Saints Blown Away At Glenhead Park

Saturday 29th January 2022

Central Scottish Amateur Football League

Premier Division

Drumchapel Amateurs 7 - 2 Oban Saints

Glenhead Park

Farm Road

Duntocher

G81 6HH

Kick Off 2.00pm
Referee Mr Michael Kerr

Failure to capitalise on the first half wind advantage cost a depleted Oban Saints side any chance of taking anything from last Saturday's Central Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division clash with title contenders Drumchapel Amateurs.

The gale force wind blowing from the Farm Road end of Glenhead Park made for farcical playing conditions but it was the home side who dealt with them better to establish a slender lead at the interval before kicking on in the second half.

Manager Willie Gemmell's playing resources were severely stretched with ever reliable veterans David Dunlop and Alex Craik once again given starting roles. At the other end of the age spectrum Aidan MacDonald and Preston Macintyre were called up from the youth ranks to bolster the squad numbers.   

Saints lined up with David Dunlop taking care of business in goal behind a back three of Steven MacLeod, Alex Craik and Ruaridh Horne. Across the five man midfield were David Beaton, Matty Kelly, Daniel MacCuish, Gavin Forgrieve and Cammy Hill with Kyle Cooper and Captain Craig MacEwan up front. On the bench were Scott Maitland, James Conington, Aidan MacDonald and Preston Macintyre.

Oban Saints starting line-up:-

Used substitutes:-

Scott Maitland

James Conington

Aidan MacDonald

Preston Macintyre

Saints Captain Craig MacEwan won the toss of Referee Michael Kerr's coin and elected to play with the wind in the first half which was only two minutes old when Saints took the lead.

Storm Malik was playing havoc with Drumchapel keeper Stephen Mather's kicking and when the wind helped his clearance perfectly into the stride of David Beaton the diminutive Saints wing back had the relatively straight forward task of passing the ball into the unguarded net for the opening goal.

Five minutes later Cammy Hill and Kyle Cooper linked up well on the left with Cooper cushioning Hill's pass into the path of Craig MacEwan who curled a right foot shot inches wide of the postage stamp corner.

Saints good start was undone in the twelfth minute when Steven MacLeod was adjudged to have tripped Jamie Ross inside the Saints penalty area on the Drumchapel left. MacLeod's challenge earned him the first yellow card of the afternoon. Drum striker Connor Higgins made no mistake from twelve yards tucking the ball in the bottom corner and sending David Dunlop in the opposite direction in the process.

The woodwork came to the rescue of a clearly struggling David Dunlop in the twentieth minute when Paul McConachie's cleanly struck effort from twenty eight yards struck the base of Dunlop's left hand upright.

Dunlop got a solid punch behind a twenty fourth minute Alan Kelly free-kick which launched a swift Saints counter-attack. Daniel MacCuish carried the ball to the halfway line and picked out David Beaton racing through the inside left channel. Beaton looked set to double his tally for the afternoon but was foiled by an excellent save at his near post from Drum keeper Stephen Mather.

Good pressing from the Saints central midfield three of Matty Kelly, Daniel MacCuish and Matty Kelly won possession deep inside opposition territory with Kelly sending Craig MacEwan through on goal. The Saints Skipper rounded Stephen Mather and evaded a last gasp challenge from Adam Douglas before tapping in from six yards range.

The hosts equalised straight from the restart with Alan Kelly finding the net via the inside of David Dunlop's right hand post from thirty yards.

Off target efforts from Matty Kelly and Daniel MacCuish followed from Saints before the hosts got their noses in front for the time in the contest on the stroke of half-time. David Dunlop's lack of mobility contributed heavily to him dropping an Alan Kelly left wing cross at the feet of Paul McConachie who had the simplest of tasks to poke home from close range.

Saints began the second half well and squandered an excellent opportunity to restore parity in the forty ninth minute. Ruaridh Horne and Gavin Forgrieve combined well on the right with Forgrieve picking out the run of Kyle Cooper through the inside right channel. Cooper's low shot across Stephen Mather evaded the big keeper's right hand but slipped inches wide of the post.

The hosts capitalised on this let-off in the fifty fifth minute when Paul McConachie headed home a right wing cross from eight yards.

