Saturday 28th November 2020

Friendly

Oban Saints 1 - 0 South Lochaber Thistle

Oban Community Sports Field (3G)

Soroba Road

Oban

Argyll

PA34 4JB

Kick Off 12.00pm
Referee Mr Martin Rae

A collector's item headed Myles McAuley goal earned Oban Saints the bragging rights in a hard fought friendly victory over near neighbours South Lochaber Thistle at Oban High School last Saturday afternoon.

Referee Martin Rae ensured the match day protocols, including no spectators inside the perimeter fencing, were strictly enforced for the twelve o'clock kick-off played in pleasant winter sunshine.

Scott Johnston dropped out of the squad from the previous week's trip to Dunoon however Manager Willie Gemmell's selection options were given an unexpected boost when David Beaton and James Ford passed late fitness tests to take their places on the substitutes bench.

Saints lined up with Graham Douglas in goal behind a back four of Ruaridh Horne, Steven MacLeod, Kerr Newbigging and Scott Maitland. Martin Bonar partnered Matty Kelly in the holding midfield roles with Aaron McKay, Gavin Forgrieve and Cammy Hill supporting central striker Craig MacEwan. On the bench were David Beaton, Lewis Campbell, James Ford, Willie Gemmell and Myles McAuley.

Oban Saints starting lineup:-

Used substitutes:-

David Beaton

Lewis Campbell

James Ford

Myles McAuley

Unused substitute:-

Willie Gemmell

Saints kicked off attacking the Glencruitten end and brought Jags number one Andrew Brown into action inside the first minute when the big keeper had to come through a ruck of bodies to clutch a Gavin Forgrieve free-kick from the corner of the eighteen yard box.

From a fourth minute free-kick on the edge of the centre circle Matty Kelly played the ball out wide to Ruaridh Horne on the right whose deep cross found the head of Cammy Hill. Despite a good leap on the corner of the six yard box Hill was unable to direct his header on target.

Brown was again quick to sense the danger when Scott Maitland's eighth minute pass up the left wing sent Matty Kelly in behind the Thistle defence. Cutting into the box Kelly's touch was a fraction heavy giving the edge to the keeper who closed down Kelly and gathered safely.

Brown continued his busy start to the game needing two attempts to finally stop Aaron McKay's effort from a Craig MacEwan pass on his goal-line in the twelfth minute.

Saints lost the services of Scott Maitland to a tightening hamstring which prompted a switch to a 3-5-2 formation. Replacement Myles McAuley moved into midfield leaving Ruaridh Horne, Kerr Newbigging and Steven MacLeod to form the back three.

Unexpectedly McAuley's introduction would prove to be a master stroke by Gaffer Willie Gemmell when the midfield powerhouse netted the only goal of the game after twenty minutes. Gavin Forgrieve had a shot from eighteen yards blocked behind for a corner kick on the right. The youngster trotted over to take the corner kick himself and sent over an excellent delivery which McAuley met perfectly on the penalty spot to send the ball crashing into the roof of the net.

With Saints having put four past Thistle on their two previous encounters the visitors were determined to keep things tight at the back and succeeded in keeping home opportunities to a minimum. When Saints did break through they found Jags keeper Andrew Brown in inspired form making vital interventions to deny Ruaridh Horne and Aaron McKay.

Gavin Forgrieve, who enjoyed an influential first forty five minutes, made way for David Beaton in a half-time switch from Gaffer Willie Gemmell.

Aaron McKay and Ruaridh Horne combined well on the right in the fifty first minute forcing Jags left back Ross MacLean to concede a corner kick. Matty Kelly's delivery eluded the grasp of Andrew Brown and was headed back into the danger area by Martin Bonar at the back post. Ruaridh Horne found space on the penalty spot but couldn't redirect the bouncing ball back on target sending a difficult chance over the crossbar.

A good turn on the eighteen yard line took Saints Skipper Craig MacEwan away from his marker however his fifty third minute shot could only find the side netting.

David Beaton continued the off target theme hoisting a fifty ninth minute volley from a Ruaridh Horne right wing cross over Andrew Brown's crossbar.

Saints continued to press for a killer second goal but almost found themselves back on level terms in the sixty eighth minute. The visitors successfully defended a David Beaton corner kick and launched a swift counter attack through Skipper Martin Munro. The Jags talisman was allowed to carry the ball a long way but crucially couldn't shake off the attentions of Steven MacLeod who kept Munro under enough pressure to prevent the shot and allow Graham Douglas to slide out and gather at Munro's feet.

Sixty seconds later Munro succeeded where he had earlier failed and evaded the attentions of both MacLeod and Douglas and couldn't believe his luck when Martin Bonar got back with a last gasp clearance clattering into the post in the process.

It was Saints turn to hit on the break from the resulting corner kick with Craig MacEwan finally getting an effort on target only to find Andrew Brown equal to the task with a flying save to tip MacEwan's curling right foot shot onto the crossbar.

Martin Bonar's collision with the frame of the goal ended his afternoon and signalled another defensive reshuffle with Myles McAuley dropping back into central defence and young striker Cammy Hill finding himself at left fullback.

Substitute Lewis Campbell sent Aaron McKay sprinting forward on the right from where he picked out the supporting run of David Beaton however it was Brown to the rescue once more for the visitors with another excellent save to deny Beaton. From the resulting corner kick Lewis Campbell found the head of Cammy Hill who sent his header flying over the crossbar.

Aaron McKay made way for James Ford for the closing fifteen minutes leaving Gaffer Willie Gemmell as the only unused substitute.

Further off-target efforts followed from Craig MacEwan, Lewis Campbell and Cammy Hill as Saints continued to dominate without being able to put the game out of the visitor's reach.

With five minutes remaining Saints were almost made to pay for their profligacy in front of goal when dangerman Martin Munro escaped Cammy Hill on the right wing and picked out strike partner Andrew McLean in the middle who glanced his header wide of Graham Douglas' right hand post.

Fittingly it was Andrew Brown who had the last word capping an inspired performance to clutch a twenty two yard James Ford shot before Referee Martin Rae brought a highly competitive friendly encounter to an end.