Nein, Nein, Nein

Saturday 28th August 2021

Lesmahagow 9 - 1 Oban Saints
Central Scottish Amateur Football League
Premier Division
Glebe Park
Abbeygreen
Lesmahagow
ML11 0EQ
Kick-off 2pm
Referee Mr. Douglas Gunning

Following three previous covid-19 related fixture cancellations Oban Saints finally made their Central Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division debut at a sun drenched Glebe Park, Lesmahagow last Saturday afternoon. 

Despite missing a number of key players Saints made the 240 mile round trip with a squad capable of competing against fellow Premier Division new boys Lesmahagow. Unfortunately for Saints their lack of match sharpness and squad depth cost them dearly against a rampant Gow side which had already netted twenty five times in their opening four league and cup fixtures. 

After matching their hosts well for thirty minutes Saints fell behind to a penalty kick successfully converted by Graham Gracie following a highly controversial award by Referee Dougie Gunning. Saints spurned the chance to equalise when Nathan Wharton saved Donald Campbell's spot kick before Alex Craik put past his own keeper to give the hosts a flattering two goal half time lead.

A succession of uncharacteristic second half errors from Saints were ruthlessly exploited by the free scoring hosts who were clinical in their finishing and relentless in their pursuit of goals to add to their already impressive tally finally running out 9 - 1 winners.

Saints lined up with Murdo MacKenzie in goal behind a back three of  Steven MacLeod, Alex Craik and Dene Cassells. Across the midfield were David Beaton, Gavin Forgrieve, Lewis Cameron, Martin Bonar and Captain Craig MacEwan with young Kyle Cooper partnering Donald Campbell up front. On the substitutes bench were Cammy Clark, Rory Dowd and Willie Gemmell.

Oban Saints starting lineup:-

Used Substitutes:-

Rory Dowd

Cammy Clark

Unused Substitute:-

Willie Gemmell

Saints kicked off in bright sunshine attacking the car park end of the tight but excellently prepared Glebe Park and half chances for both sides came and went without either keeper being seriously tested in the opening exchanges.

Good defending from Gow Captain Darren Smith took the ball off the toes of Donald Campbell after Craig MacEwan had flicked on an eighth minute David Beaton throw-in from the right.

Making his competitive debut young Kyle Cooper linked well with strike partner Donald Campbell in the twelfth minute and sent over a cross from the right which Skipper Craig MacEwan couldn't direct on target at the back post.

Saints brought Gow keeper Nathan Wharton into the action sixty seconds later when Lewis Cameron sent David Beaton away on the right for a deep cross which Donald Campbell hooked on target but only into the midriff of Wharton.

Wharton made another comfortable save from a Lewis Cameron free-kick after Craig MacEwan had been felled twenty eight yards from goal with opposite number Murdo MacKenzie also getting a taste of the action safely holding a Scott Gray shot as Lesmahagow looked to hit on the counter attack.

Gray's long throw-in is a powerful weapon in the Gow arsenal and centre forward Graham Gracie won a header to help Gray's nineteenth minute throw onto Marc McGinty who shot just wide of Murdo MacKenzie's right hand post.

Dene Cassells did well to keep pace with Jordan McCrorie's twenty ninth minute run with the ball up the right touchline to the speedy winger another constant threat to the Saints back three. Cassells turned the ball out for another Scott Gray long throw which bounced around the Saints box before a coming together of bodies controversially resulted in a penalty kick being awarded to the home side. If anything Lewis Cameron looked to be victim rather than the perpetrator in the challenge however Referee Gunning saw it the other way. Graham Gracie found the bottom corner from the penalty spot sending Murdo MacKenzie the wrong way in the process.

An aggrieved Saints responded with a Martin Bonar shot wide of target after good work from Lewis Cameron and David Beaton before Mr Gunning levelled up the penalty count spotting a handball to stop a Craig MacEwan cross from the left.

Donald Campbell's spot kick was hit at a good height for Nathan Wharton who got across well to his right to make the save and preserve the home side's advantage.

The first half ended in disastrous fashion for Saints setting the tone for a calamitous second period. Lewis Cameron's dangerous free-kick to the Gow back post was well defended by Jack Turley whose clearing header found Scott Gray on the left. Gray's punt upfield for Graham Gracie to chase was watched by Alex Craik whose attempt to hook the ball back over his head came off his shin and looped over Murdo MacKenzie into the net.

