Saturday 19th September 2020

Friendly

Oban Saints 6 - 2 Dunoon Amateurs

Glencruitten 2

Mossfield Avenue

Oban

Argyll

PA34 4EH

Kick Off 2.00pm
Referee Mr Jimmy Litster

Oban Saints starting lineup:-

Used substitutes:-

James Ford

Gavin Forgrieve

Jamie Graham

Cammy Hill

Scott Johnston

A second half hat-trick from substitute Cammy Hill added to first half strikes from Matty Kelly, Craig MacEwan and Lewis Cameron to seal victory for Oban Saints against Dunoon Amateurs in a friendly encounter last Saturday. A brace from Dunoon's Evan Meyar-McDonagh completed the scoring in an entertaining Argyll Derby played in warm sunshine at a once again spectator-free Glencruiten.

Saints welcomed back Lewis Cameron, James Ford and Scott Maitland to the squad from the previous week's win against South Lochaber Thistle. Unavailable pair Donald Campbell and Kerr Newbigging dropped out while Captain Dene Cassells remined sidelined.

In a bright start from the home side only timely interceptions from Dunoon central defender James Strapp denied Craig MacEwan and Matty Kelly early sights of goal.

Strapp was also quickly across to put the ball behind for a tenth minute corner kick when Myles McAuley sent David Beaton into the box with a give and go on the Saints left. Lewis Cameron placed his delivery perfectly on the head of Matty Kelly who had found pace in the six yard box to nod Saints into the lead.

Dunoon's Ross Montgomery found his way into Referee Jimmy Litster's bad books with a late challenge on Paul Carmichael which halted a driving run out from the back by the big central defender and earned the Dunoon midfielder a yellow card.

Despite the friendly tag all Argyll Derbies are keenly contested and Mr Litster worked hard to earn his match fee keeping tempers on both sides under control.

Myles McAuley headed a twenty first minute Lewis Cameron corner kick into the arms of Dunoon Captain and goalkeeper Jamie Robertson and Craig MacEwan blazed a shot from the corner of the eighteen yard box high and wide of target as Saints struggled create decent openings.

At the other end Ewan McIlkenny wriggled his way through the Saints defence but was denied a shot on goal by a perfectly timed challenge from Myles McAuley at the expense of a corner kick.

Saints doubled their advantage in the thirty fourth minute from a Lewis Cameron free-kick on the left after Ross Montgomery had bundled over David Beaton. Cameron spotted Craig MacEwan's run towards the front post and Skipper for the day MacEwan flicked Cameron's delivery past Jamie Robertson's right hand and into the bottom corner.

David Beaton had the chance to add to his hat-trick heroics of the previous week after a good run and cutback on the right from Ruaridh Horne however the diminutive winger's shot from the corner of the eighteen yard box curled wide of target.

Beaton was in the thick of the action again in the forty second minute racing into the box on the end of a Lewis Cameron through ball where his progress was halted by a sliding challenge by Allan Laughlan. The central defender's lunge knocked the ball out wide but not before going through the Saints wide man giving Mr Litster no option but to point to the penalty spot.

With two assists already under his belt Lewis Cameron added his name to the scoresheet with a calmly despatched penalty kick to send Saints into the half-time interval three goals to the good.

Saints Gaffer Willie Gemmell made two changes for the start of the second half sending on James Ford and Cammy Hill to replace David Beaton and Aaron McKay.

The second half was only two minutes old when Saints added to their tally. James Strapp was penalised for a foul on Cammy Hill thirty yards out from where Lewis Cameron was unable to get his free-kick past the four man Dunoon wall. Cameron was however able to regain possession and steer the ball out wide for Ruaridh Horne who picked out Cammy Hill's near post run for the big striker to clip the ball from close range past the helpless Dunoon keeper.

Dunoon central defender Allan Laughlan, who was by this time treading a thin disciplinary line, was replaced in the fiftieth minute by Kjeld McIntyre.

Craig MacEwan thought he had doubled his own personal tally in the fifty fourth minute when he headed a James Ford right wing cross into the net off the underside of the crossbar only for Mr Litster to rule out his effort for a Cammy Hill push on James Strapp.

Ford then found himself the recipient of a Myles McAuley cross after McAuley had closed down Dunoon fullback Scott Lauder on the Saints right. After controlling the ball well sixteen yards out Ford was unable to keep his shot down and sent his effort looping over Jamie Robertson's crossbar.

Gavin Forgrieve joined the action as a fifty eighth minute replacement for Central Scottish Amateur Football League Select man Matty Kelly.

Two quick-fire goals sixty seconds either side of the hour mark from speedy striker Evan Meyar-McDonagh brought the Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division side roaring back into the game. Firstly the Saints defence was left appealing for an offside call which didn't come leaving Meyar-McDonagh to round the stranded Graham Douglas and tuck the ball into the unguarded net. Then, in the sixty first minute another straight ball through the middle from Brendan McIlkenny caught out the Saints back four again with the Dunoon striker producing an excellent curling finish past Graham Douglas to half the deficit.

Recovering from this setback a sustained period of pressure saw Saints notch their fifth goal of the afternoon. After Jamie Robertson had twice denied Craig MacEwan, Myles McAuley picked out Cammy Hill whose turn on the eighteen yard line took him in behind the Dunoon defence from where he slotted the ball into the bottom corner past Robertson's left hand.

Willie Gemmell made his final changes with fifteen minutes remaining replacing Ruaridh Horne and Myles McAuley with Jamie Graham and Scott Johnston. The visitors also made a change with Jordan McIlkenny taking over from Cameron McAllister.

Jamie Graham's fresh legs on the right helped set up further chances for Craig MacEwan who headed over and Cammy Hill who found the side netting from close range.

Player/Coach Graham played a vital role in Saints sixth and final goal closing down and dispossessing Brendan McIlkenny ten yards inside the Dunoon half before laying the ball off to Lewis Cameron. Scottish Amateur international Cameron capped a splendid display with yet another assist threading in Hill to round the keeper and clip home from a tight angle.

After five added minutes Referee Litster, who handled proceedings well throughout, brought to an end a good workout for the teams giving both sets of players more valuable game time ahead of the resumption of competitive action.