Winning In The Rain: Stedfast Anchor Fails To Hold

Saturday 22nd February 2020
Central Scottish Amateur Football League
Division 1B
Oban Saints 5 - 1 Stedfast K

Oban Community Sports Field (3G)

Soroba Road

Oban

Argyll

PA34 4JB

Kick Off 1.00pm
Referee Mr Pat O'Donnell

There was no case of unlucky thirteen at Oban High School last Saturday as Oban Saints came from behind to stretch their Central Scottish Amateur Football League Division 1B winning run to thirteen games. Despite taking the lead in the tenth minute Stedfast K's anchor failed to hold and Saints stormed back with goals from David Beaton, Lewis Cameron, Aaron McKay and a brace from top marksman Craig MacEwan.

Injuries deprived Saints Co-manager Willie Gemmell of the services of James Ford, Matty Kelly, Ross Maitland, Kerr Newbigging and Matt Rippon paving the way for a well deserved return to the first team set-up for Daniel Croarkin. Also deserving of their promotion to the starting eleven were youngsters Gavin Forgrieve and Aaron McKay who repaid their Manager's confidence with accomplished performances against considerably more experienced opponents.

Saints lined up with Graham Douglas in goal behind a familiar back four of Ruaridh Horne, Steven MacLeod, Captain Dene Cassells and Scott Maitland. Gavin Forgrieve partnered Myles McAuley in the holding midfield roles with David Beaton, Lewis Cameron and Aaron McKay supporting central striker Craig MacEwan. On the bench were Daniel Croarkin, Willie Gemmell and Cammy Hill.

Oban Saints starting lineup:-

Saints kicked off attacking the school end from where the gale force wind blew a steady stream of hail showers throughout the match.

Craig MacEwan pressurised former Lochgilphead Red Star youngster Ciaran McPhie into conceding the games first corner kick in the fourth minute however Lewis Cameron's delivery from the right was fractionally too heavy for Steven MacLeod at the far post.

Despite playing into the strong wind Saints were making the early running however it was Stedfast who struck first with their first attempt at goal. Grant Cathro was allowed to carry the ball a long way unchallenged before unleashing a fierce wind assisted left foot shot which flew into the top corner giving Graham Douglas no chance.

The already depleted visitors with just six survivors from the reverse fixture last August in their ranks were dealt the first of several injury blows after eighteen minutes when Ciaran McPhie hobbled off with a recurrence of the hamstring injury which has troubled him all season. McPhie's place was taken by Richard McGuire.

Saints got back on level terms in the twenty second minute from a good move on the right where David Beaton and Lewis Cameron combined well for Cameron to send a cut-back to Craig MacEwan who calmly rolled the ball past the helpless Scott Richardson.

Stedfast central defender Mark Byrne did well to cut out a dangerous David Beaton cross before a crazy sixty second spell from the Saints defence saw the visitors hit the woodwork twice. Graham Douglas was caught in two minds with what should have been a routine twenty seventh minute clearance which he scuffed straight to the feet of David Casey. The Saints number one was a relieved man to see Casey's first time effort come back off the upright but the danger didn't end there. The Saints defence failed to properly clear their lines and conceded a free-kick twenty five yards out and right of centre. The dipping wind assisted effort from Grant Cathro left Graham Douglas rooted to the spot but cannoned off the crossbar before eventually being forced clear.

Craig MacEwan expertly pulled down a thirty first minute diagonal pass from Ruaridh Horne and played in Arron McKay for a low shot which Scott Richardson held well at his right hand post.

MacEwan was in the thick of the action again three minutes later when Chris Gault hauled him down twenty two yards from goal. Lewis Cameron's low free-kick beat the four man wall and the rooted Scott Richardson but slipped inches wide of the Stedfast keeper's right hand post.

Saints deservedly took the lead in the thirty seventh minute with Lewis Cameron again the architect. Cameron picked the ball up in the centre circle from Dene Cassells and, with willing runners Aaron McKay and David Beaton ahead of him, successfully picked out Beaton who raced through the middle and dinked the ball into the net over the advancing Scott Richardson.

