Saturday 9th April 2022

Central Scottish Amateur Football League

Premier Division

Oban Saints 3 - 7 Eastfield

Glencruitten 2

Mossfield Avenue

Oban

Argyll

PA34 4EH

Kick Off 2.00pm
Referee Mr Chris Irving

Oban Saints battle for Central Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division survival suffered another setback at Glencruitten last Saturday with a sixth home reverse of a very difficult season. A hat-trick for Skipper Craig MacEwan was of little consolation to the home side who for long spells were well off the pace. This coupled with a string of defensive howlers gifted victory to visitors Eastfield who themselves are struggling at the wrong end of the table.

Manager Willie Gemmell's disciplinary indiscretions saw him begin a three match suspension with Assistant Manager Ross Maitland taking the reins. Dropping out from the previous week's victory against Uddingston Anvil were Willie Gemmell, James Ford and Aidan MacDonald with Matty Kelly, James Conington and Jack Wright all returning.

Saints lined up with Graham Douglas in goal behind a back four of Fraser MacFarlane, Steven MacLeod, Thomas McCrindle and Scott Maitland. In the holding midfield roles were James Conington and Daniel MacCuish with Preston Macintyre, Matty Kelly and Captain Craig MacEwan behind lone striker Kyle Cooper. On the bench were Michael Campbell, Alex Craik and Jack Wright.

Oban Saints starting line-up:-

Used substitutes:-

Michael Campbell

Alex Craik

Jack Wright

Saints kicked off attacking the railway line end and had the first serious attempt on goal after five minutes. An incisive move on the left involving Scott Maitland, Craig MacEwan and Matty Kelly saw Kelly thread a well weighted ball through for Kyle Cooper who shot low across Eastfield keeper Brendan Shaw but wide of the far post.

The visitors opened the scoring in the tenth minute when Mark Hansen from the left picked out the unmarked Daniel Hillhouse at the far post who slammed the ball back across Graham Douglas and into the bottom corner.

The static Saints defence were left appealing in vain for an eighteenth minute offside decision from Referee Chris Irving which never came. From a throw-in on the right the ball was worked across to Kyle McLauchlin who appeared to be well offside however Mr Irving allowed play to continue and McLauchlin sent a dipping effort from eighteen yards under the despairing dive of Graham Douglas.

Five minutes later and Saints were three goals behind when young Thomas McCrindle failed to generate the necessary power on his header back to Graham Douglas leaving the Saints number one stranded at the edge of his box as Robert Johnston gleefully lobbed the ball into the unguarded net.

The third goal finally sparked a response from Saints who crafted a decent opening on the half hour mark. Craig MacEwan sent Kyle Cooper racing through on the left of the Eastfield box with Brendan Shaw doing well to narrow the angle and push Cooper's effort behind for a corner kick.

Saints hit the comeback trail two minutes later when a scuffed twenty two yard free-kick from Daniel MacCuish somehow found it's way through the Eastfield wall. Craig MacEwan was first on the scene ahead of Brendan Shaw and dragged the ball wide before lofting over Kyle McLauchlin and into the empty net.

Bouyed by their goal Saints were enjoying their most productive spell of the first half and found more hope when Matty Kelly's thirty eighth minute driving run into the Eastfield box was unceremoniously halted by Andrew Renny at the expense of a penalty kick and a yellow card. Brendan Shaw got both hands to Craig MacEwan's spot kick but still couldn't prevent it from finding the back of the net.

The host's good spell continued for the opening ten minutes of the second half but was undone in a disastrous four minute spell where calamitous defending was ruthlessly exploited by Robert Johnston and Daniel Hillhouse.

On the hour mark Assistant Manager Ross Maitland gave youngster Michael Campbell his second taste of first team action in a straight swap with youth team colleague Preston Macintyre on the right of midfield. This was quickly followed by the introduction of Alex Craik and Jack Wright as replacements for James Conington and Fraser MacFarlane.

Campbell did well to win a corner kick on the right however Kyle Cooper's delivery from the corner flag was confidently held by Brendan Shaw.

Jack Wright had a powerful shot from the corner of the eighteen yard box blocked by Nico Petrucci as Saints began their quest to recover from a three goal deficit for the second time.

The low in numbers visitors made the only change available to them in the sixty ninth minute when Jack Reid replaced the injured Andrew Renny.

Saints were awarded a second penalty kick in almost identical circumstances to the first save that on this occasion the Eastfield miscreant committing the foul on Matty Kelly was Peter Griffin. Saints Skipper Craig MacEwan safely converted the spot kick to seal his hat-trick and give his team renewed hope.

Those hopes lasted barely three minutes when a horribly sliced attempted clearance from a throw-in on the Eastfield right landed at the feet of Daniel Hillhouse who completed his hat-trick with another composed finish.

Things went from bad to worse for Saints with a seventy eighth minute dismissal for Steven MacLeod. Incensed that a foul on Graham Douglas had gone unpunished, MacLeod made a spectacular goal-line clearance before remonstrating with the Referee regarding the foul on the Saints goalkeeper in the build up. Mr Irving was in no mood to debate the decision and issued MacLeod with his marching orders.

Daniel Hillhouse came close to notching his fourth goal of the afternoon with an eighty first minute shot which grazed Graham Douglas' right hand post before Nicky Stewart headed a free-kick from the right past the same post sixty seconds later.

The visitors saved the best for last with a sublime piece of skill in the Saints box from Mark Hansen which beat Alex Craik all ends up before slotting past Graham Douglas to complete the scoring.

Saints have no fixture this coming Saturday but will be immediately reunited with Eastfield on Saturday 23rd April in the reverse Central Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division fixture at Broadwood.