The two goal half-time deficit was extremely harsh on Saints and no real indication of what was to follow in the second half. Straight from the re-start Scott Gray's diagonal ball picked out Jordan McCrorie's back post run and only an excellent save from Murdo MacKenzie denied the pacy winger.

Gray and McCrorie combined again in the fifty second minute with McCrorie nipping in at the near post to poke the ball past MacKenzie.

Ross Miller made way for Daryl Meikle in the Lesmahagow midfield and MacKenzie made another good stop to prevent Meikle from making an instant impact when sent through by Marc McGinty.

Gow Skipper Darren Smith's sixtieth minute block stopped a net bound Lewis Cameron effort before another long ball caught out the Saints rear guard. Alex Craik's indecision in dealing with the danger was exploited by Graham Gracie who pounced to steer the ball away from MacKenzie and into the net.

A groin strain ended Kyle Cooper's involvement in proceedings after sixty four minutes with his place being taken by Rory Dowd who was also making his competitive debut.

The hosts made a triple substitution withdrawing Darren Smith, Marc McGinty and Scott Gray and sending on replacements Johnny Logan, Robbie Kilpatrick and Nathan McConnell.

Logan's impact was almost instant and his sixty ninth minute run on the left beat Steven MacLeod with Murdo MacKenzie making another stop at his near post to deny the substitute. MacKenzie however was unable to hold Logan's shot with Graham Gracie on hand to lift the ball over Dene Cassells on the goal line to complete his hat-trick.

Saints gave another youngster a debut rewarding Cammy Clark for his recent solid second team performances with an appearance for the closing twenty minutes at the expense of Martin Bonar.

Clark was heavily involved in Saints consolation goal providing the cross from the right wing which Lewis Cameron poked home from close range.

The Saints toe hold in the match lasted barley sixty seconds when goal machine Gracie curled a free-kick left footed from the corner of the box around the four man Saints wall and over the head of Murdo MacKenzie. 

When you are down fortune seldom favours you and Saints found this to be true when Jordan McCrorie's off target seventy ninth minute free-kick took a massive deflection sending it past the wrong footed Murdo MacKenzie for goal number seven. 

Substitutes Johnny Logan and Daryl Meikle combined to rub more salt into the wounds of the punch drunk Saints when MacKenzie let another Logan shot squirm away from him and into the path of Daryl Meikle for a tap-in.

Derrin Mackenzie's untracked run from midfield to reach Johnny Logan's pass saw the substitute round MacKenzie before rolling the ball into the empty net for the host's ninth and final goal of the afternoon.

Referee Gunning, who this season is donating half of his fee for every match to The Beatson Cancer Charity, thankfully brought proceedings to a close before the Gow could hit double figures leaving Saints Gaffer Willie Gemmell with much to ponder ahead of this coming Saturday's encounter with 2015 Premier Division Champions Harestanes.

Any doubts harboured about the size of the challenge facing Saints in their debut Premier Division season will have been dispelled by this humbling at the hand's of the league's early pace setters and the Gaffer and his charges must re-group quickly. Top of the Manager's agenda will be getting a full strength team on the park coupled with a swift return to the commitment levels which won Saints promotion to the Premier Division in the first place.

If you want to support Dougie Gunning in his #CharityReffing you can do so on his Just Giving page https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/dougiecharityref

  

Graham Gracie flicks on

Nathan Wharton

Murdo MacKenzie

Graham Gracie sends Murdo MacKenzie the wrong way from the penalty spot

Lewis Cameron and Ross Miller

Jason McCrorie's challenge denies Craig MacEwan

David Beaton with Jack Turley in pursuit

Jason McCrorie heads clear

Donald Campbell and Robbie Kilpatrick

Dene Cassells heads over

#monthesaints

Three Goals And Three League Cup Points For Saints GG

Saturday 21st August 2021 

Greater Glasgow Premier Amateur Football League

President's League Cup Section One 

Oban Saints GG 3 - 0 Calderglen

Oban Community Sports Field (3G)

Soroba Road

Oban

Argyll

PA34 4JB

Kick Off 2pm
Referee Mr Martin Rae                 

Covid-19 restrictions forced the cancellation of Oban Saints scheduled Central Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division clash with reigning Champions St Patrick's FP leaving Oban Saints GG to take centre stage at Oban High School last Saturday afternoon. 