David Beaton won a corner kick off David Casey on the right two minutes later with Craig MacEwan rising highest on the six yard line to meet Lewis Cameron's delivery but unable to keep his header below the crossbar.

Beaton's pace took him beyond the Stedfast defence once again in the forty first minute but, after flicking the ball over Scott Richardson on the eighteen yard line was beaten to the bouncing ball by a last ditch Sinclair Soutar challenge.

Saints youngsters Gavin Forgrieve and Aaron McKay combined to carve out the final chance of the first half with McKay stretching at the back post to direct Forgrieve's cross from the corner of the eighteen yard box back across the face of goal but agonisingly wide of Scott Richardson's left hand post.

The half-time interval did little to disrupt the Saints momentum and inside the opening sixty seconds of the second half Lewis Cameron opened up the Stedfast defence for Myles McAuley who, after making a good run, unfortunately delayed his shot too long and was crowded out inside the eighteen yard box.

Aaron McKay's cross from the left was taken off the forehead of Craig MacEwan by Mark Byrne at the expense of a corner kick which Lewis Cameron whipped, wind assisted, onto the roof of the net.

The visitors goal continued to lead a charmed existence and Lewis Cameron's fifty fifth minute free-kick from the D came back off the cross bar with Scott Richardson well beaten. The rebound was turned back towards goal by the outstretched leg of a Stedfast defender who watched in agony as his touch bounced off the inside of the post, across the face of goal and out for a corner kick.

Saints doubled their advantage in the fifty ninth minute from a free-kick on the half-way line. Grant Cathro bundled into Myles McAuley wide on the Saints left with Scott Maitland quickly rolling the resulting free-kick up to Aaron McKay. McKay sent over an in-swinging right foot cross which Craig MacEwan met perfectly with a cushioned volley into the bottom corner.

This proved to be MacEwan's final involvement and he was replaced before the restart by Cammy Hill.

Scott Richardson produced another good save to deny Lewis Cameron before Saints had the ball in the net again in the sixty fourth minute. Aaron McKay once again provided a good cross from the left which David Beaton turned in at the far post only for Referee Pat O'Donnell, who was well positioned, to disallow the goal for an offside call against McKay.

Central Scottish Amateur Football League Select men Scott Maitland and Lewis Cameron warmed up for the upcoming Inter League Trophy match against the Scottish Amateur Football League by combining for the fourth Saints goal. Maitland made a rampaging run into the Stedfast box and picked out Cameron with a cutback which he slammed into the roof of the net from ten yards range.

Cameron was then afforded a well earned rest with his place being taken by Daniel Croarkin.

The visitors were forced to field Ross Henderson, the second of their two substitutes, when goal scorer Grant Cathro limped off with what appeared to be hamstring injury.

Stedfast couldn't clear a Scott Maitland seventy third minute corner kick from the right and Daniel Croarkin picked out Skipper Dene Cassells for a cushioned right foot volley straight into the midriff of Scott Richardson.

The woodwork came to the visitor's rescue once again after seventy four minutes when Cammy Hill raced away from Sinclair Soutar and clipped a left foot finish across Scott Richardson and onto the base of the keeper's left hand post.

Stedfast's injury woes continued when skipper James Harvey was unable to continue after an eighty fifth minute challenge from Daniel Croarkin.

The ten men quickly fell further behind when Aaron McKay crashed an unstoppable eighty sixth minute shot from twenty four yards into the top corner well out of reach for keeper Scott Richardson.

The desperately unlucky visitors finished the match with nine men when defender Louis Smith had to be carried off with a badly twisted right knee before Referee O'Donnell, who handled proceedings well, brought the match to an end.

This coming Saturday Saints welcome first time visitors Bridgewater to Glencruitten for Central Scottish Amateur Football League Division 1B match number fourteen.