Saints Make No Impression On Anvil

Saturday 27th November 2021

Central Scottish Amateur Football League

Premier Division

Oban Saints 0 - 2 Uddingston Anvil

Glencruitten 2

Mossfield Avenue

Oban

Argyll

PA34 4EH

Kick Off 2.00pm
Referee Mr Ross Stirling

This season's all too familiar story of missed chances and cheaply conceded goals cost Oban Saints three more valuable Central Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division points at Glencruitten last Saturday.

After Saints Skipper Craig MacEwan had put through his own net in the first half, visitors Uddingston Anvil took full advantage of the generosity of their hosts to establish a two goal lead inside the first minute of the second half. 

Despite a spirited performance there was no way back for the desperately out of luck Saints who missed a hatful of chances and found Anvil goalkeeper David McKegney in truly inspired form. 

Teenage defender Thomas McCrindle was given a starting debut in place of the injured Dene Cassells as Saints made three changes to the starting eleven which had secured progress to the West of Scotland Cup fourth round in their last outing. 

Saints lined up with Graham Douglas in goal behind a back three of Steven MacLeod, Willie Gemmell and Thomas McCrindle. Across the five man midfield were Kyle Cooper, Gavin Forgrieve, Matty Kelly, Myles McAuley and Scott Maitland with Daniel MacCuish and Craig MacEwan up front. On the bench were David Beaton, Alex Craik, Cammy Hill, Fraser MacFarlane and Louie MacFarlane.

Oban Saints starting line-up:-

Used substitutes:-

David Beaton

Cammy Hill

Louie MacFarlane

Unused substitutes:-

Alex Craik

Fraser MacFarlane

Attacking the railway line end in the first half the visitors came flying out of the traps and had the ball in the net in the third minute when Christopher Owen's diving header across the face of goal was turned in by Ewan Moyes. Referee Ross Stirling however ruled that Owen had strayed offside to meet Darren Ferguson's free-kick and disallowed the goal.

Daniel MacCuish felt his progress inside the Anvil box in the fourth minute had been unfairly impeded however Mr Stirling dismissed the Saints penalty appeal.

Kyle Cooper saw his tenth minute shot from the edge of the box deflected behind for a corner as Saints looked to have weathered the early Anvil storm.

Cooper did well again on the right two minutes later beating Reece McAuley to reach the bye-line. Cooper's cut back was met by Daniel MacCuish who had his first attempt blocked before sending his second effort on the rebound wide of target.

Saints first self inflicted injury came in the fifteenth minute when Graham Douglas misjudged Darren Ferguson's in-swinging corner kick from the right and Craig MacEwan's attempt to clear the danger ended up in his own net.

A further setback for the home side followed five minutes later when Kyle Cooper rolled his right ankle ending his participation in the game and earning David Beaton an earlier than anticipated call up from the substitutes bench.

Saints front pairing of Craig MacEwan and Daniel MacCuish linked well in the twenty fourth minute with MacCuish teeing up the Skipper for a shot from twenty yards which flew wide of David McKegney's left hand post.

Willie Gemmell's deep fortieth minute free-kick from wide on the right just inside the Anvil half was met by a solid David McKegney punch however Saints kept the pressure on and Craig MacEwan played in Matty Kelly for an effort from a tight angle which bounced agonisingly across the face of goal before being turned behind for a corner kick.

The visitors lost the services of Ross Ferguson to injury just before the interval with Anton Murray entering the fray as his replacement.

The second half began in disastrous fashion for Saints when the visitors capitalised fully on possession gifted to them midway inside the Saints half. Caught in two minds with what to do with the ball Daniel MacCuish only succeeded in clipping the ball into the path of Robert Dimmer who in turn picked out the run of Kieron Markey. The teenage striker raced in behind the Saints back three and made no mistake in beating the advancing Graham Douglas to double the Anvil advantage.

Anvil dead ball expert Darren Ferguson's forty ninth minute free-kick from thirty two yards was well held by Graham Douglas before opposite number David McKegney produced the first of a number of vital saves to deny Daniel MacCuish from Scott Maitland's left wing cross.

Graham Douglas saved a second Darren Ferguson free-kick and launched a fifty third minute Saints counter-attack which took Craig MacEwan into the Anvil box. Cutting in from the left MacEwan's shot across David McKegney beat the Anvil keeper but bounced inches wide of target.