The Saints second string lost their opening Greater Glasgow Premier Amateur Football League President's League Cup group section match against Division One side Rhu GGP the previous Saturday and were looking to bounce back against Lochwinnoch based Calderglen also of the top division. Goals from Thomas McCrindle, Donald Campbell and Rory Dowd gave Saints their first Group Section One points but more importantly put valuable minutes in the tank for a number of players in need of game time.

Manager Donald Black had only seven of the previous week's squad available for selection and was forced to make significant changes hampering his preparations for when the serious business of the Division 3A league campaign gets underway in September.

Saints lined up with Murdo MacKenzie in goal behind a back three of Steven MacLeod, Alex Craik and Thomas Maitland. Across the midfield were Craig Livingstone, Cammy Clark, Gavin Forgrieve, Rory Dowd and Captain Kenneth Black with Fraser MacFarlane and Donald Campbell up front. On the sparsely populated substitutes bench were Cammy Hill and Ruaridh Munro.


Oban Saints GG starting lineup:-

Used substitutes:-

Ruaridh Munro

Cammy Hill

The visitors kicked off attacking the Glencruitten end in heavy rain which continued to fall for the entire ninety minutes and forced the first corner kick of the match inside sixty seconds. The Saints defence with Steven MacLeod and Alex Craik providing the experience to Thomas McCrindle's youth coped comfortably with the early threat and would remain firmly in control for the most part.

It took Saints until the tenth minute to register the first serious attempt on goal generated principally by the endeavour of Craig Livingstone on the right. The flying wing back made a strong run on the right and fizzed over a cross fractionally too high for Fraser MacFarlane in the middle. Donald Campbell's excellent first touch brought the ball under control at the back post but his shot back across goal from a tight angle slipped wide of target.

Livingstone found himself on the end of an excellent delivery from the left from Kenneth Black but despite his good run to provide the target for the Skipper's cross Livingstone glanced his header wide of Colin Robertson's left hand post.

Matthew Nisbet's twenty second minute interception gained possession for Calderglen midway inside the Saints half as the home side tried to play their way out from the back. Nisbett raced into the box on the left and sent a low cross towards the back post where Alex Craik was on hand to snuff out the danger.

A smart turn from Fraser MacFarlane twenty two yards out and left of centre earned Saints a free-kick when Gary Gillies hauled down the Saints striker. MacFarlane took the free-kick himself with the slippery conditions conspiring against Calderglen keeper Colin Robertson as he allowed MacFarlane's effort to squirm from his grasp. Donald Campbell was following in on his strike partner's effort but was beaten to the loose ball by Robertson who reacted well to claw the ball away from Campbell.

MacFarlane was felled again after thirty four minutes with the challenge from Nicky Parsons earning the Calderglen winger a yellow card from Referee Martin Rae. Further punishment followed for the visitors when Donald Campbell's glancing header helped Cammy Clark's free-kick across the face of goal where Thomas McCrindle was on hand to prod the ball home from close range.

The visitors lost the services of Martin Freeburn to injury with Kevin Crawford getting the nod to replace the crocked striker.

Saints retained the upper hand going into the closing stages of the first half and Kenneth Black's driving run on the left forced a corner kick in the forty fifth minute. Gavin Forgrieve, who saw a lot of the ball in central midfield, sent over an inviting delivery however Donald Campbell was denied the opportunity the get his head on it by the arms of Logan Macdonald whose indiscretion didn't escape the attention of Referee Martin Rae who immediately pointed to the penalty spot. Donald Campbell duly despatched the spot kick past Colin Robertson to give Saints a two goal advantage going into the half-time interval.

The second half was only seven minutes old when the home side added a third thanks in the most part to the trickery of Fraser MacFarlane on the left. MacFarlane got to the bye-line and cut back for Rory Dowd who slotted home from close range for what would prove to be the final goal of the afternoon.

Also ending there was Dowd's involvement in proceedings with his place in midfield being taken by Ruaridh Munro. The visitors also made a change sending on Aaron Davis to replace Donald Barber.

