Winning In The Rain: Oban Saints GG Return To Winning Ways

Saturday 8th February 2020
Greater Glasgow Premier Amateur Football League
Division Three
Oban Saints GG 4 - 1 Colquhoun United

Oban Community Sports Field (3G)

Soroba Road

Oban

Argyll

PA34 4JB

Kick Off 3.00pm
Referee Mr Frank MacLachlan

A goal and three assists from Oban Saints youth product Gavin Forgrieve helped Oban Saints GG arrest their recent form slump and return to winning ways against Colquhoun United at Oban High School last Saturday afternoon.

In horrendous weather conditions braved by a hardy band of supporters Forgrieve's opening goal was cancelled out by a sweetly struck free-kick on the stroke of half-time from Zak Murray before a dominant second half Saints performance produced further goals for Alex Craik, Fraser MacFarlane and Keir MacLean.

With a waterlogged Glencruitten forcing the cancellation of the first team's game the Saints second string Management team were able to call on the services of Martin Bonar, Gavin Forgrieve and Aaron McKay who were due to be part of the squad to face Wishaw HSFP in the Scottish Amateur Cup sixth round replay.

Saints lined up with Murdo MacKenzie in goal behind a back four of Craig Livingstone, Alex Craik, Nathan Allan and Captain Kenneth Black. Martin Bonar partnered Daniel Croarkin in the holding midfield roles with Robert Johnstone, Gavin Forgrieve and Rory Dowd supporting central striker Dean Smith. On the bench were Lewis Buchanan, Fraser MacFarlane, Aaron McKay, Keir MacLean and David Smith.

Oban Saints GG starting lineup:-

Used substitutes:-

David Smith
Aaron McKay
Fraser MacFarlane
Keir MacLean
Lewis Buchanan

In just their first season in the Greater Glasgow Premier Amateur Football League the youthful Saints second string are more than holding their own against considerably more experienced opposition and are one of, perhaps, six clubs harbouring ambitions of lifting the Division Three league title.

Those ambitions have taken a bit of a knock in recent weeks with three defeats in succession however the youngsters, with seven under nineteen's in a squad where eleven of the sixteen were under twenty three, bounced back in convincing style to notch their seventh league win of the season.

After a cagey start the match burst into life in the twelfth minute when Dean Smith held the ball up well on the edge of the Colquhoun United box and swivelled away from his marker to arrow a shot towards the postage stamp corner where United keeper Mark Dyet flung himself acrobatically to finger tip Smith's effort over his crossbar. Dyet's excellent work was almost undone from Gavin Forgrieve's corner kick when he lost the aerial battle to Rory Dowd and Dean Smith poked home the loose ball from close range however Referee Frank MacLachlan, who handled proceedings well, disallowed the goal for what he considered an unfair challenge by Dowd.

The deadlock was broken in the twenty fifth minute with Dean Smith again involved. Smith held up a Daniel Croarkin pass on the edge of the United box and laid the ball off to Robert Johnstone on the right wing. Johnstone strode forward and cut into the box to send a cut-back tantalising out of reach of the advancing keeper into the path of Gavin Forgrieve who stroked the ball into the unguarded net from ten yards.

Gavin Forgrieve and Robert Johnstone combined to good effect again five minutes later with Forgrieve picking out Johnstone with a diagonal ball to the right. Johnstone's delivery was good once again and only a timely interception from Colquhoun Captain Adam Gibson prevented Rory Dowd from doubling the Saints advantage.

An injured right foot cut short Nathan Allan's afternoon after just thirty five minutes when the young central defender, one of eleven players on show who came through the Club's youth ranks, was replaced by experienced utility man David Smith.

Saints goalkeeper Murdo MacKenzie enjoyed a quiet start to the game but was eventually forced into action in the thirty sixth minute punching away a wind assisted free-kick swung in from the United left.

On the stroke of half-time David Smith was harshly penalised for a challenge on United striker Robin Wyatt twenty five yards from goal and right of centre. Defender Zak Murray took responsibility for the set-piece and arrowed a low left foot strike across Murdo MacKenzie and into the bottom corner to level things up.

With the wind and driving rain at their backs Saints produced a dominant second half display and deservedly regained the lead in the fifty third minute. Veteran central defender Alex Craik demonstrated that his worth to the team extends beyond that of nurturing the young talent alongside him when he stretched his neck muscles to head a Gavin Forgrieve left wing corner kick past Mark Dyet.

Sixty seconds later the woodwork denied Daniel Croarkin a spectacular goal when his fierce dipping thirty yard effort landed on top of the United crossbar with the keeper well beaten.

Saints made their second change on the hour mark when Aaron McKay came on to replace Rory Dowd.

McKay was immediately into the action linking up well with Gavin Forgrieve to force a corner kick on the right from where Forgrieve picked out Martin Bonar for a header just over under pressure from Mark Dyet.

Saints made a double substitution in the sixty seventh minute replacing Dean Smith and Robert Johnstone with Keir MacLean and Fraser MacFarlane.

After coming close on a couple of occasions MacFarlane got his name on the score sheet in the seventy sixth minute from a move started by Alex Craik. The big centre-half strode out from the back and sprayed the ball out wide to Fraser MacFarlane. The diminutive winger's direct running had the United defence backpedalling and his well weighted pass sent the overlapping Gavin Forgrieve in behind. Forgrieve hit the bye-line and picked out MacFarlane with his cut-back which MacFarlane lifted over the goalkeeper from eight yards.

A cheeky back heel flick inside the six yard box from Daniel Croarkin was stopped by the legs of Colquhoun keeper Mark Dyet before the midfielder made way for Lewis Buchanan in Saints final change in the eighty first minute.

Saints rounded off the scoring in the eighty ninth minute from another good move up the right wing. Right fullback Craig Livingstone sent Fraser MacFarlane scurrying forward where he was once again supported by Gavin Forgrieve. Forgrieve rounded off an impressive all round display with another assist teeing up Keir MacLean for an emphatic right foot finish past the keeper.

The Saints second string are at home again this coming Saturday when they welcome Westerlands with three more vital league points up for grabs.