Saturday 22nd May 2021
Greater Glasgow Premier Amateur Football League
Spring Cup Section One
Oban Saints GG 2 - 3 Vale of Leven AFCOban Community Sports Field (3G)
Soroba Road
Oban
Argyll
PA34 4JB
Kick Off 2.00pmReferee Mr Martin Rae
Oban Saints Greater Glasgow Premier Amateur Football League side looked to bounce back from their opening night Spring Cup defeat to South Lochaber Thistle with another difficult tie against Vale of Leven AFC at Oban High School last Saturday afternoon.
Previously competing in the Scottish Amateur Football League as FC Argyle the visitors have recently rebranded as the amateur wing of Alexandria footballing institution Vale of Leven FC and begin their Greater Glasgow Premier Amateur Football League journey in this season's Division 3B. Among an experienced Vale line-up was former Scottish Amateur International striker Allan MacPherson whom Saints fans will recall from previous visits to Oban with Haldane United and Vale of Leven Juniors.
In an entertaining encounter, well handled by Referee Martin Rae, it was a tale of missed opportunities and defensive calamities from the young Saints side which ultimately saw the visitors come out on top by the odd goal in five.
Manager Donald Black was without four of the squad from the previous Wednesday night's encounter with South Lochaber Thistle but was still able to name a fifteen man squad containing thirteen graduates of the Oban Saints Youth set-up.
Saints lined up with Murdo MacKenzie in goal behind a back four of Craig Livingstone, Aiden Campbell, Alex Craik and Captain Kenneth Black. Cammy Clark and Louis MacFarlane once again anchored the midfield with the more advanced trio of Robert Johnstone, Gavin Forgrieve and Cammy Hill supporting central striker Kyle Cooper. On the bench were Nathan Allan, Thomas McCrindle, Gary MacCuish and Fraser MacFarlane.
The visitors kicked off in bright sunshine attacking the Dalintart end and Saints number one Murdo MacKenzie did well to hold a Ross Davies volley from twenty yards after Alex Craik had headed out a fourth minute corner kick from the Vale right.
The normally rock solid Craik then set an unfortunate and unwelcome trend for defensive blunders when he was caught in possession on the corner of the Saints eighteen yard box by Cameron Jamieson who eagerly snatched the opportunity to open the scoring despatching the ball past the hopelessly exposed MacKenzie.
After a decent Gavin Forgrieve free-kick delivery drifted just out of reach for the on-rushing Alex Craik Saints conceded another avoidable goal in the twelfth minute. Central defender Aiden Campbell misjudged the bounce of a Cameron Jamieson cross into the box gifting a chance to former Scottish Amateur International striker Allan MacPherson who made no mistake in inflicting the punishment.
Young Louis MacFarlane, making just his second appearance for the club, linked up well in the eighteenth minute with Cammy Hill and Kyle Cooper to create an opening for Gavin Forgrieve who dragged his right foot shot just wide of target.
Vale central midfielder Richard Stibbs had his heart in his mouth in the twenty third minute when his attempted clearing header from a Gavin Forgrieve free-kick spun off the top off his head and looped inches over his own crossbar.
The visitors lost the services of Allan MacPherson to injury ten minutes before the interval with the strikers place being taken by Lewis Scott.
Saints Skipper Kenneth Black made a good run on the left in the thirty ninth minute and picked out Cammy Hill in the middle for a low shot just wide of Vale keeper Ally Shields' right hand post.
Saints impressive end to the first half continued and only an excellent Ally Shields save from Craig Livingstone denied the home side after the fullback's driving run had been picked out by an excellent diagonal ball from Robbie Johnstone.
Reward for their endeavours came Saints way ninety seconds into the second half after tenacious work by Louis MacFarlane on the right won possession just inside the Vale half. MacFarlane found Kyle Cooper on the edge of the Vale box where he turned away from his marker and slotted a low right foot shot beyond the grasp of Ally Shields to half the deficit.
The visitors suffered another injury set-back and the young Saints side were now very much in the ascendancy but passed up three gilt edged chances to take control of the tie with Cammy Hill each time failing to hit the target after taking up good scoring positions.
Vale lost a second player to injury when what looked like a pulled hamstring saw Cameron Jamieson replaced by Gary Campbell.
Aiden Campbell's afternoon was cut short when a twisted right knee saw him replaced in central defence by Nathan Allan.
Saints failure to capitalise on their chances came back to haunt them when another defensive calamity gifted the visitors a third goal. Murdo MacKenzie spilled a routine catch from a right wing cross straight to the feet of Richard Stibbs who needed no second invitation to roll the ball into the unguarded net.
Fraser MacFarlane and Thomas McCrindle replaced Cammy Hill and Louis MacFarlane for the closing twenty minutes as Saints continued their pursuit of a route back into the tie.
Alex Craik's never say die attitude took the veteran defender into unfamiliar territory with a driving run out from the back and deep into the Vale half. Craik's pin point cross was met perfectly by Robbie Johnstone whose header from twelve yards looped over Ally Shields into the net.
Saints Manager Donald Black made a final change in the eighty first minute sending on Gary MacCuish to replace Cammy Clark.
Opposite number Chris Anderson followed suit playing his last card with the arrival of Stuart Toole at the expense of Sean Aitken.
Saints kept pressing right to the end but were unable to find the equaliser ensuring a happy bus journey home for the men from the Vale.
Despite two cup defeats to quality opposition in the opening week of the return to competitive football Saints GG Manager Donald Black and Coach Brian Forgrieve can take heart from the positive attitude of his young charges and can look forward in anticipation to the league season ahead.
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