Donald Campbell was upended by Fraser Wilson on the hour mark but the four man Calderglen wall did it's job well to block Campbell's twenty two yard free-kick.

Campbell, Kenneth Black and Ruaridh Munro linked up well after sixty five minutes setting up a shooting opportunity on the edge of the box which the Saints Skipper lifted left footed just over the Calderglen crossbar.

The clearly struggling Cammy Clark limped to the touchline in the sixty eighth minute prompting Manager Donald Black to ready substitute Cammy Hill. Referee Rae ushered on Hill at the next break in play before flashing the yellow card in Clark's direction for leaving the field of play without permission.

Calderglen keeper Colin Robertson made an acrobatic save to push away a curling Fraser MacFarlane effort before Donald Campbell twice narrowly failed to hit the target with Robertson beaten.

The visitors rallied well for the closing stages but found the Saints defence in no mood to surrender their highly prized clean sheet.

Murdo MacKenzie came well off his line to concede an eighty fourth minute corner kick and was relieved to see Kevin Crawford's free header from Logan Macdonald's corner kick fly wide of his right hand post.

Cammy Hill played in Kenneth Black in the eighty fifth minute with the Skipper firing into the side netting after a good overlapping run on the left.

More pressure from the visitors who kept up their pursuit of a consolation goal forced a corner kick on the left but Kevin Crawford's in-swinger couldn't clear the front post from where Steven MacLeod headed firmly away.

A neat turn inside the Saints box from Aaron Davis gave the second half substitute an eighty eighth minute sight of goal forcing Murdo MacKenzie to make a flying save high to his left to push the ball behind for a corner kick which the Saints defence cleared comfortably.

Referee Rae, who got all the key decisions correct, brought proceedings to a close after three added minutes

Colin Robertson can't hold Fraser MacFarlane's free-kick in the slippery conditions

Cammy Clark congratulates Thomas McCrindle on his goal

Donald Campbell nets Saints second goal from the penalty spot

Rory Dowd, Fraser MacFarlane and Kenneth Black make their way back to their own half after Saints third goal

Gavin Forgrieve

Kenneth Black and Aaron Davies

Cammy Hill and Logan Macdonald

Steven MacLeod

Thomas McCrindle and Christopher McConnell

#monthesaints

Rhu(m) For Improvement For Saints GG

Saturday 14th August 2021

Greater Glasgow Premier Amateur Football League

President's League Cup Section One

Rhu GGP 5 - 3 Oban Saints GG

DCF Park

Cumberland Road

Rhu

G84 8RX

Kick Off 1.00pm

Referee Mr Chris Irving

Oban Saints GG got their Greater Glasgow Premier Amateur Football League season underway at the DCF Park, Rhu last Saturday afternoon where hosts Rhu GGP came out on top in an eight goal thriller. Two goals from Martin Bonar and one from Robert Johnstone kept Saints GG in touch right until the end of an entertaining President's League Cup Section One encounter however the lack of any form of pre-season action for the Saints second string was evident with the fitter and sharper hosts running out deserved winners.

Saints lined up with Murdo MacKenzie in goal behind a back three of Aidan Campbell, Kerr Newbigging and Nathan Allan. Across the midfield were Craig Livingstone, Cammy Clark, Martin Bonar, Ruaridh Munro and Captain Kenneth Black with Robert Johnstone and Keir Maclean up front. On the substitutes bench were Lewis Buchanan, Alex Craik, Thomas McCrindle and Gary MacCuish.

Saints GG starting line-up:-

Used substitutes:-

Alex Craik

Thomas McCrindle 

Gary MacCuish

Lewis Buchanan

In April of this year Helensburgh Amateurs were brought under the wing of Rhu Amateurs and rebranded as Rhu GGP. The new addition to the Rhu stable will take Helensburgh's place in the Greater Glasgow Premier Amateur Football League Division. Also undergoing a rebranding is Rhu's famous old grass park. Formerly known as Ardenconnel Park Rhu's home patch has been renamed as the DCF Park in honour of the Club's sponsor however it still retains is characteristic steep slope across the pitch and iconic wooden Clubhouse.

Saints made a bright start on the tight bumpy surface with Keir Maclean and Cammy Clark both putting decent openings wide of target and Nathan Allan forcing Rhu keeper Craig Gemmell into action with a stooping header.

