Saturday 12th August 2023
Scottish Premier Amateur Football Association
Premiership
Oban Saints 0 - 4 Lesmahagow
Glencruitten 2
Mossfield Avenue
Oban
Argyll
PA34 4EH
Kick-off 2.00pm
Referee Mr James Montgomery
Oban Saints run of difficult opening fixtures continued last Saturday with the visit to Glencruitten of last season's Central Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division ruuners-up Lesmahagow. Having successfully retained the South of Scotland Amateur Cup only goal difference prevented the Gow from adding the league trophy to their ever increasing trophy haul and they are rightly considered to be among the favourites to claim the new Scottish Premier Amateur Football Association Premiership title.
Two goals without reply in each half secured the points for the visitors however Saints competed well for long spells and Gow keeper Nathan Wharton and his defence had to work hard to earn their clean sheet.
Saints lined up with Graham Douglas in goal behind a back three of Steven MacLeod, Ben Forbes and Captain Scott Maitland. Across the five man midfield were David Beaton, Aaron Moore, Gavin Forgrieve, Paul McFatridge and Drew Murray with James Ford and Martin Bonar up front. On the heavily populated substitutes bench were Daniel Beaton, Oran Bryce, Ross Campbell, Cammy Clark, Rory Dowd, Craig Livingstone, Fraser MacFarlane and James Muir.
Both sides had early chances but it was the visitors who got their noses in front in the fifteenth minute when goal scoring machine Graham Gracie, who has already passed the one hundred goals mark after just two full seasons at the club, pounced to slam the ball past Graham Douglas and open the scoring.
Gracie had a chance to add to his tally from a free-kick just two minutes later but was denied by a smart save from Graham Douglas who got down well to his right. At the other end opposite number Nathan Wharton showed good reactions to push over a James Ford effort with Aaron Moore blasting a shot from the edge of the box after James Gibbons had headed out the resulting corner kick.
Having acquitted themselves well since going behind Saints were extremely unlucky to concede again two minutes before the interval. Steven MacLeod, whose experience at the back was again invaluable for Saints, slid in to block a Daryl Meikle cross from the right but only succeeded in turning the ball into his own net.
Saints hopes of getting back into the game were dealt a further blow after just five second half minutes when Aaron Bulloch was well placed to exploit indecision in the Saints defence and drill the ball under Graham Douglas for Gow's third goal.
Saints Gaffer Ross Maitland gave second runouts to Daniel Beaton, Ross Campbell, Rory Dowd, Craig Livingstone and James Muir. Beaton, Campbell, Dowd and Muir all joined James Ford in testing Gow keeper Nathan Wharton but there was to be no consolation goal for the home side.
Graham Douglas made excellent saves to deny Ryan Innes, Joshua Payne and Stuart Henderson. Saints however couldn't clear the danger after the effort from new Gow signing Henderson and Douglas was deceived by a scuffed shot from Joshua Payne which squeezed in at the far post despite the best attempts of Craig Livingstone to stop the ball crossing the goal-line.
Saints face another massive test this coming Saturday with a trip to Dumbarton to face last season's Central Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division Champions St Patrick's F.P.
Graham Douglas
Drew Murray and Robbie Payne
Gavin Forgrieve and Daryl Meikle
James Gibbons slides in on Aaron Moore
Ross Campbell and Nathan Wharton
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