Daniel MacCuish's fifty sixth minute cross field pass looking for the run of Scott Maitland was cut out by the head of Dylan Hendry but only into the path of Craig MacEwan who controlled well but sent his stabbed effort straight into the midriff of McKegney.

Thomas McCrindle, who acquitted himself well on his home debut, was replaced on the hour mark by Cammy Hill in a switch which saw Scott Maitland drop back into the back three.

Anton Murray found his way into Referee Stirling's note book for a late challenge on Cammy Hill wide on the Saints left. Willie Gemmell lifted the resulting free-kick to the far post from where Daniel MacCuish planted his header wide of target.

Saints were getting some joy from Hill's introduction on the left and his inviting sixty fifth minute low cross along the six yard line was put out for  throw-in by Anton Murray. Hill got his head to Myles McAuley's throw but his flick-on was too high for Gavin Forgrieve and was claimed by keeper McKegney.

Willie Gemmell's spectacular attempted overhead kick from Gavin Forgrieve's seventy fifth minute free-kick sailed over the crossbar before the visitors made their second and final change sending on Harris Gunn to replace Ruaridh Howat.

Robert Dimmer did well on the right to escape the attentions of Scott Maitland and set up Dylan Hendry for a seventy sixth minute shot just wide of Graham Douglas' left hand post. Two minutes later space opened up for another Hendry shot which Douglas saved comfortably.

Saints kept pushing for the goal which would bring them back into the game and only an excellent save from David McKegney kept the Saints attack at bay. Cammy Hill's eighty third minute cross field run from left to right had the Anvil defence trailing in his wake and his low shot looked certain to find the target until McKegney's intervention at full stretch finger tipped the ball around his right and post.

There was more heroics from McKegney sixty seconds later to deny Craig MacEwan after Matty Kelly and Daniel MacCuish combined to set up the Skipper.

More good work on the left from Cammy Hill saw the big utility man fizz a low cross to Daniel MacCuish who thumped a shot off the left hand upright just as Darren Ferguson crashed into him. Bizarrely Referee Stirling saw nothing wrong with the challenge and allowed play to continue albeit without MacCuish who had to be carried from the field of play.

Cammy Hill joined Craig MacEwan up front for the closing stages with MacCuish's replacement Louie MacFarlane taking up the left wing back position but Saints were unable to test McKegney again and slumped to a sixth league defeat of what is shaping up to be a long and difficult season.     

Team Captains Craig MacEwan and Alan Inch with Referee Ross Stirling

Graham Douglas

Myes McAuley gets away from Darren Ferguson

Thomas McCrindle and Ruaridh Howat

Daniel MacCuish tries to escape the attentions of Reece McAuley and Christopher Owen

David McKegney

Matty Kelly

Cammy Hill skips away from Ewan Moyes

Darren Ferguson wipes out Daniel MacCuish

#monthesaints

Three Sugar Penalty Saves Keep Saints In The Cup

Saturday 20th November 2021

West of Scotland Amateur Cup

Third Round

Oban Saints 3 - 3 Westerlands (Penalties 3 - 1)

Glencruitten 2

Mossfield Avenue

Oban

Argyll

PA34 4EH

Kick Off 2.00pm
Referee Mr Robert Doolan

Good things, by all accounts, come in threes and three penalty shoot-out saves from Oban Saints goalkeeper Graham "Sugar" Douglas saw Saints win their round three West of Scotland Cup tie at Glencruitten last Saturday after three goals each from the hosts and Caledonian League visitors Westerlands saw the lead change hands three times during the regulation ninety minutes. 

After a goalless first half the Glencruitten faithful who had braved the heavy rain were treated to six goals in a thrilling second period before the added bonus of a nerve jangling penalty shoot-out.

Manager Willie Gemmell's team selection options were given a boost when stalwart defender Steven MacLeod shook off his ankle injury and new dad Fraser MacFarlane returned from paternity leave however Lewis Cameron failed to recover sufficiently from the bruising encounter against St Patrick's FP seven days earlier and Daniel MacCuish served the one match suspension for the red card picked up against Castlemilk Dynamo.

