The Oban Saints preseason tournament sponsored by D&K Lafferty Contractors returned on Saturday 8th July after a three year absence. The 27th playing of Oban Saints flagship event took place at Mossfield Stadium and Oban Lorne Rugby Club where once again a large crowd of locals and visitors were treated to some excellent football in favourable weather conditions.
The hosts were joined on this occasion by tournament regulars Hamilton Academical and St Johnstone with new guests Kilmarnock and Livingston making their debuts. The unfortunate late withdrawal of three time winners Alloa Athletic necessitated a minor change to the familiar tournament format which saw the teams play each other once but with the matches lasting forty minutes instead of the usual thirty.
Tournament organiser and Oban Saints Secretary David Buchanan was delighted to confirm that shirt sponsor D&K Lafferty Contractors had agreed to continue their sponsorship of the club's flagship event. D&K Lafferty are fantastic supporters of local sport and everybody connected with Oban Saints was pleased to see them rewarded with the wide exposure that sponsorship of this prestigious tournament offers.
In addition to the generosity of D&K Lafferty Saints were also grateful to kit sponsors MKM Building Supplies Oban and hospitality sponsor Aulay's Bar for their renewed support for the forthcoming season.
As has been the case for a long number of years Saints received a kind donation of match balls from a local business which has once again ticked the no publicity box and wishes to remain anonymous.
The tournament was well handled by Referees John Cairney, Jimmy Litster, Tony McCann and Pat O'Donnell who oversaw ten excellent matches before reigning champions Hamilton Academical once again emerged victorious to take the trophy back to New Douglas Park for a sixth time.
Hamilton Academical D&K Cup Winners 2023
Oban Saints squad for the 2023 D&K Lafferty Cup Tournament
Oban Saints Squad
Daniel Beaton
David Beaton
Oran Bryce
Ross Campbell
Cammy Clark
James Conington
Kyle Cooper
Graham Douglas
Rory Dowd
Ben Forbes
James Ford
Gavin Forgrieve
Cammy Hill
Ruaridh Horne
Craig Livingstone
James Muir
Drew Murray
Craig Maitland
Rhys Millar
Connor Moore
Marc Maccallum
Aidan MacDonald
Fraser MacFarlane
Paul Mcfatridge
Preston Macintyre
Aaron Mckay
Steven MacLeod
Kick off 11.00am
Mossfield - Oban Saints 0 - 3 St Johnstone
The hosts got the action underway in bright sunshine at Mossfield where they ran into an excellent young St Johnstone side who would ultimately miss out on lifting the cup on goal difference.
Saints started well and had a Ben Forbes header from a James Ford corner kick saved before Aaron Mckay shot just over from thirty yards however it was the Perth Saints who opened the scoring.
Veteran Saints defender Steven MacLeod, who has given the club a massive boost by signing up for another season, was left appealing for an offside decision which Referee Jimmy Litster wasn't prepared to give allowing St Johnstone right winger Adam McMillan to race through and deftly lift the ball over Craig Maitland and into the net.
The second half action was end to end with St Johnstone rattling the Saints crossbar and the hosts having two James Ford efforts well saved before McMillan completed his brace cutting in from the right and beating Maitland just inside his near post.
Making his first home appearance since his promotion to the first team, Craig Maitland made a good save from a St Johnstone free-kick but was well beaten by a perfectly executed lob from Dylan Williams to seal a convincing victory for the young Perth outfit.
James Ford with St Johnstone's Adam McMillan in the background
Kick off 11.00am
Glencruitten - Livingston 2 - 0 Hamilton Academical
The Livingston Lions got their tournament debut off to a flying start with a two goal victory over cup holders Hamilton Academical at Glencruitten. Matthew McCaffrey and Max Williamson were on target for the D&K Cup new boys.
Kick off 12.00 noon
Mossfield - St Johnstone 0 - 2 Hamilton Academical
Tournament regulars St Johnstone and Hamilton Academical went head to head in the noon kick-off at Mossfield where goals from Ben Black and Paddy Meechan put the first points on the board for the holders with former Oban Saints Youth goalkeeper Josh Lane keeping an all important clean sheet.
