saints starting lineup:-

Used substitutes:-
Matt Rippon
Aaron McKay

Unused substitutes:-
Willie Gemmell
Ross Maitland

Saints settled quickly on the thawing but still slightly crunchy grass surface and made a bright start with a David Beaton cross from the right narrowly evading Lewis Cameron in the middle and Rothie defender Stuart Gray beating Cammy Hill to head clear a James Ford delivery from the left.

The woodwork came to the rescue of the Saints back four in the sixth minute when Sean Bremner got in between Scott Maitland and Dene Cassells to flick a long Lewis Milne clearance into the path of Gavin Smart. The Rothie wide man beat Graham Douglas on the corner of the six yard box and watched in agony as his shot came back off the post. Smart regained possession and sent a cross to the back post where the waiting Bremner volleyed over the crossbar.

Graham Douglas required two attempts to hold a ninth minute Keith Walker free-kick with Stuart Gray receiving a telling off from Referee Mark Crawford for sliding in late on the Saints keeper.

Saints bright start faded as the hosts began to take control without really troubling the Saints back four who remained solid throughout.

Slightly against the run of play Saints opened the scoring in the fifteenth minute. Cammy Hill won a throw-in on the left level with the eighteen yard line. Hill laid Scott Maitland's throw back to the Scottish Amateur International left back who sent a tempting cross into the box. David Beaton was first to react coming in from the right to slam a left foot half-volley past the helpless Lewis Milne.

Scott Maitland also provided the assist for Saints second goal which came from a quick breakaway five minutes later. Dene Cassells and Steven MacLeod ensured there was no way through for Gavin Smart on the right of the Saints box with their combined efforts eventually blocking the ball behind for a corner kick. Robert King's deep delivery was knocked back into the middle by Jack Brown where Myles McAuley met his cross with a solid header out to the left. Maitland launched the ball long to Cammy Hill who galloped away from the Rothie defence, rounded the advancing Lewis Milne and slammed the ball left footed into the net.

The Saints left back almost made it a hat-trick of assists in the twenty first minute sending James Ford racing into the box where only a well timed sliding interception from Robert King denied Saints a third goal.

A clearly frustrated Scott Chalmers sparked a flash point in the twenty sixth minute when he twice whacked the ball at Saints Secretary David Buchanan who was carrying out his usual linesman's duties. The normally affable Saints Supremo took severe exception to this unwarranted provocation and remonstrated with the Rothie fullback who earned a yellow card from Referee Mark Crawford for his actions. Also going into the book after Mr Crawford had restored order was Saints Captain Dene Cassells.

North of Scotland Amateur Cup holders Rothie pushed hard for a route back into the match but found the Saints defence a hard nut to crack. Keith Walker found a way through in the twenty ninth minute but curled his shot well wide of target. Gavin Smart did manage to work Graham Douglas ten minutes later and the Saints number one did well to parry Smart's crisply struck shot before diving to smother the loose ball.

At the other end, on the stroke of half-time, an unlucky bounce deceived James Ford as he attempted to cut the ball back from the bye line allowing Scott Chalmers to clear.

Saints kicked off the second half playing into the very low sun and attacking the car park end of Rothie Park where they immediately made good ground down the very heavy pavilion side touchline. Lewis Cameron, Scott Maitland and James Ford linked up well on the left with David Beaton only inches away from connecting with Maitland's cross at the front post.

Lewis Cameron, fresh from his goal scoring exploits with the Scottish Amateur International squad, continued to influence proceedings and appeared to be scythed down just inside the Rothie box in the fifty third minute however Mr Crawford, who was well positioned to make the call, saw no infringement.

Chances were in short supply with both defences dealing well with dead ball situations from where a goal looked most likely to come. Jack Brown joined team-mate Scott Chalmers in the Referee's notebook before both trotted off to be replaced by Ryan Walker and Jake Stewart.

Lewis Cameron and Steven MacLeod both picked up cheap bookings as the pace of the game slowed on the by now fully defrosted heavy surface.

An injury for James Ford forced Saints Co-Manager Willie Gemmell into his first change sending on Matt Rippon in the sixty fifth minute after the restorative powers of Davie Buchanan's magic sponge failed to heal Ford's right knee.

After being felled on the left wing in the sixty eighth minute Lewis Cameron sent the resulting free-kick into the box where Matt Rippon flicked on to Dene Cassells who stabbed the ball just wide of Lewis Milne's right hand post.

Saints made the tie safe with twenty minutes still to play after Cammy Hill's perseverance won a corner kick on the left. Lewis Cameron's delivery looped over the heads of Dene Cassells and Ryan Walker and was met perfectly on the volley by Cammy Hill who side footed past Lewis Milne from five yards.

Scott Maitland joined the growing list of miscreants in Referee Mark Crawford's notebook for a late challenge on Gavin Smart on the half-way line.

The home side, one of just four Aberdeenshire sides still involved in the competition, refused to give up and were almost rewarded for their efforts in the seventy seventh minute when Sean Bremner wriggled into the Saints box only to be foiled by a perfectly timed challenge by Dene Cassells.

Rothie made a second double substitution with ten minutes remaining replacing Sean Bremner and Gavin Smart with Ethan Grant and Wayne Murdo.

Ruaridh Horne and David Beaton combined well on the right with Horne forcing an eighty first minute throw-in level with the penalty spot. Myles McAuley's throw was flicked on by Lewis Cameron and appeared to strike the arm of a Rothie defender however Referee Crawford, who had an excellent match, once again remained unmoved by the Saints appeals.

Cammy Hill, who lead the line well, passed up a glorious opportunity to claim the match ball when he raced through onto an eighty second minute Matty Kelly pass but sent a poor finish wide of Lewis Milne's right hand post.

David Beaton's busy shift came to an end with five minutes to play when he was replaced by Aaron McKay in a straight swap on the right.

Saints ended the match on the front foot but it was definitely a case of the wrong man in the right place as Myles McAuley turned up in the Rothie box to head a good chance wide of target after good work on the right by Matty Kelly, Cammy Hill and Aaron McKay.

Referee Crawford signalled the end of the match after three added minutes sending Saints back down the long road to Oban in buoyant mood after a hard fought win over a very good Rothie Rovers side who will once again be challenging for the top Aberdeenshire Amateur Football Association honours.

Saints return to league business this coming Saturday when they welcome title rivals and first time visitors Blantyre RGM to Glencruitten. Taking charge of the Division 1B clash is experienced Referee Pat O'Donnell who recently joined Saints in leaving the Scottish Amateur Football League in search of a fresh challenge in the Central Scottish Amateur Football League.