Saints lined up with Graham Douglas in goal behind a back four of Cammy Hill, Steven MacLeod, Dene Cassells and Scott Maitland. Myles McAuley and Gavin Forgrieve anchored the midfield with David Beaton, Matty Kelly and Captain Craig MacEwan behind central striker Kyle Cooper. Providing experience on the substitutes bench alongside youngsters Thomas McCrindle and Louie MacFarlane were Willie Gemmell, Ross Maitland and Fraser MacFarlane.

Oban Saints starting line-up:-

Used substitutes:-

Ross Maitland

Fraser MacFarlane

Unused substitutes:-

Willie Gemmell

Thomas McCrindle

Louie MacFarlane

Attacking the railway line end in the first half Saints were moving the ball around well enough but without the necessary urgency to trouble the Westerlands back four.

When Matty Kelly did manage to get behind wide on the right his cross into the six yard box looped over the head of David Beaton before being thumped clear.

The visitors took route one for their first serious attack which came in the twenty second minute from a Fraser Russell goal kick. The big central defender's long kick was flicked on by Scott McFarlane into the path of Brian Maybin who found his route into the Saints box blocked by Cammy Hill. The loose ball was keenly contested by Jack Halley and Scott Maitland with Referee Robert Doolan penalising the Saints left full back. Scott McFarlane curled the resulting free-kick high over Graham Douglas' crossbar.

Saints threatened again on the right after twenty eight minutes when Cammy Hill's overlapping run was picked out by Myles McAuley. Hill's cutback along the six yard line was well cut out by Westerlands Skipper Calum Windram with Craig MacEwan, Gavin Forgrieve and Kyle Cooper all closing in.

The goalless first half was no indication of the goal avalanche which was to follow in the second period which was only sixty seconds old when it produced the first on target effort of the match. Ewan Dempster made good progress on the Westerlands left and picked out Jack Halley in the middle for a shot from eighteen yards which Graham Douglas held comfortably.

Westerlands young keeper Daniel MacDonald remained untested as firstly Matthew Kelly couldn't direct a difficult header from a Cammy Hill cross on target before another Hill right wing cutback eluded the chasing Saints pack.

The deadlock was broken after fifty five minutes when Scott Maitland and Craig MacEwan combined well on the left for MacEwan to pick out Matty Kelly's supporting run through the middle. Kelly was at full stretch to make a solid connection with MacEwan's cross sending the ball into the top corner past Daniel MacDonald's right hand.

Kyle Cooper's fifty seventh minute left foot effort from the edge of the Westerlands box curled over the crossbar as Saints stepped up their search for a second goal.

The home side's good start to the second half was undone on the half hour mark when the visitors capitalised fully on cheaply conceded Saints possession. Jack Halley's shot was too powerful for Graham Douglas to hold and luck deserted the Saints number one when his parry fell into the path of Ryan McGregor for a simple finish.

Westerlands made a triple substitution replacing Jack Halley, Scott McFarlane and Ewan Dempster with Fraser Gordon, Calum McCrossan and Thomas Thomsen.

Matty Kelly was denied a second goal in the sixty third minute when he followed in on a Craig MacEwan shot which Daniel MacDonald could only parry. Kelly reached the loose ball ahead of MacDonald and Stephen Stewart only for Stewart's central defensive partner Fraser Russell to get back on the goal line to make an acrobatic clearance. 

Westerlands got their noses in front with twenty minutes remaining from a tempting Kristian Gega free-kick. Gega's pinpoint delivery from the left was met perfectly by Calum Windram whose classic downward header from two yards out gave Graham Douglas no chance.

Saints Manager Willie Gemmell made an instant change sending on Ross Maitland to replace Cammy Hill however it was the visitors who threatened again two minutes later with Graham Douglas standing up well to block a close range Calum McCrossan effort.

There was a large slice of good fortune surrounding Saints equaliser in the seventy seventh minute. Daniel MacDonald got his right hand to a long range Gavin Forgrieve shot but only succeeded in pushing the ball back towards his own goal-line. The young keeper scrambled back to claw the ball out from between the posts however, despite the Westerlands protests, Referee Doolan ruled the ball had crossed the line.

From the restart the visitors once again demonstrated their threat from set pieces when Kristian Gega's free-kick from the right was met by a diving header from Brian Maybin which Graham Douglas held well.

