Saturday 12th February 2022

Central Scottish Amateur Football League

Premier Division

Bannockburn 3 - 0 Oban Saints

St Modan's High School

Royal Stuart Way

Stirling

FK7 7WS

Kick Off 2.00pm
Referee Mr Sam Arthur

The recent heavy rain in the central belt forced a change of venue for last Saturday's Bannockburn versus Oban Saints Central Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division clash. Bannockburn's Ladywell Park was deemed unplayable therefore the match was moved to the 3G surface at St Modan's High School on the banks of the River Forth in Stirling.

The school's most notable former pupil, Leeds United and Scotland legend the late, great Billy Bremner, would surely have been impressed by a dominant home performance from the three time Scottish Amateur Cup winners which left Saints very much second best on the day.

Manager Willie Gemmell's playing resources were again severely stretched with Graham Douglas, Dene Cassells, Alex Craik, David Beaton, Cammy Hill, Lewis Cameron and Jack Wright all unavailable. Ever reliable veteran goalkeeper David Dunlop once again stepped up to the plate while, at the other end of the age spectrum, Aidan MacDonald and Preston Macintyre were again 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, Myles McAuley and Thomas McCrindle. Across the five man midfield were Ruaridh Horne, Matty Kelly, Daniel MacCuish, Gavin Forgrieve and Scott Maitland with Kyle Cooper and Captain Craig MacEwan up front. On the bench were Ross Maitland, James Conington, Aidan MacDonald and Preston Macintyre.

Oban Saints starting line-up:-

Used substitutes:-

James Conington

Ross Maitland

Preston Macintyre

Aidan MacDonald

Saints kicked off playing into the strong wind which has been a feature for the past three weeks. A wind assisted free-kick from the Bannockburn left was punched behind by David Dunlop for a fifth minute corner kick. Brian McKinlay's delivery from the right was headed away at the front post by Scott Maitland however Saints couldn't fully clear the danger and were relieved to see Kenneth McLellan's shot from the edge of the box fly high and wide.

The hosts had quickly asserted their authority in the crucial midfield battle and Logan Downie gave an early warning of the danger that would come from that area with a strong twelfth minute run and shot which slipped just wide of David Dunlop's right hand post.

Daniel MacCuish's afternoon came to a premature end when he pulled up with a thirteenth minute hamstring strain which saw him replaced by James Conington.

Saints first foray into opposition territory came after sixteen minutes when Steven MacLeod's ball out from the back was picked up by James Conington who sent Scott Maitland away on the left. There was loud shouts for a penalty kick from the Saints touchline when Maitland's cross looking for Craig MacEwan appeared to hit the arm of a Bannockburn defender however Referee Sam Arthur, who had a good match, was not interested.

David Dunlop pushed a Darren Walker back post header from a Kenneth McLellan free-kick behind for a corner kick with McLellan again off target with his shot from the Saints attempted clearance.

Saints failed to heed the earlier warning from Logan Downie and once again allowed the Bannockburn central midfielder to carry the ball a long way before dispatching a left foot shot low into the bottom corner past David Dunlop's despairing right hand to give the hosts a twenty fourth minute lead.

Heavy rain joined the strong wind to make the playing conditions doubly difficult for both sides however a change of formation from Saints Manager Willie Gemmell saw Saints compete better in the middle of the park.

Bannockburn central defender Mitchell Reid twice made good covering interceptions to deny Kyle Cooper as Saints tried in vain to bring underworked home keeper Adam Young into the action.

When Cooper finally managed to get away on the right wing it was Reid who was on hand again to head Cooper's forty fourth minute cross looking for Scott Maitland behind for a corner kick. Thomas McCrindle was beaten to Gavin Forgrieve's delivery from the right by Logan Downie before Referee Arthur blew the half-time whistle.

Saints decent spell came to an abrupt end after just five second half minutes in the most unlikely of circumstances. Super dependable keeper David Dunlop missed a routine catch from a Brian McKinlay corner kick which landed at the feet of Bannockburn Skipper Kenneth Feaks for a simple tap-in.

Feaks came agonisingly close to doubling his tally two minutes later when his back post header from a Ryan Aimer free-kick on the right flew inches wide of target.

The hosts rattled the woodwork in the fifty fifth minute when Brian McKinlay cut in from the left wing and curled a right foot shot onto the crossbar with Thomas McCrindle heading the rebound behind for a corner kick. Saints repelled the danger from the corner flag and raced to the other end with Craig MacEwan forcing a corner kick for the visitors.

On the sixty minute mark Craig MacEwan's flick-on from a Gavin Forgrieve free-kick was headed behind by Darren Walker for another corner kick which Saints again failed to profit from.

Two minutes later Saints again fell short of testing Adam Young in the Bannockburn goal when a promising break involving Kyle Cooper and Craig MacEwan saw Mitchell Reid get a vital touch to prevent MacEwan's pass finding Scott Maitland's run on the left.

The evergreen Ross Maitland replaced Thomas McCrindle after sixty five minutes in Manager Willie Gemmell's second change.

The hosts completed the scoring in the sixty eighth minute with a sensational Brian McKinlay left foot volley. Ruaridh Horne tracked McKinlay's run on the left but couldn't cut out the diagonal ball from the right from substitute Declan Wood which McKinlay dispatched past David Dunlop with some aplomb.

With the match long since over as a contest Saints Gaffer Willie Gemmell took the opportunity to give youngsters Preston Macintyre and Aidan MacDonald a run out in the closing minutes replacing Kyle Cooper and Scott Maitland respectively.

This coming Saturday Saints host 2016 winners Shortlees in the sixth round of the West of Scotland Amateur Cup.