Just three minutes later Drumchapel ended any thoughts of a Saints comeback when Jamie Ross beat Ruaridh Horne on the edge of the box and fired a low left foot shot past David Dunlop's right hand. Before the action could restart Saints Manager sent on Scott Maitland to replace Cammy Hill in a straight swap at left wing-back.

With the wind at their backs Drumchapel had Saints pinned back and completed devastating spell with a third goal inside eight minutes when Alan Kelly tricked his way past David Beaton on the Drum left and sent a low cross to Connor Higgins for yet another easy close range finish.

Having pulled on the number one jersey in every decade since his debut for the club in 1987 there can be no questioning David Dunlop's commitment to the Saints cause however there was no way his hamstring injury would allow him to continue and his place between the posts was taken by another club stalwart Alex Craik. Dunlop's departure allowed a second club appearance for James Conington who joined Steven MacLeod in central defence as Saints switched to a back four.

Saints steadied the ship and offered the stand-in goalkeeper a good level of protection as well as carving out a couple of decent opportunities for Craig MacEwan and Kyle Cooper at the other end. Unfortunately MacEwan made it a hat-trick of missed one-on-one openings and Cooper's low shot from the edge of the box was well held by Stephen Mather with MacEwan ready to pounce on any spillage.

Referee Kerr, who handled proceedings well, issued just the second yellow card of the afternoon in the seventy seventh minute to Drumchapel Captain Jonathan Devlin for simulation.

Manager Willie Gemmell used the final ten minutes to give youngsters Aidan MacDonald and Preston Macintyre another taste of first team action when the pair replaced Kyle Cooper and David Beaton respectively.

After keeping the hosts at bay for the best part of half an hour Saints were cruelly punished on the counter-attack on the stroke of full time. Connor Higgins was on hand to slam home a left wing cross completing his hat-trick and rounding off a disappointing afternoon for Saints which saw an end to the visitors recent run of victories.

This coming Saturday Saints are on the road again when they travel to Renfrew to face Glynhill Moorcroft in the fifth round of the West of Scotland Amateur Cup.   

Ruaridh Horne

Kyle Cooper and Greig Morrison

Craig MacEwan heads away

Gavin Forgrieve

Cammy Hill

Matty Kelly

David Dunlop

Stephen Mather

Craig MacEwan rounds Stephen Mather to score Saints second goal

Celebrations after Saints second goal

Daniel MacCuish and David Forbes

Kyle Cooper

Alex Craik

Steven MacLeod

David Beaton

Manager Willie Gemmell sends on youngster Preston Macintyre

Aidan MacDonald

Preston Macintyre and Gavin Forgrieve

#monthesaints

Saints Complete League Double Over Old Rivals Greenock

Saturday 22nd January 2022

Central Scottish Amateur Football League

Premier Division

Oban Saints 4 - 1 Greenock High School Former Pupils

Glencruitten 2

Mossfield Avenue

Oban

Argyll

PA34 4EH

Kick Off 2.00pm
Referee Mr Michael Kerr

Last Saturday Oban Saints welcomed Greenock High School Former Pupils to Glencruitten in the Central Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division where four goals from the hosts in a devastating nineteen minute first half spell saw off the challenge of their old Scottish Amateur Football League rivals.

David Beaton opened the scoring after twenty five minutes before a quick fire double from Kyle Cooper and a curled finish into the bottom corner from Skipper Craig MacEwan on the stroke of half time gave Saints an unassailable lead at the interval.

Greenock however refused to buckle in the second half giving Saints little chance of adding to their first tally and notched a deserved consolation goal when Jamie Grant beat Graham Douglas from the penalty spot.

Manager Willie Gemmell was forced to make a number of changes to the squad which had secured a place in the fifth round of the West of Scotland Cup with victory away at Uddingston Anvil on the previous Saturday. Out went David Dunlop, Myles McAuley, Cammy Hill, James Conington and Louie MacFarlane with Graham Douglas, Dene Cassells, Scott Maitland and Lewis Cameron all returning.

Saints lined up with Graham Douglas in goal behind a back three of Steven MacLeod, Dene Cassells and Thomas McCrindle. Across the five man midfield were Ruaridh Horne, Matty Kelly, Daniel MacCuish, Gavin Forgrieve and David Beaton with Kyle Cooper and Captain Craig MacEwan up front. On the bench were Lewis Cameron, Scott Maitland and Ross Maitland.