Saints hit the front with seven minutes remaining when Matty Kelly picked out Craig MacEwan after a strong cross-field run from right to left. MacEwan held the ball up well before slipping a perfectly weighted pass into the path of Myles McAuley who thumped the ball into the net from twelve yards.

The visitors introduced exiled Obanite Elliot Dougall adding height to their attack for the closing stages while Saints sent on Fraser MacFarlane for Kyle Cooper.

The Saints lead lasted just three minutes before a set-piece once again proved to be Saints undoing. Kristian Gega's delivery from the right this time found Calum McCrossan who powered a header from nine yards past a rooted Graham Douglas. 

In the second of the three additional minutes David Beaton controlled a Craig MacEwan flick-on from a Myles McAuley throw-in on the right and thumped the ball into the side netting from a tight angle before Mr Doolan, who had a good match, blew for full time and signalled the requirement for a penalty shoot-out.

Never one to shirk a challenge Steven MacLeod strode up purposefully for the first kick which Daniel MacDonald saved well low to his right. Graham Douglas however immediately levelled things up when he dropped to his left to save Ryan McGregor's effort.

Myles McAuley accepted responsibility for Saints second penalty but failed to hit the target leaving the scores level at 0 - 0.

Westerlands Skipper Calum Windram got the scoring underway with Dene Cassells levelling immediately for Saints.

Graham Douglas flung himself to his right to push away Kristian Gega's strike and regain the initiative for his side. Never short of confidence second half substitute Fraser MacFarlane made no mistake with his attempt before Graham Douglas made it "match point" to Saints with his third save this time foiling Fraser Gordon.

Saints Skipper Craig MacEwan held his nerve and successfully converted his spot kick to send his side into the fourth round.

This coming Saturday Saints resume their search for first home league points of the season when they welcome Uddingston Anvil to Glencruitten in the Central Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division.

Daniel MacDonald

Kyle Cooper

Craig MacEwan gets away from Calum Windram

David Beaton

Celebrations after Matty Kelly's opening goal

Matty Kelly gets away from Kristian Gega

Gavin Forgrieve congratulates midfield partner Myles McAuley on his goal

Calum McCrossan header levels the scores at 3 - 3

Graham Douglas saves from Ryan McGregor

Dene Cassells gets Saints off the mark

Graham Douglas saves from Kristian Gega

Fraser MacFarlane puts Saints ahead in the shoot-out

Craig MacEwan nets the winning penalty

#monthesaints

On Fire Champions St Pat's Too Hot For Saints

Saturday 13th November 2021

Central Scottish Amateur Football League
Premier Division
St Patrick's F.P. 2 - 0 Oban Saints

Our Lady and St Patrick's High School

Howatshaws Road
Bellsmyre

Dumbarton

G82 3DR

Kick Off 2.00pm
Referee Mr Tony McCann

Oban Saints run of testing fixtures continued last Saturday with a trip to Dumbarton to face reigning Central Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division Champions St Patrick's FP. The home side warmed up for their delayed 2019-20 season West of Scotland Amateur Cup appearance this coming Friday with an impressive performance to stretch their winning streak to seven games a run which includes five clean sheets.

Scottish Amateur international Ciaran McElroy capped an inspirational display with a second half goal to secure the points for St Pat's after a seventh minute wonder strike from Liam Rowan had set the home side on their way. Saints battled hard throughout but got no change from the miserly home defence and had goalkeeper Graham Douglas to thank for a clutch of excellent saves to keep the deficit at two.

With Manager Willie Gemmell unavailable Coach Ross Maitland and Secretary David Buchanan were left in charge. The stand-in Management duo were dealt a blow with the late withdrawal of stalwart defender Steven MacLeod and so handed a first team call-up to Thomas McCrindle rewarding the youngster for his recent impressive displays with the Club's Greater Glasgow Premier team.

McCrindle joined fellow youngsters Kyle Cooper and Louie MacFarlane on a bench which also included Coaches Ross Maitland and David Dunlop.

Saints lined up with Graham Douglas in goal behind a back three of Cammy Hill, Dene Cassells and Scott Maitland. Across the middle of the park were David Beaton, Matty Kelly, Gavin Forgrieve, Myles McAuley and Captain Craig MacEwan with Lewis Cameron and Daniel MacCuish up top.