Kick off 12.00 noon
Glencruitten - Kilmarnock 0 - 0 Oban Saints
Meanwhile at Glencruitten tournament new boys Kilmarnock had another Oban Saints Youth graduate, Zander Craik, leading the line where he was closely marked by veteran Saints central defender Marc Maccallum. The return of the former Skipper is sure to give the club a huge lift for the season ahead and the young Kilmarnock side could find no way of breaking down the Maccallum led Saints back line in the tournament's only goalless match.
Marc Maccallum returns to action for Oban Saints
Kick off 1.00pm
Mossfield - Hamilton Academical 1 - 0 Kilmarnock
The current sides of former Oban Saints Youth team-mates Josh Lane and Zander Craik were in direct opposition for the 1pm kick-off at Mossfield and it was the Hamilton number one who took the bragging rights from this particular personal battle. Accies striker Gravine Kalala netted the only game of a tight contest to take the holders onto the six points mark.
Kick off 1.00pm
Glencruitten - St Johnstone 3 - 2 Livingston
In the 1pm kick-off at Glencruitten St Johnstone joined Hamilton on six points after edging out Livingston by the odd goal in a five goal thriller at Glencruitten.
Kick off 2.00pm
Mossfield - Livingston 3 - 0 Kilmarnock
Kilmarnock's search for a first D&K Cup goal continued in vain against Livingston whose three goals without reply sent them into their final match with a chance to clinch the trophy on their tournament debut.
Kick off 2.00pm
Glencruitten - Oban Saints 0 - 4 Hamilton Academical
In their final match of the afternoon holders Hamilton Academical showed they were in no mood to relinquish their grip on the trophy with a resounding victory over Oban Saints. The hosts had no answer to a clinical Accies side who netted twice in each half to significantly and ultimately decisively improve their goal difference. At the other end of the park Player of the Tournament Chrissy McGinn marshalled his troops to another clean sheet confirming Hamilton's defence as the meanest of the tournament.
Player of the Tournament Chrissy McGinn
Kick off 3.00pm
Mossfield - Oban Saints 3 - 1 Livingston
Glencruitten - Kilmarnock 2 - 3 St Johnstone
Going into the final two fixtures Hamilton Academical were leaders in the club house on nine points however Livingston and St Johnstone knew that victory in their respective games would see both equal the Accies points tally and bring goal difference into play to decide the destination of the trophy.
At Mossfield Livingston got off to the perfect start with a flicked header from a right wing cross eluding Saints number one Graham Douglas to give the Lions a seventh minute lead. However just sixty seconds later Saints drew level with their first goal of the afternoon. Preston Macintyre and Kyle Cooper combined well through the middle before Macintyre was closed down on the eighteen yard line. Macintyre however was able to lay the ball off to new signing Daniel Beaton who tucked a neat left foot finish under the challenge of the Livingston centre-half and beyond the despairing grasp of the goalkeeper to level the scoring.
Saints struck another blow to Livingston's hopes of winning the trophy when they took the lead after fourteen minutes. Another new signing, Paul Mcfatridge who impressed in central midfield, won possession inside the Saints half and found Gavin Forgrieve who carried the ball deep into Livingston territory. James Muir peeled off left to accept Forgrieve's pass and picked out the supporting run of Ross Campbell who made no mistake from six yards.
Over at Glencruitten Kilmarnock also finally discovered their shooting boots at exactly the wrong time for St Johnstone. Despite two Killie goals the Perth Saints eventually got their noses in front going into the closing stages but the two further goals necessary to claim the trophy by virtue of having won the head to head with Hamilton just wouldn't come.
At Mossfield there was to be no way back for the Livingston youngsters and Saints stretched their advantage from a James Muir free-kick which Kyle Cooper cushioned goalward only to be denied by the Livingston goalkeeper. Luck however deserted the Livi net minder when the ball rebounded straight to Cooper who this time sent the ball high into the roof of the net to round off the scoring.
At the final whistles at both Mossfield and Glencruitten the calculators were out before Hamilton Academical were finally confirmed as winners beating St Johnstone on goal difference by two goals.
Kyle Cooper
Daniel Beaton equalises for Saints
James Muir
Daniel Beaton
Paul Mcfatridge
Kyle Cooper nets Saints third goal
Commentaires