But for profligate finishing and some excellent saves from both goalkeepers the scoreboard from the neighbouring Helensburgh Cricket Club would have been required to keep track of proceedings and the hosts got the high scoring underway in the thirteenth minute.

Twins Adam and Kyle Sharkey combined with Kyle evading three Saints challenges on the left before picking out Adam in the box who slammed high into the net past Murdo MacKenzie.

The hosts doubled their advantage three minutes later after Referee Chris Irving had ruled Keir Maclean offside when through on goal. Keeper Gemmell launched the ball upfield which was flicked on by Callum Dods and picked up by Ross Jeffrey. Dangerman Jeffrey skipped past Nathan Allan and fired a right foot shot into the postage stamp corner.

The Saints front pairing of Keir Maclean and Robert Johnstone combined well with Maclean this time getting a right foot effort on target which Craig Gemmell saved well at his near post.

Gemmell and Maclean were in direct opposition again after twenty three minutes when the Rhu number one raced to the edge of his box to punch clear ahead of Maclean who had timed his run well to beat the Rhu offside trap.

Saints midfielder Cammy Clark found his way into Referee Chris Irving's notebook for a twenty fifth minute late challenge on Rhu fullback Grant.

Murdo MacKenzie showed good handling to claim a thirty second minute free-kick from the Rhu right and launched a Saints counter-attack. Kerr Newbigging, Cammy Clark, Craig Livinstone and Robert Johnstone were all involved as Saints swept upfield before Johnstone picked out Keir Maclean for a low shot agonisingly wide of Craig Gemmell's right hand post.

It was Rhu's turn to counter on the stroke of half-time and the hosts succeeded where Saints had failed. A suspiciously offside looking Ross Jeffrey was allowed to continue and had his effort parried by Murdo MacKenzie with the loose ball landing at the feet of Kyle Sharkey. Sharkey's shot came back off the post but into his stride allowing him to square to Jeffrey for the wide man to complete his brace.

Kerr Newbigging pulled up with a hamstring strain and was replaced by Alex Craik for the final few seconds of a disappointing first half for Saints.

Half time changes saw Gaffer Donald Black send on Thomas McCrindle and Gary MacCuish to replace Aidan Campbell and Ruaridh Munro also pushing Martin Bonar forward to join Keir Maclean and Robert Johnstone in a front three.

Saints started the second forty five with a higher tempo and tested Gemmell after just two minutes when the Rhu keeper got down well to his right to save a Robert Johnstone effort.

Gemmell was finally beaten in the fifty second minute when Martin Bonar fired into the roof of the net from fourteen yards after good work on the right by Craig Livingstone.

All of the good early second half work was unfortunately undone after an uncharacteristic error by the otherwise steady Murdo MacKenzie. The Saints GG number one dropped a Caldwell right wing cross at the feet of Ross Jeffrey who had the simplest of tasks in rolling the ball into the unguarded net.

MacKenzie redeemed himself immediately after the restart making a point blank save to deny Caldwell.

Saints made their final change in the sixty fourth minute with Lewis Buchanan replacing Nathan Allan.

Referee Chris Irving, who had a good game, cautioned veteran Saints central defender Alex Craik in the sixty fifth minute for hauling down Ross Jeffrey who remained a constant threat to the stretched Saints defence.

Cammy Clark failed to connect with an attempted overhead kick after Keir Maclean had beaten keeper Gemmell in the air to head a Kenneth Black free-kick across the face of goal.

The goalkeepers figured prominently again with Craig Gemmell saving well from Robert Johnstone before Murdo MacKenzie emulated his opposite number with an excellent stop to deny Caldwell.

Lewis Buchanan and Keir Maclean combined well on the Saints left in the seventy fifth minute and the Saints striker was unlucky to see his shot slip just wide of Gemmell's left hand post.

Sixty seconds later Saints halved the deficit when Robert Johnstone followed in at the back post to slot home Martin Bonar's cutback from the right.

Saints got themselves within touching distance of completing an unlikely comeback with ten minutes remaining. Robert Johnstone did well to win possession midway inside the Rhu half and played the ball out to Craig Livingstone on the right. Livingstone worked his way into the Rhu box and squared to Martin Bonar who rattled home for Saints third.

