Winning In The Rain

Sunday, 15 October 2017

Continue Shopping

Saturday 14th October 2017
West of Scotland Amateur Cup
3rd Round
Braehead AFC 0 - 4 Oban Saints AFC
Glasgow Club Drumoyne
337 Langlands Road
Glasgow
G51 4AW
Kick Off 2pm
Referee Mr Charles Burns

Oban Saints starting line-up:-

Used substitutes:-

Daniel Croarkin
Shaun MacIver

Unused substitute:-

Peter MacCallum

Normally the threat of a trip to Braehead would fill any red bloodied male with dread as it would inevitably entail an afternoon of drudgery being dragged by his better half around the shopping malls of the Intu Braehead Shopping Centre where insult would be added to injury in the shape of a substantial credit card bill.

On this occasion however the immeasurably more enjoyable prospect of a game of football was in store for the Oban Saints lads as they traveled South to face Braehead of the Glasgow and District Saturday Morning League in the third round of the West of Scotland Cup.

Manager Alex Craik was on holiday so Assistant Donald Campbell took responsibility for team selection. Donald's options were limited when work commitments deprived him of Matthew Kelly, Myles McAuley and Craig MacEwan. Also missing through illness was David Smith. Saints lined up with Graham Douglas in goal behind a back four of Steven MacLeod, David McPhee, Craig Campbell and Craig MacMillan. Paul Carmichael, Willie Gemmell and Keith Millar patrolled the midfield with a strike force of Donald Campbell, Scott Maitland and Fraser MacFarlane. Shaun MacIver returned to the squad to join Daniel Croarkin and the ever youthful Peter MacCallum on the bench.

Saints started slowly allowing their opponents to settle and dictate the early exchanges. A sixth minute free-kick conceded by Craig MacMillan on the Braehead right gave Fraser O'Neil a chance to put a testing delivery into the Saints box. O'Neil found the head of Jason Hampsey nine yards out but his header lacked the power to seriously test Graham Douglas.

Operating in unfamiliar territory on the right of the front three, Scott Maitland won an eleventh minute free-kick for a foul by Ryan Mulholland midway inside the Braehead half. Willie Gemmell's ball pitched into the box was glanced goalward by Fraser MacFarlane whose header beat Braehead keeper Scott Fraser but also the far post.

Two minutes later a heavily disguised pass through the inside right channel from Willie Gemmell sent Scott Maitland racing into the box. Scott's shot from the corner of the six yard box was saved by the feet of Scott Fraser with Braehead Skipper Gavin McNicol making a vital block at the expense of a corner kick to prevent Paul Carmichael knocking home the loose ball. Scott Maitland's corner from the right was headed behind at the far post by Dean Kerr before Scott Fraser came through a ruck of bodies to punch clear Fraser MacFarlane's delivery from the left.

Willie Gemmell opened up the Braehead defence once again in the sixteenth minute with Donald Campbell frustrated not to have picked out the supporting run of Paul Carmichael.

Donald's frustration however didn't last long as sixty seconds later he opened the scoring with a well struck finish from twenty yards. Paul Carmichael flicked a Willie Gemmell long ball into the path of Fraser MacFarlane who helped the ball onto Donald who didn't need a second invitation to slam the ball low past Scott Fraser's despairing left hand.

Fraser MacFarlane tested Scott Fraser in the twenty first minute controlling a deep Donald Campbell cross from the right and firing in a shot which the big keeper did well to palm away.

Saints doubled their advantage in the twenty third minute with MacFarlane claiming his second assist of the afternoon. Fraser's pin point delivery from the corner flag landed perfectly on the head of David McPhee who guided his header inside the far post beating Iain McLennan on the goal-line.

A rare lapse in concentration in the Saints defence allowed Martin Wojtczak in behind with Graham Douglas having to react quickly to turn Wojtczak's effort behind for a corner. Douglas safely held Fraser O'Neil's corner kick from the left under pressure from Dean Kerr.

Scott Maitland was comimg in for some rough treatment and another heavy challenge from Ryan Mulholland gave Willie Gemmell a dead ball opportunity twenty six yards out. The suspiciously close looking Braehead wall did it's job sending Willie's effort spinning behind for a corner kick. Scott Maitland's in-swinger from the right was headed back across goal by Craig Campbell where Paul Carmichael sliced a volley wide of target.