Oban Saints starting line-up:-

Used substitutes:-

Lewis Cameron

Scott Maitland

Ross Maitland

Having won the reverse fixture in Greenock back in September Saints were looking to complete the league double over their old friends from the tail o' the bank but got little change out of the visitor's experienced central defensive pairing of Chris McAllister and Gerard McLauchlan in the opening exchanges.

Craig MacEwan sent David Beaton away on the left in the fifth minute from where he looked to pick out Ruaridh Horne coming in at the back post but the combined attentions of James McClure and Ryan Dickson were just enough to deny the young Saints wing back a clean strike.

Greenock won the first corner kick of the match in the twelfth minute when Steven MacLeod made a good interception to turn a Zach McEachran right wing cross behind. Kenny Munro's delivery picked out Gerard McLauchlan at the back post but the big central defender sent his header wide of target.

David Beaton linked well with Daniel MacCuish after fifteen minutes cutting in from the right for MacCuish's return pass and a left foot shot from twenty yards which narrowly cleared the crossbar.

The visitors looked to exploit another set-piece in the twenty second minute with a Chris McAllister header from a free-kick just inside the Saints half which looped harmlessly into the gloves of Graham Douglas.

Saints were knocking on the door and only a fine block from Gerard McLauchlan prevented Gavin Forgrieve from testing Greenock keeper Kyle MacLean after good work on the left from Craig MacEwan.

The breakthrough came after twenty five minutes after a driving run from Matty Kelly through the inside right channel. Kelly picked out the supporting run of David Beaton on the right whose unerring finish across the keeper nestled in the bottom to give Saints the lead.

Saints doubled their advantage four minutes later from a swift counter-attack after dealing comfortably with another Greenock corner kick. Matty Kelly was involved again and picked up the loose ball on the edge of the Saints box before driving forward towards the half-way line. Kelly's through ball was perfectly weighted for Kyle Cooper who turned on the after burners to skip away from Conor Larkin's despairing lunge to slam the ball past Kyle MacLean. Larkin's attempt to stop Cooper earned the Greenock fullback a caution from Referee Michael Kerr.

Cooper completed his brace in the thirty second minute with another composed finish after good link-up play from Gavin Forgrieve and Daniel MacCuish.

Straight from the restart Gavin Forgrieve saw a second goal bound effort blocked by the Greenock defence as Saints looked to stretch their advantage still further.

Despite Saints three goal lead the visitors still posed a threat and Steven MacLeod made another important intervention to cut out a low Zach McEachran right wing cross looking for striker Kenny Munro.

Gerard McLauchlan picked up the second yellow card of the afternoon after going through the back of Craig MacEwan in the centre circle in the forty first minute.

The Saints Skipper rounded off the first half scoring in the forty fourth minute cutting in from the left and finding the far bottom corner with a curling effort despite the best efforts of young Greenock keeper Kyle MacLean.

Saints kicked off the second half attacking the car park end but it was the visitors who were the first to threaten this time from a good near post run from Ryan Dickson to meet a Luke Mullin corner kick from the left with Dickson's header flying inches over the Saints crossbar.

The visitors made a double change on the hour mark replacing Ryan Dickson and Captain Cian McAuley with Jamie Grant and Brandon Lee. Saints followed suit withdrawing Kyle Cooper and sending on Lewis Cameron for his first outing in ten weeks.

Cameron's endeavours found him caught in a sandwich on the corner of the Greenock box in the sixty fifth minute with the Scottish amateur internationalist curling the resulting free-kick wide of target.

Gaffer Willie Gemmell tapped into the strength on his substitutes bench sending on Scott Maitland to join international colleague Cameron at the expense of David Beaton.

At the other end Graham Douglas was brought into the match with a fine save to push away a James McClure shot. The loose ball fell into the path of Kenny Munro whose goal bound shot hit the arm of Thomas McCrindle which saw Referee Michael Kerr point to the penalty spot. Jamie Grant found the bottom corner from twelve yards sending Graham Douglas in the opposite direction in the process to give the visitors some hope of finding a way back into the match.