Skipper Kenneth Black carried the ball out from the back in the eighty first minute and was allowed to continue deep into Rhu territory before sending a thumping left foot drive just over Gemmell's crossbar.

Saints pursuit of an equaliser left them man for man at the back and Rhu exploited this vulnerability to devastating effect in the eighty second minute. Caldwell outpaced Kenneth Black on the Rhu right and fired a low cross along the six yard line which was turned into his own net by unfortunate youngster Thomas McCrindle who had done well to match the run of Ross Jeffrey.

This proved to be one blow too many for Saints who, despite attempts from Lewis Buchanan and Keir Maclean, were unable to further test Gemmell in the Rhu goal and had to rely on Murdo MacKenzie for one more save to prevent flying right winger Caldwell from notching a sixth for the home side.

It is Division One opposition for Saints GG again this coming Saturday when they host Lochwinnoch based Calderglen in another extremely difficult President's League Cup Section One match.     

The Team Captains with Referee Chris Irving

 

Aidan Campbell and Kyle Sharkey

Kerr Newbigging

Nathan Allan gets his header on target but keeper Gemmell saves

Craig Livingstone and Rhu fullback Grant

Ruaridh Munro

Cammy Clark

Martin Bonar

Keir Maclean

Murdo MacKenzie

Keir Maclean shoots wide

Robert Johnstone

No sitting on the fence for the Saints substitutes as it collapses under the combined weight of Thomas McCrindle and Lewis Buchanan

#monthesaints

Saints Are In With The Bricks With Steins

Saturday 7th August 2021

Friendly

Oban Saints 3 - 0 Steins Thistle

Glencruitten 2

Mossfield Avenue

Oban

Argyll

PA34 4EH

Kick Off 2.00pm
Referee Mr Anthony McCann

Oban Saints completed their pre-season schedule last Saturday when they welcomed first time visitors Steins Thistle to Glencruitten. Originally founded as the works team for the Steins Brickworks the now well established Allandale based Jags boast two East of Scotland Amateur Cup wins in their fifty one year history and provided another good test for Saints ahead of the new Central Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division campaign.

Oban's luck with the weather finally ran out and the long anticipated heavy rain materialised early in the first half and had the socially distanced Glencruitten faithful running for cover in what for a while resembled monsoon conditions.

Injuries to key players continue to restrict Manager Willie Gemmell's options and the Gaffer was forced to shuffle his pack once again handing unfamiliar fullback roles to Matty Kelly and Cammy Hill.

Saints lined up with Graham Douglas in goal behind a back four Matty Kelly, Steven MacLeod, Dene Cassells and Cammy Hill. Myles McAuley and Gavin Forgrieve anchored the midfield with Ross Maitland, Captain Lewis Cameron and Rory Dowd behind central striker Kyle Cooper. On the bench were Donald Campbell, Alex Craik, Fraser MacFarlane and new signing Jack Wright.

Oban Saints starting line-up:-

Used substitutes:-

Alex Craik

Donald Campbell

Fraser MacFarlane

Jack Wright

The visitors were on the front foot straight from the kick-off and forced Saints number one Graham Douglas into action inside the first minute. Centre forward William Robertson split Saints central defensive pairing of Dene Cassells and Steven MacLeod and fired off a right foot shot which Douglas, at full stretch, saved well to his right.

Steven MacLeod covered well to cut out a third minute ball through the inside right channel for the run of Alexander Tonner as the Jags continued their bright start.

Ross Maitland's fifth minute run on the left forced the first corner kick of the match with Rory Dowd's downward header from Lewis Cameron's delivery bouncing up and wide of Jags keeper Kieran Glaser's left hand post.

Lewis Cameron had the chance to test the young Steins keeper from a set-piece after he had been felled on the edge of the box by John Whiteford but the Saints Skipper for the day blasted his effort from right of centre high and wide of target.

Cameron and Kyle Cooper pressurised the Steins defence into conceding another corner kick on the Saints left after fifteen minutes and another good Cameron delivery this time found the head of Cammy Hill for an off target header.

Graham Douglas denied William Robertson for a second time showing safe hands in slippery conditions to hold the Steins strikers twenty fifth minute twenty two yard free-kick.

Saints remained a little sluggish and were still unable to test the Steins keeper with first Ross Maitland and then Gavin Forgrieve having efforts just off target.