Oban Saints starting line-up:-

Used substitutes:-

Kyle Cooper

Louie MacFarlane

Thomas McCrindle

Unused substitutes:-

David Dunlop

Ross Maitland

Saints kicked off on the 4G surface at Our Lady and St Patrick's High School and survived an early scare in just the second minute. Scott Maitland headed a cross from Scottish Amateur international colleague Ciaran McElroy behind for a corner kick. Liam Rowan's delivery from the left was headed out to the edge of the box where Referee Tony McCann ignored Saints appeals for a hand ball and allowed St Pat's Skipper Dominic Ruane to send in a shot which crashed off the Saints crossbar.

Livewire striker Ciaran McElroy was already proving a handful for the experimental Saints back three of Cammy Hill, Dene Cassells and Scott Maitland and provided the assist for the opening goal. McElroy collected the ball up from a throw-in on the right level with the penalty spot and picked out Liam Rowan unmarked twenty five yards from goal from where he arrowed a stunning strike into the top corner past a rooted Graham Douglas.

Saints were almost caught cold from the restart conceding possession immediately which saw David Connelly race through onto a Ciaran McElroy lay-off where his left foot shot was saved low to his right by Graham Douglas.

The hosts continued their high tempo start with McElroy sending Connelly through again in the tenth minute with Douglas producing another fine save this time to his left.

Saints were struggling to get their passing game going conceding possession too cheaply and inviting pressure on themselves which the hosts constantly looked to exploit through the twin strike force of McElroy and Connelly.

Saints finally made their presence felt at the other end with David Beaton's driving twenty third minute run on the right being unceremoniously brought to an end by Neil Allan. Lewis Cameron's inviting free-kick across the face of goal narrowly evaded the runs of both Dene Cassells and Cammy Hill and skipped behind for a goal kick.

Two minutes later Myles McAuley's ball from the left corner of the St Pat's box tried to pick out David Beaton at the far post with St Pat's keeper Brian Gallacher getting quickly across to smother the ball at Beaton's feet.

Liam Rowan tried his luck from distance again in the twenty sixth minute from a quickly taken short free-kick this time firing his powerful shot inches wide of Graham Douglas' right hand post.

Ciaran McElroy sent strike partner David Connelly through on goal again on the half hour mark with Dene Cassells doing well to keep pace with Connelly and putting the young striker under enough pressure for him to scuff his effort across Graham Douglas and wide of target.

Referee Tony McCann was sent reaching for his notebook and cards twice in quick succession when Ciaran McElroy and Dominic Ruane both went in late and high on Cammy Hill and Myles McAuley respectively. Mr McCann did however resist the temptation for a third card on the stroke of half-time when a badly timed swipe from Liam Rowan almost cut Lewis Cameron in two.

Saints started the second half brightly and a Ross Cannon foul on Daniel MacCuish gave Lewis Cameron a dead ball opportunity from twenty eight yards which he sent over the St Pat's wall but straight into the midriff of Brian Gallacher.

The visitors' good start to the second period was undone after just five five minutes when the hosts ruthlessly exploited more cheaply conceded Saints possession. A promising Saints move broke down wide on the left touchline midway inside the St Pat's half. Dominic Ruane's quick ball over the top was just the invitation Ciaran McElroy had been looking for and the speedy striker held off the challenge of Dene Cassells to slot left footed beyond the right hand of Graham Douglas and into the bottom corner.

Just two minutes later the hosts hit the woodwork for a second time when Mathew Devine collected a Ciaran McElroy lay off and thumped a left foot shot from eighteen yards off the foot of Graham Douglas's right hand post.

A golden opportunity for Saints to grab a foot hold in the game was passed up by Craig MacEwan after fifty four minutes. MacEwan ghosted in unmarked from the left onto a Lewis Cameron cross but with no shout to tell him just how much time he had the Skipper snatched a difficult header wide of target.

Gavin Forgrieve sent a long range effort over Brian Gallacher's crossbar after fifty five minutes before another chance fell to Craig MacEwan seven minutes later. Gavin Forgrieve and Matty Kelly combined well to send David Beaton scurrying forward on the right from where his cross picked out Craig MacEwan in the middle. MacEwan escaped the close attentions of both Neil Allan and Scott Anderson but curled his effort from fourteen yards wide of the postage stamp corner.