Those hopes were extinguished however by a solid performance by the Saints rear guard in which youngster Thomas McCrindle impressed alongside the experienced duo of Steven MacLeod and Dene Cassells.

Further personnel changes followed with the evergreen Ross Maitland replacing Ruaridh Horne for Saints and Ronan McCafferty, Thomas McQuilkin and Neil Rankin all making appearances for the visitors.

When Greenock did eventually get past the Saints back three they found Graham Douglas in no mood to be beaten again with saves from two Kenny Munro efforts restricting the visitors to just the one consolation goal.

Greenock holding midfielder Craig Molloy completed the caution count after bringing down his opposite number Daniel MacCuish in the centre circle in the eighty fourth minute. 

The solid second half defensive performance from the visitors continued and Saints were unable to test young Greenock keeper MacLean any further with Lewis Cameron, Daniel MacCuish, Ross Maitland and Scott Maitland all failing to find the target with efforts from distance.

Referee Kerr, who handled proceedings well dismissed two Saints penalty appeals in the closing stages before calling time after an injury time Lewis Cameron free-kick failed to clear the Greenock defensive wall.

Saints are on the road this coming Saturday when they travel to Glenhead Park to face Drumchapel Amateurs. 

Team Captains Craig MacEwan and Cian McAuley with Referee Michael Kerr

David Beaton

Chris McAllister

Kyle MacLean

Thomas McCrindle and Zach McEachran

Celebrations after David Beaton's opening goal

Conor Larkin's last ditch challenge can't stop Kyle Cooper

Kyle Cooper makes it 2 - 0

Kyle Cooper nets his second goal

Kyle Cooper and Matty Kelly

Craig MacEwan gets away from Conor Larkin

Willie Gemmell

Oban Saints legends Frank Beaton, Iain Jackson and David MacLeod

Daniel MacCuish

Steven MacLeod

Kenny Munro

Ross Maitland

Gavin Forgrieve

#monthesaints

Saints March On In The West of Scotland Cup

 

Saturday 15th January 2022

West of Scotland Amateur Cup

Fourth Round
Uddingston Anvil 0 - 2 Oban Saints
Sir Matt Busby Sports Complex
Main Street
Bellshill
ML4 3DP
Kick-off 2pm
Referee Mr. David Cameron

Oban Saints twice postponed West of Scotland Amateur Cup Fourth Round tie against Uddingston Anvil finally got underway at a dank and drizzly Sir Matt Busby Sports Complex last Saturday afternoon.

Having previously fallen victim to high covid numbers and snow the all Central Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division tie went ahead on the all weather surface in Bellshill where first half goals from Cammy Hill and Daniel MacCuish saw the visitors prevail.

Manager Willie Gemmell was forced to make three changes to the starting eleven which had rounded off 2021 with a home win against Gartcosh United giving a starting role to youngster Thomas McCrindle in central defence and a debut in central midfield to new signing James Conington. To complete the changes veteran goalkeeper David Dunlop took the gloves for the second time this season.

Saints lined up with David Dunlop taking care of business in goal behind a back three of Steven MacLeod, Myles McAuley and Thomas McCrindle. Across the five man midfield were David Beaton, Matty Kelly, James Conington, Gavin Forgrieve and Cammy Hill with Daniel MacCuish and Captain Craig MacEwan up front. On the substitutes bench were Kyle Cooper, Ruaridh Horne, Louie MacFarlane and Ross Maitland.

Oban Saints starting line-up:-

Used substitutes:-

Kyle Cooper

Ruaridh Horne

Unused substitutes:-

Ross Maitland

Louie MacFarlane

The hosts were looking for a repeat of their two goal victory at Glencruitten when the two sides met ten weeks previously on league business but, despite having the better of the early exchanges, Uddingston got little change out of the previously untried Saints back three of Steven MacLeod, Myles McAuley and Thomas McCrindle.

A blocked shot from Cammy Hill and a Matty Kelly effort wide of the postage stamp corner was as close as either side came to testing the respective goalkeepers before Cammy Hill opened the scoring after twenty minutes.

James Conington, who impressed on his debut in central midfield, won possession on the halfway line and found Cammy Hill on the left touchline. Hill played his way out of a tight situation with the help of Craig MacEwan and Matty Kelly and continued his run to get on the end of Matty Kelly's pass which sent him racing through on goal. Hill held off the challenge of Ross Ferguson before wrong footing Anvil keeper David McKegney with a clipped finish into the bottom corner.