Carmichael passed up two further presentable chances to put the tie to bed before the half-time interval with Donald Campbell also getting in on the act shooting over from twenty two yards.

Fraser O'Neil hit the top of the crossbar with a miscued cross in the forty third minute before closing the first half action with a shot wide of target after Craig MacMillan had done just enough to put the Braehead wide man off his stride.

Saints were good value for their half-time lead but two moments of slackness in an otherwise comfortable defensive performance almost undone their first half efforts. A misplaced forty sixth minute pass inside from young left-back Craig Campbell, who impressed in his first start, was pounced on by Martin Wojtczak. Keith Millar reacted well to get back and stop Wojtczak just outside the Saints box but unfairly in the opinion of Referee Charles Burns. Jason Hampsay sent the resulting free-kick just wide of the juction of post and bar.

Five minutes later a blind pass inside from David McPhee only succeeded in finding Ross Hocknull who drew a good save from Graham Douglas diving to his right to safely hold the Braehead midfielder's right foot shot.

Saints first effort of the second half came in the fifty second minute when Steven MacLeod who, although not quite the rampaging right-back of yesteryear, still managed to get forward and found himself in the Braehead box where he saw a decent effort blocked behind for a corner kick.

Any hopes of a comeback for the home side were snuffed out just before the hour mark when Willie Gemmell notched Saints third. Paul Carmichael forced a corner kick on the right which Scott Maitland sent into the six yard box for David McPhee. The big centre-half was denied a second goal of the afternoon by Iain McLennan who stopped McPhee's header on the goal-line with his right arm giving Mr Burns an easy decision to award Saints a penalty kick. Saints recent record from twelve yards has been patchy but Willie Gemmell showed no nerves grabbing the ball and slamming it emphatically into the postage stamp corner giving Scott Fraser absolutely no chance.

Braehead made a change in the sixty eighth minute replacing Iain McLennan at right-back with Nick Espie. Epie's first involvement was to scythe down Paul Carmichael twenty eight yards from goal. Donald Campbell's free-kick looped off the three man Braehead wall into the box where Paul Carmichael controlled the bouncing ball and sent a left foot shot inches over the crossbar.

Saints made their first change in the seventy third minute replacing Craig MacMillan with Shaun MacIver. Shaun joined the attack with Scott Maitland returning to his more familiar left-back slot.

Only some excellent work by Skipper Gavin McNicol and keeper Scott Fraser kept Saints at bay in the seventy fifth minute. A Willie Gemmell free-kick was flicked on by Fraser MacFarlane into the path of Donald Campbell who raced into the box and delicately lifted the ball left footed over the head of Scott Fraser. With the big keeper well beaten Gavin McNicol somehow got back to hook the ball off the goal-line but his goal saving clearance sat up nicely in the six yard box for Paul Carmichael. From point blank range Fraser saved Carmichael's shot with his right leg and was quickly up on his feet to turn Shaun MacIver's effort on the follow-up around his left hand post.

Carmichael's good midfield shift alongside the ever dependable Willie Gemmell and Keith Millar came to an end with twelve minutes remaining when he was replaced by Daniel Croarkin.

The fresh legs of Shaun MacIver were proving a handful for the home defence and, with ten minutes remaining, a powerful run from the half-way line ended with Willie Gemmell looping a shot from edge of the box into the gloves of Scott Fraser.

The Braehead keeper had similarly easy saves in the eighty third and ninetieth minutes. A good run from Keith Millar set up MacIver for a shot from the edge of the box and a Willie Gemmell free-kick onto MacIver's head both brought comfortable saves from Scott Fraser.

MacIver finally got the goal he so desperately wanted in the third minute added on by Mr Burns. Willie Gemmell and Daniel Croarkin linked up well on the right with Croarkin claiming the assist as MacIver rifled an unstoppable volley from sixteen yards over the head of Scott Fraser and into the roof of the net.

Mr Burns blew for full time immediately after the restart sending Saints through to Tuesday's fourth round draw.

Saints return to Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division business next Saturday with an extremely difficult away trip to the very much in form Goldenhill.

