Honours Even In Final Preseason Friendly

Saturday 29th July 2023

Friendly

Oban Saints 2 - 2 Stenhousemuir Community

Glencruitten 1

Glencruitten Drive

Oban

Argyll

PA34 4EB

Kick-off 2.00pm

Referee Mr Pat O'Donnell

Oban Saints concluded their build-up to the new league season with a friendly encounter last Saturday at Glencruitten against a lively young Stenhousemuir Community side. Saints usual home turf at Glencruitten 2 remains under repair therefore the match went ahead on the rugby pitch where Saints came from two goals down to salvage a share of the spoils.

With his selection options once again hampered by injuries and holidays Manager Ross Maitland had to call on the services of club stalwart Myles McAuley who cut short his retirement to put in a typically assured performance and also, not so typically, chipped in with the equalising goal after Rory Dowd had halved the deficit from the penalty spot.

Saints lined up with Craig Maitland in goal behind a back three of James Conington, Ben Forbes and Drew Murray. Across the five man midfield were David Beaton, Martin Bonar, Myles McAuley, Rory Dowd and Captain Scott Maitland with Connor Moore and James Muir up front. On the substitutes bench were Ross Campbell, Graham Douglas and Fraser MacFarlane.

Attacking the railway line end in the first half Saints came close with an early effort from the corner of the eighteen yard box from young striker James Muir which flew wide of the junction of post and crossbar.

Stenhousemuir keeper Ross Keenan was brought into the action in the ninth minute getting down well to his right to hold a twenty six yard shot from Martin Bonar.

Saints had the ball in the visitor's net in the twelfth minute when Connor Moore raced into the box on the right to send the ball across the advancing Ross Keenan for strike partner James Muir to knock home at the far post. Referee Pat O'Donnell, who handled a good natured but nonetheless competitive encounter well, however cut short the Saints celebrations short ruling Muir to have strayed offside.

Having struggled with goalkeeper availability throughout last season Saints enter the new campaign with recent signing Craig Maitland and long term net minder Graham Douglas battling for the number one jersey. Maitland was given the nod to start against Stenhousemuir and passed his first test of the afternoon with a good stop at his near post in the fourteenth minute.

Clear cut chances were at a premium for both sides and, when Connor Moore, Rory Dowd and James Muir combined well on the left for a twenty-fifth minute shooting opportunity to finally open up, Stenny keeper Ross Keenan was relieved to see David Beaton's well struck effort fly narrowly over the crossbar.

The visitors opened the scoring in the thirty-third minute when left fullback Jude Smith was allowed to carry the ball a long way out from the back before unleashing a dipping shot from distance which deceived Craig Maitland and nestled in the clubhouse end net.

Saints responded with another good build-up on the left which saw Connor Moore race into the box only for Ross Keenan to read the danger well and save bravely at Moore's feet.

Saints Gaffer Ross Maitland shuffled his pack for the start of the second half replacing Craig Maitland, James Conington and Ben Forbes with Graham Douglas, Fraser MacFarlane and Ross Campbell. With rolling substitutions permitted Conington and Forbes would both feature again before the final whistle.

James Muir passed up a good chance to level the scores in the fifty-third minute after Scott Maitland, Rory Dowd and Connor Moore had created an opening for the youngster who unfortunately snatched his finish the wrong side of Ross Keenan's right hand post.

The visitors extended their lead just before the hour mark from a deep cross from the right which evaded Saints keeper Graham Douglas but not Marc Attinasi who came piling in at the back post to head home from close range.

Saints certainly weren't out of it at this point and Connor Moore's direct running brought a sixty-ninth minute dead ball opportunity from twenty eight yards. Rory Dowd rolled the free-kick short to Fraser MacFarlane who saw his shot deflect off the Stenhousemuir wall for a corner kick. The visitors chose to ignore Referee Pat O'Donnell's warning against pushing in the box and continued the infringement after Ross Campbell had dispatched his delivery from the right giving Mr O'Donnell little choice but to point to the penalty spot. Rory Dowd accepted the responsibility and calmly slotted the ball into the bottom corner to halve the deficit.

Dowd twice came close to doubling his tally heading a David Beaton corner kick over the Stenny crossbar before shaving the outside of Ross Keenan's right hand post from a Connor Moore cutback.

Saints drew level with five minutes remaining after strong running from Captain Scott Maitland had won a corner kick on the left. The Stenhousemuir defence couldn't clear the danger from David Beaton's delivery and, as the ball bounced back and forward inside the box, Myles McAuley kept his composure to find the bottom corner through a forest of legs for a deserved equaliser.

Saints have been handed a daunting start to the inaugural Scottish Premier Amateur Football Association Premiership season where they will face last season's Central Scottish Amateur Football League top three St. Patrick's FP, Lesmahagow and Bannockburn on successive Saturdays before concluding a five match opening month with the visit of Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division champions Arthurlie Amateurs. The league season commences this coming Saturday 5th August with Saints travelling to Ladywell Park to face Bannockburn before a midweek Argyll Derby with Lochgilphead Red Star at Glencruitten.