Saturday 14th January 2023
The Scottish Amateur Football Association Challenge Cup Competition
Fifth Round
Oban Saints 0 - 4 Cupar Hearts
Oban Community Sports Field 3G
Soroba Road
Oban
Argyll
PA34 4JB
Kick-off 1.15pm
Referee Mr Peter Leslie
A place in the last sixteen of the Scottish Amateur Cup was at stake when Oban Saints welcomed Cupar Hearts to Oban High School last Saturday afternoon. Saints had been drawn away from home in the four previous rounds of the national cup competition and were glad of the home advantage for the visit of the reigning Kingdom of Fife Amateur Football Association Premier Division Champions. The Cupar men had defeated St Patrick's FP in round four and were looking to add another Central Scottish Amateur Football League scalp to an impressive run of form which had seen them lose just once this season in all competitions.
With no end to the recent heavy rain which had seen the fixture postponed the previous Saturday the artificial surface at Oban High School was once again called upon as the Saints faithful gathered in large numbers for a first glimpse of their favourites in 2023.
Saints Manager Ross Maitland was still without the suspended Lewis Cameron but welcomed back injury absentees David Beaton, Connor Moore and Daniel MacCuish to an eighteen man squad for the club's biggest game of the season so far.
Saints lined up with Graham Douglas in goal behind a back four of Cammy Clark, Myles McAuley, Ben Forbes and Captain Scott Maitland. Across the five man midfield were Ruaridh Horne, Matty Kelly, Gavin Forgrieve, Rory Dowd and Cammy Hill with Kyle Cooper the lone striker. On the substitutes bench were Ryan Barclay, David Beaton, Ross Campbell, James Ford, Daniel MacCuish, Fraser MacFarlane and Connor Moore.
The visitors kicked off attacking the school end but it was Saints who were first to threaten in just the third minute. Myles McAuley began the move from the back finding Matty Kelly on the halfway line. Kelly carried the ball forward and worked a one-two with Ruaridh Horne before threading a ball into the box for Cammy Hill. The big striker had scored a hat-trick on Saints last outing but he was denied on this occasion by the outstretched left boot of Cupar keeper Jamie Cowan. The loose ball flew dangerously across the face of goal but, frustratingly for Saints, just behind the onrushing Kyle Cooper.
Scott Young's fifth minute foul on Cammy Hill gave Gavin Forgrieve an opportunity with the dead ball. His delivery from the left was good but it was Cupar midfielder Scott Napier who won a solid header to clear the danger.
Cupar left winger Cameron Greenhill got the better of Cammy Clark and burst into the Saints box in the eighth minute. Myles McAuley was also unable to halt the tricky wide man who forced Graham Douglas into a good low save at his near post.
Douglas showed good handling again six minutes later safely gathering a looping back header from Ben Forbes who did well to get his head to Liam Craig's ball over the top looking for striker Richie Lawson.
After a good spell for the visitors Saints came roaring back with a swift break on the right culminating in Kyle Cooper flashing a low drive across Jamie Cowan and inches wide of the far post.
Graham Douglas made a routine save from a speculative Scott Napier effort before big central defender Gavin Moffat hooked well over from a Liam Craig corner kick.
A Matty Kelly shot on the half hour was deflected wide for corner kick which Gavin Forgrieve put right on top of Jamie Cowan who held well under pressure from Cammy Hill.
Clear cut chances remained at a premium for both sides and when Liam Craig looked for the run of Richie Lawson again in the thirty second minute Myles McAuley matched him all the way snuffing out the danger with a well timed challenge on the edge of the Saints box.
There was more than a hint of controversy surrounding the opening goal after Lee Sibanda's thirty seventh minute free-kick from the left found dangerman Richie Lawson in the Saints box. The Cupar striker went down very easily following the slightest of touches from Cammy Hill however Referee Peter Leslie, who had a good match, was well positioned and pointed to the penalty spot. Lawson sent Graham Douglas in the wrong direction from twelve yards to give the visitors a slightly flattering lead.
On the stroke of half-time Cammy Hill's jinking run into the Cupar box took him to the bye-line for a cutback to the edge of the box where Ruaridh Horne couldn't adjust his feet quickly enough to get a shot away allowing Iain O'Leary to clear the danger.
Saints Manager Ross Maitland made a change for the start of the second half withdrawing Cammy Clark and sending on James Ford with Ruaridh Horne dropping back to fill the right fullback berth vacated by Clark.
The wind was in Cupar's favour for the second forty five and the elements played a massive part in the second goal. Graham Douglas came out the edge of his box for what should have been a routine catch in the fifty third minute. In the wet and windy conditions the ball squirmed from the Saints number one's gloves and landed in the path of Richie Lawson who gleefully gobbled up the chance to double the visitor's lead.
There was still plenty of time left for a Saints comeback but the experienced Fifers had a cast-iron grip on the important midfield area leaving Saints unable to create anything of note. Any hopes of a fightback were extinguished just after the hour mark when Richie Lawson's excellent shot from the right corner of the eighteen yard box flew across Graham Douglas and into the far corner of the net.
Sixty four minutes were on the clock when Saints mustered their first serious attempt of the second half half. James Ford was brought down on the left and Gavin Forgrieve's free-kick found Rory Dowd inside the Cupar box. With Jamie Cowan racing out to meet him Dowd sent his left foot effort wide of target before being sent crashing by the Cupar keeper. Dowd's appeals for a penalty kick were in vain with Mr Leslie content to award a goal-kick.
Saints Gaffer Ross Maitland introduced four substitutes for the closing stages sending on David Beaton, Daniel MacCuish, Fraser MacFarlane and Connor Moore to replace Rory Dowd, Ben Forbes, Cammy Hill and Ruaridh Horne.
The visitors inflicted more suffering on the home faithful who had endured the miserable weather conditions with a fourth goal in the seventy fifth minute. Graham Douglas did well to parry Liam Craig's shot from the right however the Saints number one was out of luck when the loose broke for substitute Lewis McGlashan to poke home from close range at the far post.
The by now well beaten Saints kept plugging away and were denied a ninety third minute consolation when Gavin Forgrieve's shot from twenty yards beat Jamie Cowan before hitting the inside of Cowan's right hand post and spinning across the face of goal and wide of the opposite post.
The big games keep coming and Saints will have to pick themselves up quickly for the visit of cup holders Shortlees in the fourth round of the West of Scotland Amateur Cup this coming Saturday. The Ayrshire men eliminated Saints at the quarter finals stage of last season's competition enroute to a remarkable four trophy haul confirming their status as one of the top clubs in Scottish Amateur football. The tie must be decided on the day with extra time and penalty kicks if necessary to decide the winner if the score remains level after ninety minutes.
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