Team Captains Donald Campbell and Gavin McNicol with Referee Charles Burns

Fraser MacFarlane glances a header wide of the post

Gavin McNicol makes an important block to deny Paul Carmichael

Scott Fraser punches clear

Paul Carmichael, Fraser MacFarlane and Scott Maitland congratulate Donald Campbell on his opening goal

David McPhee heads home Saints second goal from Fraser MacFarlane's corner kick

Centre halves Craig Campbell and David McPhee share a joke

Graham Douglas collects a cross

Scott Maitland tries to get past Ryan Mulholland

Steven MacLeod header

Graham Douglas keeps an eye on Jason Hampsay's free-kick

Gavin McNicol heads clear at the back post

Willie Gemmell smashes his penalty kick beyond Scott Fraser for Saints third goal

Donald Campbell and Scott Maitland congratulate Willie Gemmell on his goal

Craig MacMillan

Donald Campbell lifts the ball over Scott Fraser

Gavin McNicol hooks Donald Campbell's lob off the line

Scott Fraser saves from Paul Carmichael

Scott Fraser saves from Shaun MacIver

Shaun MacIver and Ryan Mulholland

Willie Gemmell and Fraser O'Neil

Nick Espie slides in on Fraser MacFarlane

Shaun MacIver's spectacular volley rounds off the scoring

The Saints players celebrate Shaun MacIver's goal

#monthesaints

Friday, 13 October 2017

Shopping

Pet Sop Boys - Shopping

Saturday 14th October 2017
West of Scotland Amateur Cup
3rd Round
Braehead AFC v Oban Saints AFC
Glasgow Club Dromoyne
337 Langlands Road
Glasgow
G51 4AW
Kick Off 2pm
Referee Mr Charles Burns

Braehead AFC

Oban Saints AFC in their new kit once again generously sponsored by D&K Lafferty Contractors Ltd.

#monthesaints

Sunday, 1 October 2017

Take It As Red

Saturday 30th September 2017
The Scottish Amateur Football Association Challenge Cup Competition

2nd Round Tie
Oban Saints AFC 6 - 0 Plains AFC
Glencruitten 2
Mossfield Avenue
Oban
Argyll PA34 4EH
Kick off 2.00pm
Referee Mr Peter Kerr

Oban Saints starting line-up:-

Used substitutes:-

Paul Carmichael
Daniel Croarkin
Steven MacLeod
Craig MacMillan
David Smith

Resplendent in their new red white and blue kit kindly sponsored by D&K Lafferty Contractors, to whom the club are grateful for their continued support, Oban Saints eased into the third round of the Scottish Amateur Cup with an ultimately comfortable win over Plains at Glencruitten last Saturday afternoon.

Despite the 6 - 0 final scoreline it was far from plain sailing at times against the Strathclyde Saturday Morning men who played some decent football but lacked the cutting edge to seriously trouble the home defence.

Saints Manager Alex Craik made just one change to the starting eleven which put nine past Cambusnethan Talbot in their last outing with Donald Campbell starting in favour of the injured Shaun MacIver. Paul Carmichael also returned to take a place on the substitutes bench alongside Daniel Croarkin, Steven MacLeod, Craig MacMillan and David Smith.

Saints lined up with Graham Douglas in goal behind a back four of Matthew Kelly, David McPhee, Craig Campbell and Scott Maitland. The midfield engine room comprised Keith Millar, Willie Gemmell and Myles McAuley with Fraser MacFarlane, Craig MacEwan and Donald Campbell in attack.

Attacking the railway end in the first half Donald Campbell got the match underway for Saints who started slowly allowing the visitors to dictate the early play.

Plains were first to threaten in the third minute when Johnny Mitchell was given time and space in the middle of the park to pick out Stephen McGowan cutting in from the left wing. Taking one touch to control the ball, McGowan's left foot effort fizzed wide of the right hand post of Graham "Sugar" Douglas in the Saints goal.

The North Lanarkshire men continued their early promise with a good spell of pressure which saw Jamie Brogan slice a right foot shot wide in the eleventh minute. Sixty seconds later Craig Campbell had to look lively to snuff out the danger sliding in on Mark Fitzpatrick to turn the ball behind for a corner kick when the Plains striker burst into the Saints box. From the corner kick on the Plains right Jamie Brogan squandered a terrific opportunity for the visitors sending a free header from eight yards over the Saints crossbar.