At the other end David Connelly resumed his personal battle with Graham Douglas with the Saints number one once again coming out on top palming down Connelly's shot for Cammy Hill to thump clear.

Saints made their first change after seventy three minutes sending on Kyle Cooper to replace David Beaton. St Pat's substitutes Martin Currie and Ryan Deeley combined well with fifteen minutes remaining when Currie beat Dene Cassells in the air to flick a Brian Gallacher kick from hands into the path of Deeley whose shot from eighteen yards was well saved by Graham Douglas.

Skipper Craig MacEwan tracked back to stop the eightieth minute run of Michael Symington on the right, unfairly in the opinion of Referee McCann who handled a full bloodied contest between the two old rivals well. From the resulting free-kick Ryan Deeley climbed well at the back post to head Ciaran McElroy's delivery back across the face of goal where Craig MacEwan was on hand to control and lift forward looking for Kyle Cooper.

MacEwan made way for Louie MacFarlane with eight minutes remaining and a final Saints change followed in the dying minutes when Thomas McCrindle replaced Daniel MacCuish.

Saints kept probing for the opening that would give them some glimmer of hope however it was the hosts who came closest with another swift counter-attack. Graham Douglas capped a first class personal performance with a point blank save to deny Ryan Deeley from a Luke Gray through ball before Mr McCann brought the contest to a close. 

This coming Saturday Saints are on West of Scotland Cup duty when they host Westerlands of the Caledonian League First Division in a third round tie which must be decided on the day.

Graham Douglas

Liam Rowan

  

Dene Cassells and David Connelly

Daniel MacCuish

Lewis Cameron

Myles McAuley and Luke Gray

Mathew Devine

Gavin Forgrieve and Dominic Ruane

Daniel MacCuish and Ross Cannon

Scott Maitland

Brian Gallacher

Cammy Hill

Craig MacEwan

Cammy Hill and Ryan Deeley

Ciaran McElroy

Louie MacFarlane

Thomas McCrindle

#monthesaints

Saints Drummed Out Of Scottish Amateur Cup At Third Round Stage

Saturday 6th November 2021

Scottish Amateur Football Association Challenge Cup Competition

Third Round

Oban Saints 1 - 2 Drumchapel Amateurs

Glencruitten 2

Mossfield Avenue

Oban

Argyll

PA34 4EH

Kick Off 2.00pm
Referee Mr Joseph Todd

Oban Saints crashed out of the Scottish Amateur Cup at a wet and windy Glencruitten last Saturday afternoon. Daniel MacCuish gave Saints the lead in the thirty fourth minute however spurned opportunities to increase their advantage before the half-time interval proved very costly for the home side when a quick fire Connor Higgins brace for the visitors turned the tie on it's head inside six second half minutes.

Saints failed to rediscover their first half form and a controlled Drumchapel performance saw the 2019 - 20 semi-finalists safely into the fourth round. 

Manager Willie Gemmell's team selection options were given a boost when Steven MacLeod returned from suspension and Craig MacEwan's injury woes eased sufficiently for him to join a squad containing nine changes from that which had defeated Port Glasgow in the second round five week earlier.

Prior to kick-off Referee Joseph Todd lead both camps in a silence of remembrance for St Roch's Juniors Manager Paul Kelly who sadly passed away during the week.

Saints lined up with Graham Douglas in goal behind a back four of Steven MacLeod, Dene Cassells, Willie Gemmell and Captain Scott Maitland. Myles McAuley and Gavin Forgrieve anchored the midfield with David Beaton, Lewis Cameron and Cammy Hill behind central striker Daniel MacCuish. Providing experience on the substitutes bench alongside youngsters Kyle Cooper and Louie MacFarlane were Matty Kelly, Ross Maitland and returning injury victim Craig MacEwan.

Oban Saints starting line-up:-

Used substitutes:-

Craig MacEwan

Matty Kelly

Kyle Cooper

Louie MacFarlane

Unused substitute:-

Ross Maitland

Saints started brightly with Scott Maitland forcing the first corner kick of the match in the fourth minute. Lewis Cameron's delivery from the left was tempting but cleanly caught by Drum keeper Stephen Mather.

