Saturday 5th Febuary 2022

West of Scotland Amateur Cup

Fifth Round
Glynhill Moorcroft 2 - 3 Oban Saints
Renfrew High School
Haining Road
Renfrew
P4 0AN
Kick-off 2pm
Referee Mr. Daniel McGuire

A home time in the quarter finals against 2016 cup winners Shortlees awaited the winners of last Saturday's West of Scotland Cup fifth round tie between Glynhill Moorcroft and Oban Saints at a wet and windy Renfrew High School.

First half goals against the strong wind from Captain Craig MacEwan, Gavin Forgrieve and Kyle Cooper saw Saints prevail by the odd goal in five against Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division Premier Division title contenders Glynhill Moorcroft to set up a mouth watering tie against old "frenemies" Shortlees.

Manager Willie Gemmell welcomed back Graham Douglas, Dene Cassells, Myles McAuley and Thomas McCrindle who had missed the previous week's Central Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division defeat at Drumchapel. A late call-off from Ross Maitland also meant a place in the matchday squad for Jack Wright. Out went David Dunlop, the unavailable James Conington and youngsters Aidan MacDonald and Preston Macintyre.

Saints lined up with Graham Douglas in goal behind a back three of Steven MacLeod, Dene Cassells and Scott Maitland. 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 substitutes bench were Alex Craik, Ruaridh Horne, Myles McAuley, Thomas McCrindle and Jack Wright.

Oban Saints starting line-up:-

Used substitutes:-

Ruaridh Horne

Myles McAuley

Unused substitutes:-

Alex Craik

Thomas McCrindle

Jack Wright

After a lengthy delay while corner flags were sourced from the changing rooms Referee Daniel McGuire finally allowed proceedings to commence with Saints kicking off into the strong wind blowing diagonally across the 3G surface at Renfrew High Scool.

The wind helped Glynhill keeper Ian McLean kick the full length of the park and opposite number Graham Douglas had to be on his toes to pluck his second minute kick from hand off the head of Thomas Griffin.

From a seventh minute free-kick inside the centre circle taken short by Dene Cassells to Gavin Forgrieve Saints worked the ball forward with Kyle Cooper eventually hitting the bye-line on the left and seeing his cutback for David Beaton intercepted by Ian McLean.

Saints opened up the home defence after fifteen minutes when Scott Maitland carried the ball out from the back and picked out Craig MacEwan who played in Cammy Hill through the inside left channel. Hill escaped the attentions of Glynhill Skipper Kyle Troup and Anthony Blair but failed to beat Ian McLean who was able to gather at his near post.

A scuffle involving Cammy Hill and Alan Sutherland saw the pair cautioned by Referee McGuire with the resulting free-kick from twenty two yards fired wide of target by Glynhill's Marc Walker.

The deadlock was broken after twenty one minutes from a good move on the right involving Matty Kelly, David Beaton and Kyle Cooper. Kelly's low cross picked out Craig MacEwan in the middle who tucked low past Ian McClean's left hand to give Saints the lead.

Saints doubled their advantage just three minutes later from a throw-in on the left just inside the Glynhill half. Cammy Hill gathered in Scott Maitland's throw and rolled the ball up to Craig MacEwan. The Skipper turned away from his marker and raced into the box drawing Ian McLean off his line before squaring to Gavin Forgrieve who passed the ball into the unguarded net.

Alan Sutherland sent a twenty ninth minute free-kick for the hosts wide of the postage stamp corner before Ryan Officer followed suit sixty seconds later with a shot from twenty five yards.

Another good Saints move on the left saw Ian McLean save well from a twenty five yard Daniel MacCuish left foot shot.

The Saints back three of Steven MacLeod, Dene Cassells and Scott Maitland were coping well with the wind assisted Glynhill attack however a cheaply conceded free-kick twenty two yards out gave Alan Sutherland another opportunity to test Graham Douglas with the dead ball. Douglas got down to his right but, despite getting a hand to Sutherland's effort, couldn't prevent the ball from nestling in the bottom corner.

A terrific ball out from the back by Dene Cassells sent Cammy Hill racing through in the thirty seventh minute and the tall wing-back looked set to find the net only for a vital touch from Ian McLean to divert the ball behind for a corner kick on the Saints right. Gavin Forgrieve's delivery from the corner flag was won well in the air by Dene Cassells who unfortunately couldn't keep his header below the Glynhill crossbar.

Saints were looking the more likely to add to the scoring and young striker Kyle Cooper did just that with a composed finish in the forty first minute. Cammy Hill sent Cooper away on the left and in behind the home defence. Keeper Ian McLean came a long way out of his box to meet Cooper but his attempt to bring down the Saints youngster failed and Cooper skipped past him and from a very acute angle passed the ball into empty net.

Dene Cassells headed a forty second minute Alan Sutherland free kick from the left behind for a corner kick which the Saints defence again repelled before launching a counter-attack through Daniel MacCuish and Kyle Cooper. MacCuish released Cooper on the right where Marc Walker's scything challenge failed to halt the Saints youngster's progress however with no discernible advantage Mr McGuire pulled back the action for a free-kick to Saints and a yellow card for Walker.

Manager Willie Gemmell urged his charges to kick on in the second half and David Beaton and Kyle Cooper combined well on the right in the fifty first minute to create another opportunity for Cooper which this time flew wide of target.

That proved to be Cooper's last involvement as injury forced his withdrawal in favour of Ruaridh Horne who took the right wing-back berth with David Beaton moving up front with Craig MacEwan.

In a scrappy start to the second period chances were few and far between with a fifty ninth minute Craig MacEwan shot which Ian McLean turned behind for a corner kick being the only attempt of note.

Saints Gaffer Willie Gemmell made what would turn out to be his final change in the sixty ninth minute when Daniel MacCuish made way for Myles McAuley in a straight switch in central midfield.

The hosts passed up a decent opportunity to get themselves back in the game in the seventieth minute when central defender John O'Rourke was left unmarked at the back post to head a Marc Walker right wing cross wide of target.

The Saints defence was tested again two minutes later with Ruaridh Horne made a vital interception to divert another Walker cross behind for a corner kick.

The game was becoming more stretched as the home side committed more men to their pursuit of a route back into the game and twice Matty Kelly had efforts saved as Saints looked to hit on the counter-attack.

The hosts were now upping the pressure and after defending well throughout Saints finally made the mistake which gave the home side their reward for a hard working second half performance. Cammy Hill and Scott Maitland both scuffed attempted clearances deep in the Saints box with Marc Walker pouncing on the loose ball to tee up Ryan Officer to slam the ball home from ten yards.

Glynhill had overturned a two goal deficit to knock out Ayrshire Premier League high flyers Glenburn Miners Welfare in the previous round and clearly fancied their chances of a repeat performance in the remaining eleven minutes.

Saints however maintained their composure at the back but less so up front where they spurned several glorious opportunities to kill the tie on the counter-attack which left them clinging on as the clock ticked into time added on for stoppages.

In the ninety third minute a scramble on the edge of the Saints box saw Referee Daniel McGuire, who had a good game, award a free-kick to the hosts and with it one last chance to send the tie into a penalty shoot-out. Hearts were in mouths on both touchlines as Alan Sutherland placed the ball however the Glynhill dead ball expert was unable to repeat his first half goal scoring exploits and sent his effort high and wide of target. Mr McGuire blew for time immediately after Graham Douglas' goal kick sending Saints into the last eight and leaving Glynhill to concentrate on their push for a first ever Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division title..

This coming Saturday Saints return to league business with a trip to Ladywell Park to face Bannockburn in the Central Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division.