It took seventeen minutes for Saints to muster their first attempt on goal which came from a swift counter attack. Referee Peter Kerr ruled Fraser MacFarlane offside midway inside the Plains half but Saints easily repelled the long free-kick with Willie Gemmell turning defence into attack with a measured pass through the inside right channel for Donald Campbell. Donald raced towards the box with Jamie Brogan and Anthony Hynds in pursuit and tried to beat Darren Hunter with an early shot from seventeen yards. The big keeper got down well to his left to hold Donald's shot on the six yard line with Craig MacEwan waiting to pounce on any handling errors.

An excellent twentieth minute take on the left touchline by Craig MacEwan from a Willie Gemmell diagonal pass unfortunately wasn't matched by his cross for Donald Campbell coming in at the back post which was too close to Darren Hunter.

Fraser MacFarlane succeeded where Donald Campbell had earlier failed beating Hunter at his near post to break the deadlock in the twenty second minute after Donald and Craig MacEwan had linked up to send Fraser in behind the Plains back three.

Donald Campbell worked the ball quickly from right to left in the twenty sixth minute from a Matthew Kelly throw-in. Craig MacEwan picked out Scott Maitland's overlapping run with the Saints left back passing up a good shooting opportunity electing instead to look for Donald Campbell at the back post but sending his cross tamely into the grateful arms of Darren Hunter.

From Hunter's clearance the visitors raced straight up the park where David Hunter sliced a right foot shot from eighteen yards wide of target.

The Plains striker was off target again in the twenty ninth minute after picking up a loose ball in front of the Saints back four, this time sending his shot from twenty five yards wide of Sugar's right hand post.

An ongoing war of words between Craig MacEwan and Anthony Hynds eventually snapped the patience of Referee Kerr in the thirty third minute who issued yellow cards to both with Donald Campbell and the impressive Plains midfielder Anthony Traynor also spoken to as tempers briefly threatened to boil over.

Unable to find a way through the solid looking Saints back four of Matthew Kelly, David McPhee, Craig Campbell and Scott Maitland, Plains continued to try their luck from distance. Mark Fitzpatrick finally landed an effort on target for the visitors which Graham Douglas held comfortably before Jamie Brogan continued the usual trend with a curling left foot shot wide of Sugar's right hand post.

The Saints front three linked up perfectly from a thirty eighth minute Scott Maitland throw-in from the left. Fraser MacFarlane controlled well and sent Craig MacEwan racing into the box from where Craig held off the challenge of Anthony Hynds to pick out Donald Campbell in the middle. Donald's first touch took him past Paul Deighan and Jordan Dobbie and left him one-on-one with Darren Hunter whom he beat easily low down to his left from eight yards to double the advantage.

Donald Campbell was through again sixty seconds later only for Mr Kerr to stop him in his tracks with an extremely tight offside decision in favour of the visitors.

There was no suggestion of offside in the forty third minute when Willie Gemmell sent Donald through the inside left channel. With only the keeper to beat Donald tried for a chip into the postage stamp corner which he miscued badly sending his effort well wide of target.

There was chances at both ends in the opening minutes of the second half. From the restart Daniel Fitzpatrick was allowed to drive into the Saints box where only a perfectly timed sliding interception from Willie Gemmell denied the Plains right sided midfielder a sight of goal. There was more frustration for the Saints management as David Hunter was left unmarked at the back post from the resulting corner kick. Fortunately Hunter's header back across the danger area was picked up by Myles McAuley who immediately launched a counter attack. Myles picked out Craig MacEwan lurking wide on the left and just inside the Saints half from where last season's top scorer raced into the Plains box. With Anthony Hynds and Paul Deighan in pursuit MacEwan was foiled by Darren Hunter at his near post and, with luck on the side of the keeper, the loose ball broke behind Fraser MacFarlane in the middle denying him a tap-in.

Daniel Fitzpatrick forced his way into the Saints box once again in the forty seventh minute this time flashing a shot across the face of goal and wide of Sugar's right hand post.

Any chance that Plains had of forcing their way back into contention was extinguished in the forty eighth minute when Jamie Brogan received a straight red card for a high challenge on Fraser MacFarlane on the half-way line.

Donald Campbell drew another save from Darren Hunter before, clearly struggling after the earlier heavy challenge, Fraser MacFarlane made way for Paul Carmichael in the fifty sixth minute. Plains also made a change bringing on Aaron Shaw to replace David Hunter.