Mather was in action again two minutes later making a good save to his left to push a Lewis Cameron effort behind for another corner kick which the Drum defence successfully repelled.

At the other end Saints number one Graham Douglas punched clear a corner kick from the left after Willie Gemmell had deflected a Marc McCran shot wide of target.

Following another deflected Drum effort the visitors worked their corner kick from the left short forcing Graham Douglas into an excellent save low to his left to deny Alan Kelly from the corner of the eighteen yard box.

Myles McAuley, whose midfield partnership with Gavin Forgrieve looked solid, turned the clock back several years with a rampaging run forward in the sixteenth minute. Not renowned for his shooting prowess McAuley unleashed a powerful shot from twenty five yards which Stephen Mather could only parry into the path of Daniel MacCuish whose attempt to lob the big keeper unfortunately cleared the crossbar.  

Graham Douglas denied Alan Kelly for a second time pushing his twenty seventh minute free-kick wide before Jamie Ross slammed the loose ball into the side netting from an acute angle.

A Greig Morrison foul on Lewis Cameron gave Willie Gemmell a chance to showcase his dead ball skills however his thirty second minute effort from twenty four yards went straight into the grateful gloves of Stephen Mather.

Saints opened the scoring in the thirty fourth minute from a free kick inside their own half following a foul on Lewis Cameron after Dene Cassells had headed away a Drum corner kick from the left. Willie Gemmell rolled the ball short to Myles McAuley who once again strode forward purposefully this time picking out Daniel MacCuish for an accomplished finish into the top corner from the edge of the box.

David Beaton was inches away from doubling Saints lead diving in at the back post after Drum Skipper Paul McConachie had headed a thirty ninth minute Lewis Cameron free-kick back across the face of his own goal.

On the stroke of half-time a perfectly timed tackle from Adam Douglas foiled Cammy Hill who delayed pulling the trigger when through on Stephen Mather just long enough for the Drum fullback to get his challenge in.  

The Second half was just three minutes old when Saints were made to pay for their missed first half opportunities. Paul McConachie and Jack Wilson were both allowed to race in unattended at the back post from an Alan Kelly free-kick from the right. McConachie squared the ball into the path of Connor Higgins who prodded past Graham Douglas from six yards. Saints appealed loudly for an offside decision but Referee Joe Todd saw no infringement and further upset the home side by cautioning Willie Gemmell for dissent.

Three minutes later the turnaround was complete with Higgins knocking home from just a few inches after Graham Douglas had clawed a dipping and swerving Jamie Ross effort from underneath his crossbar straight to the feet of the onrushing striker.

Still with a semi-final appearance from the covid disrupted 2019 - 20 season to look forward to, Drumchapel were in no mood to allow this season's Scottish Amateur Cup run to come to an end and in a controlled second half performance gave Saints little encouragement in their search for an equaliser.

Dene Cassells joined central defensive partner Gemmell in the Referee's notebook for a late challenge on Paul McConachie with Mr Todd, who handled the typically keenly contested cup tie well throughout, balancing up the card count with cautions for Connor Higgins and Marc McCran.

Saints freshened things up with introduction of Craig MacEwan, Matty Kelly and Kyle Cooper but the closest the home side would come was a close range David Beaton effort which Stephen Mather clawed behind at his near post.

As the clock ticked down Saints gave a debut to youth team product Louie MacFarlane who looks to have a bright future ahead of him before Mr Todd brought proceedings to a close ending Saints Scottish Amateur Cup dreams for another season.  

This coming Saturday Saints return to league business with a trip to Dumbarton to face reigning Central Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division Champions St Patrick's F.P.

Lewis Cameron and Marc McCran

Graham Douglas

Willie Gemmell

Cammy Hill

Scott Maitland and Paul McConachie

Celebrations after Daniel MacCuish's opening goal

Myles McAuley challenged by Scott Holms

Goal saving challenge from Adam Douglas to deny Cammy Hill

Daniel MacCuish

Connor Higgins prods home the equaliser

Connor Morrison

Daniel MacCuish and Greig Morrison

Craig MacEwan and Jonathan Devlin

Stephen Mather

Matty Kelly

Louie MacFarlane and Paul McConachie

#monthesaints