Saturday 31st October 2020

Friendly

Lochgilphead Red Star 5 - 1 Oban Saints GG

Lochgilphead Joint Campus (3G)

Kilmory

Lochgilphead

Argyll

PA31 8AA

Kick Off 1.00pm
Referee Mr Jimmy Litster

Last Saturday Oban Saints Greater Glasgow Premier Amateur Football League side braved Storm Aiden to journey down the A816 for a friendly encounter with near neighbours Lochgilphead Red Star. In gale force wind and driving rain both sides battled the elements manfully where, despite the atrocious weather conditions, they were the envy of many thousands of Scottish amateur footballers who remained sidelined due to Government restrictions.

Heavy overnight rain ruled out any possibility of the Ropework Park being available therefore the match went ahead on the 3G surface at Lochgilphead Joint Campus.

Strict matchday protocols, including no changing facilities or supporters, were followed by both sides where four second half goals gave the hosts a heavily wind assisted but nonetheless deserved victory.

Saints GG lined up with Murdo MacKenzie in goal behind a back four of David Smith, Aiden Campbell, Alex Craik and Andy Moore. Thomas McCrindle partnered Craig Easton in the holding midfield roles with Captain Lewis Buchanan, Daniel MacCuish and Robert Johnstone supporting central striker Alan Buchanan. On a youthful bench were Ryan Barclay, James Beaton, Kyle Cooper, Gavin Forgrieve and Fraser MacFarlane.

Oban Saints GG starting lineup:-

Used substitutes:-

Ryan Barclay

James Beaton

Kyle Cooper

Gavin Forgrieve

Fraser MacFarlane

Significantly Red Star Skipper Aaron Moore won the toss of Referee Jimmy Litster's coin and elected to play into the strong wind in the first half. Saints however failed to harness the wind advantage and it was the home side who looked the more threatening in the early stages.

Angus Lewis and Lee MacLean both sent long range efforts high and wide of target before Chris Hart forced Saints keeper Murdo MacKenzie into action to safely hold a shot from eighteen yards after a good turn had taken the Red Star striker away from veteran defender Alex Craik.

Skipper Lewis Buchanan registered Saints first effort on goal in the twenty sixth minute cutting in from the right to send a well struck shot just wide of the postage stamp corner.

Saints Manager Donald Black made early use of the agreed rolling substitutes policy sending on Fraser MacFarlane in the twenty ninth minute to replace Alan Buchanan in the centre forward's role.

It didn't take MacFarlane long to make an impact and his neat turn on the edge of the D created the space for a right foot volley which arced away from the Red Star keeper's right hand to nestle in the bottom corner and give Saints a thirty first minute lead.

Having finally found their shooting boots Saints drew the first save of the afternoon from Red Star keeper Jake Weir when new signing from the club's under 17's Thomas McCrindle sent Robert Johnstone racing through the inside left channel for a low shot which the Red Star youngster did well to parry.

The hosts immediately returned the compliment forcing Murdo MacKenzie to turn an Andy Weir shot which zipped along the wet artificial surface around his left hand post for a corner kick.

Red Star cancelled out the Saints advantage on the stroke of half-time after good work on the right from Chris Hart took him all the way to the bye-line from where his cutback picked out Stuart MacLean on the six yard line for an easy finish.

With the wind gathering pace a long second half was in prospect for Saints and it took the hosts just four minutes to capitalise on their controlled first half performance when central defender Ben Forbes poked home an Andy Weir right wing corner through a sea of legs.

It was a shoot on sight policy from Red Star and, with their attempted clearances repeatedly coming back over their heads, Saints were unable to get out of their own half.

After Lewis Buchanan had headed a fifty eighth minute Andy Weir left wing corner off the line Weir's follow up delivery from the opposite flank picked out right fullback Coll McCallum eight yards out for the home side's third goal.

Red Star stretched their advantage still further on the hour mark when Ben Forbes whipped a wind assisted free-kick from the halfway line into the postage stamp corner giving Murdo MacKenzie no chance.

Young substitutes Ryan Barclay, James Beaton and Kyle Cooper entered the fray for the final half hour and acquitted themselves well in difficult circumstances.

Gavin Forgrieve shunned the chance of a day-off when the Saints first team's trip to face South Lochaber Thistle in Kinlochleven was cancelled and made himself available for a second half appearance in the middle of the park.

Forgrieve was the architect of a rare Saints foray forward in the sixty fourth minute and linked up with Craig Easton to create a shooting opportunity for himself which was blocked behind for a corner kick.

Saints continued to fare better as the half wore on and Kyle Cooper and James Beaton combined well for a seventy fifth minute Beaton shot which Red Star second half substitute keeper Ally Lewis did well to hold.

Forgrieve and Beaton combined well to send Cooper racing through in the eighty third minute where the under 17's striker was inches wide with a low shot past the keepr's right hand post.

After keeping the hosts at bay for thirty minutes Saints conceded a fifth goal with almost the last kick of the ball. Murdo MacKenzie did well to parry a dipping forty yard Aaron Moore shot but luck deserted the Saints keeper when the ball broke to Ewan Litster who chipped over the stranded keeper into the unguarded net.

With the rain coming in horizontally both sets of players were delighted to hear Referee Jimmy Litster's final whistle immediately after the restart signalling a stampede for the sanctuary of the various cars and vans in the school car park.