Saints looked to hit Plains with another counter attack on the left in the fifty seventh minute after Craig Campbell had headed clear a deep free-kick. Scott Maitland had his progress halted unceremoniously by Mark Fitzpatrick who, for his troubles, found his way into Mr Kerr's notebook.

Two minutes after joining the action Paul Carmichael added his name to the score sheet from a Donald Campbell assist. Saints carved open the Plains defence on the left once again with Campbell unselfishly squaring to Carmichael for a simple tap-in from six yards.

A momentary lapse in concentration almost cost the Saints defence their clean sheet on the hour mark. From a throw-in level with their own eighteen yard line Matthew Kelly and Graham Douglas got in a fankle on the corner of the box with Sugar thankfully managing to stick out a leg to send the ball away from Daniel Fitzpatrick and behind for a corner kick. Willie Gemmell could only head the delivery from the left out as far as the eighteen yard line from where Aaron Shaw fired a first time effort wide of target.

Donald Campbell and Paul Carmichael almost combined again in the sixty second minute when Donald's cross from the left was taken off Paul's head by Darren Hunter at his near post. This was to prove just a brief stay of execution as two minutes later Scott Maitland added a fourth with an excellent individual effort. Picking up the ball inside his own half, Scott cut through the heart of the Plains defence and buried a low right foot shot past Darren Hunter's right hand.

Plains replaced Daniel Fitzpatrick with Thomas Quigley before Myles McAuley brought a sixty sixth minute save from Darren Hunter after forcing his way through from midfield.

Saints Manager Alex Craik made a double substitution with twenty minutes remaining replacing injured pair Craig MacEwan and Keith Millar with David Smith and Craig MacMillan. Young Craig slotted in at left-back with Scott Maitland moving into midfield where he was joined by Smith.

In the seventy third minute Donald Campbell came within inches of finding the net direct from the corner flag. Paul Deighan headed a Paul Carmichael cross from the right behind for a corner kick on the Saints left. Donald's in-swinging delivery cleared the heads of David Smith and Mark Fitzpatrick landing just in front of the goal line and bouncing inches wide of Darren Hunter's left hand post.

Aaron Shaw sent a seventy fourth minute free-kick high and wide of target after Referee Kerr had penalised Matthew Kelly for a late challenge on Mark Fitzpatrick before Alex Craik made his final changes. Willie Gemmell and David McPhee were withdrawn in favour of Daniel Croarkin and Steven MacLeod. Steven was a straight replacement for David alongside Craig Campbell in the middle of the back four while Daniel took up the right-back berth with Matthew Kelly moving into midfield.

Donald Campbell picked up an unnecessary yellow card for arguing with Mr Kerr after he had given a free-kick against Craig Campbell. Saints defended the free-kick well with Craig MacMillan beating Thomas Quigley in the air allowing Myles McAuley to launch another counter attack where Paul Deighan made a vital interception to clear Donald Campbell's cut-back intended for Paul Carmichael.

Saints notched their fifth goal with ten minutes remaining when Donald Campbell latched onto a Matthew Kelly through ball to slot past Darren Hunter from ten yards.

To their credit the visitors kept plugging away and were almost through after the restart when second half substitute David Burns got the better of Daniel Croarkin on the left only for the Saints youngster to make an excellent recovery tackle inside the Saints box at the expense of a corner kick.

Jordan Dobbie produced an equally vital interception at the other end stooping to head the ball off Donald Campbell's toe after a dazzling run from Scott Maitland and right wing cross from Matthew Kelly. The Plains defence cleared the resulting corner with Daniel Croarkin finding his way into Mr Kerr's notebook for a tackle from behind on David Burns.

Mark Fitzpatrick had one final attempt for the visitors in the eighty seventh minute which Graham Douglas held comfortably before Donald Campbell rounded off the scoring two minutes later. Scott Maitland's running from midfield created the opening which Donald eagerly gobbled up lifting the ball from twelve yards over the head of the stranded Darren Hunter to claim his second successive hat-trick since returning from injury.

There was barely any time left on the Referee's watch with Mr Kerr, who handled proceedings well, blowing for full time shortly after the restart sending Saints through to Tuesday's third round draw.

Saints have no fixture next week but will hit the road on Saturday 14th October for their West of Scotland Amateur Cup third round tie against Braehead.