Thomas McCrindle did well to hold up the progress of Kieron Markey and concede a twenty ninth minute corner kick on the Uddingston right with David Dunlop showing safe hands to claim a good delivery from Robert Dimmer.

Craig MacEwan's dissenting voice after Cammy Hill had been harshly penalised for a challenge on Paul Finnigan earned the Saints Skipper the first yellow card of the match in the thirty eighth minute.

Sixty seconds later Hill showed Finnigan and Christopher Mcaleney a clean pair of heels with another incisive run on the left. The flying wing back drew David McKegney off his line and squared to Daniel MacCuish for a tap-in to double Saints advantage.

On the stroke of half-time MacCuish showed good strength to hold off Ross Ferguson and send David Beaton away on the right wing. Beaton's pace took him to the bye-line from where his cutback looking for Craig MacEwan was well intercepted by the outstretched boot of Christopher McLenaghan.

Kieron Markey's late challenge on Cammy Hill earned the Anvil striker a booking just two minutes into what would be a frustrating second half for the home side who could find no way through a solid Saints defensive performance.

Good work on the left by Gavin Forgrieve and James Conington tee'd up Matty Kelly for a shot from twenty yards which was deflected for a corner kick on the Saints left which would be the first of three in quick succession before Craig MacEwan was eventually penalised for a push inside the six yard box.

At the other end a dipping fifty ninth minute Alan Inch effort from thirty yards was tipped over by David Dunlop who was in no mood to give up his highly prized clean sheet. This was followed two minutes later by a Christopher Owen free-kick high and wide of target from twenty two yards.

Saints responded with an off target effort of their own when Gavin Forgrieve lifted a shot from thirty yards over the crossbar after good work on the left from Cammy Hill, James Conington and Craig MacEwan.

Gaffer Willie Gemmell made his first change after sixty five minutes replacing David Beaton with Kyle Cooper in a straight swap at right wing back.

Robert Dimmer shot narrowly wide of the postage stamp corner in the sixty seventh minute before a flurry of yellow cards from Referee David Cameron had Daniel MacCuish, Cammy Hill, Matty Kelly and Gavin Forgrieve all walking a disciplinary tight rope for the closing stages.

A double block by Craig MacEwan from a seventy second minute Robert Dimmer free-kick personified the they shall not pass Saints attitude which gave the home side little encouragement in their pursuit of a route back into the game.

Saints Gaffer Willie Gemmell made his second and final change with fifteen minutes remaining replacing Daniel MacCuish with Ruaridh Horne. The change saw Kyle Cooper join Craig MacEwan up front with Horne taking the right wing back berth.

Cammy Hill met a seventy eighth minute Gavin Forgrieve corner kick with a solid back post header which flew over David McKegney's crossbar before the Uddingston number one made a routine save from a Craig MacEwan effort from the edge of the box.

James Conington was denied a goal to round off an impressive debut when David McKegney saved his shot from eighteen yards after Kyle Cooper had raced forward on the right from a good advantage played by Referee Cameron after Anvil substitute Ryan Hutchison had clattered into Matty Kelly on the halfway line.

Kelly will claim he hadn't quite fully recovered from the challenge when he miscued his finish from fourteen yards wide of target from a Ruaridh Horne cross after a Craig MacEwan led counter-attack in the ninetieth minute. 

Neither goalkeeper was troubled in the five additional minutes allowed by Mr Cameron before the final whistle confirmed Saints progress to the fifth round.

Awaiting Saints in the fifth round is an away tie against Giffnock North of the Caledonian League Premier Division, Glenburn Miner's Welfare of the Ayrshire Premier League or Glynhill Moorcroft of the Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division. 

This coming Saturday Saints return to league business for the visit of old friends and rivals Greenock High School Former Pupils. 

James Conington

Daniel MacCuish and Ross Ferguson

Thomas McCrindle

Craig MacEwan

Cammy Hill opens the scoring

Cammy Hill and Paul Finnigan

Gavin Forgrieve

David McKegney

David Dunlop

Kyle Cooper

#monthesaints