Graham Douglas made it a hat-trick of saves from William Robertson pushing wide for a corner kick which the Saints number one also got a solid fist to.

As the rain intensified so eventually did the Saints tempo with the home side finally putting the visiting defence under a good spell of pressure.

Saints opened the scoring in the forty second minute with their first attempt on target after Ross Fox had felled Lewis Cameron on the edge of the Steins box. Kieran Glaser looked to have Cameron's free-kick well covered however David Gordon intervened with as fine a diving header as you are ever likely to see. Unfortunately for the big defender his attempt to clear the ball flew high into his own net giving Saints the lead going into the half-time break.

Saints kicked off the second half attacking the car park end but it was the visitors who posed the first real threat with Graham Douglas again showing good handling to hold a left foot shot from Ross Fox.

Saints Manager Willie Gemmell made his first changes after just five second half minutes sending on experienced duo Donald Campbell and Alex Craik to replace youngsters Rory Dowd and Gavin Forgrieve.

Dene Cassells made an excellent interception to prevent William Robertson breaking into the box in the fifty second minute as the Saints defence adjusted to a back three of Cassells, Alex Craik and Steven MacLeod.

Pushing forward on the right Matty Kelly swung over a deep fifty third minute cross which Donald Campbell acrobatically cut back for strike partner Kyle Cooper who blasted over the bar from close range.

Cutting inside after a good run on the left Cammy Hill was hauled down by Alexander Tonner with Lewis Cameron firing the resulting fifty seventh minute free-kick inches wide of the junction of post and crossbar. 

The home side doubled their advantage on the hour mark after more good work on the left from Hill. After good close control the newly discovered utility man found Ross Maitland in the middle who lashed the ball from twenty yards high into the net past Kieran Glaser's despairing right hand.

Saints continued to threaten and only a well timed sliding interception from Ross Fox prevented teenage striker Kyle Cooper from testing the keeper.

Cooper hasn't looked at all out of place since his promotion from the youth ranks for the pre-season schedule but failed to add to his three previous goals turning Ross Maitland's cross wide at the back post after Maitland and Donald Campbell had linked up well on the right.

Maitland was a threat again in the seventieth minute sending over an inviting cross which Steins defender Jamie Johnston did well to head behind for a corner kick. Lewis Cameron's delivery from the left was knocked out to the edge of the box but retrieved by Donald Campbell who sent a crisp strike zipping along the slippery turf which a fully extended Kieran Glaser did well to stop to his right. The young keeper was unfortunately out of luck as Matty Kelly was first to react and pounced to roll the ball into the unguarded net for Saints third and final goal of the afternoon.

Manager Willie Gemmell turned to his bench for the closing stages withdrawing Myles McAuley and Kyle Cooper in favour of Fraser MacFarlane and new signing Jack Wright.

Keiran Glaser turned a seventy fifth minute Cammy Hill left foot effort around his right hand post before punching clear the resulting corner kick from Lewis Cameron.

The visitors kept up their search for a consolation goal and forced two corner kicks in quick succession which the Saints defence did well to repel. 

With ten minutes remaining Saints launched a counter-attack through Lewis Cameron with the Scottish amateur internationalist finding Cammy Hill up in support at the back post. Hill unfortunately couldn't cap a good display on the Saints left with a goal and struck the woodwork from close range.

Steins weren't done yet and substitute Connor Mackie forced Graham Douglas into another good save from a quickly taken free-kick on the halfway line.

William Robertson had one last attempt curling a right foot shot wide of the postage stamp corner after a knock down from substitute Cole Smith before Referee Tony McCann, who handled proceedings well, blew for full time.

Saints have their first taste of Central Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division action this coming Saturday when they travel to face Drumchapel Amateurs.   

Graham Douglas

Kyle Cooper

Kieran Glaser

Cammy Hill heads wide

Gavin Forgrieve

David Gordon heads past his own keeper

Lewis Cameron and Lee Allen

Rory Dowd gets past John Whiteford

Lewis Cameron

Ross Maitland makes it 2 - 0

Cammy Hill runs at the Steins defence

Matty Kelly

Jack Wright

Fraser MacFarlane with Dylan McKay in pursuit

Jack Wright and Cole Smith

#monthesaints