Saturday 15th April 2023
Greater Glasgow Premier Amateur Football League
Division Three
Oban Saints GG 0 - 6 Kirkfield United
Oban Community Sports Field 3G
Soroba Road
Oban
Argyll
PA34 4JB
Kick-off 1.30pm
Referee Mr Martin Rae
Oban Saints GG returned to action last Saturday afternoon following the Easter break when they hosted Greater Glasgow Premier Amateur Football League Division Three title chasing Kirkfield United. Chances were hard to come by for Saints who found the well drilled Kirkfield defence an impossible nut to crack while at the back the hosts were picked off far too easily by the potent visiting attack.
Already without groin strain victim Ollie Sharp the Saints Management team of Donald Black and Robert Johnstone were dealt another blow when they lost the vast experience of veteran midfielder Keith Millar who pulled up injured during the warm-up.
Saints lined up with Murdo MacKenzie in goal behind a back four of Cammy Clark, Szymon Chmielecki, Ryan Barclay and Lewis Campbell. Across the midfield were Thomas McCrindle, Craig Livingstone and Aaron McKay with a front three of Oran Bryce, Kieran Hendry and Lewis Buchanan. On the substitutes bench were Angel Animashaun, Ryan Hill, Keiron Lopez and Connor Moore.
Attacking the Dalintart end Saints made a bright start to the first half with Aaron McKay doing well to cut inside from the left in the third minute before finding the side netting. McKay's midfield colleague Thomas McCrindle was denied the opening goal by the outstretched left boot of the Kirkfield keeper after a good turn and shot from fourteen yards.
The good start from Saints came to nothing and the visitors got their noses in front after seventeen minutes. A free-kick on the right cheaply conceded by Aaron McKay gave Kirkfield dead-ball specialist Brown the chance to find a telling delivery into the Saints box. Brown didn't disappoint and found the head of Skipper Baker who rose unchallenged to bullet a header past Murdo MacKenzie.
Brown had another set-piece opportunity in the twenty eighth minute after a silly push by Cammy Clark on the corner of the Saints eighteen yard box. Murdo MacKenzie however got down well to his left to push Brown's effort behind for a corner kick.
Clark made an important interception ahead of Kirkfield striker Burrows to concede a thirty fourth minute corner kick. Brown once again made a telling contribution with a killer delivery from the right which Saints again failed to contest with a free header from Burnside finding the net.
The Saints front three of Kieran Hendry, Lewis Buchanan and Oran Bryce combined in the thirty sixth minute to create a shooting opportunity for Hendry which Kirkfield keeper Sinton saved well low to his left.
Saints lost the services of Lewis Campbell to a fortieth minute hamstring injury with his place on the left of the back four being taken by Kieron Lopez.
The Saints Management team made a second change for the start of the second half which saw Connor Moore replace Kieran Hendry up front.
Moore was quickly involved linking well with Aaron McKay and Lewis Buchanan before finding Thomas McCrindle for a lay-off to Oran Bryce for a powerful left foot shot inches wide of Sinton's right hand post.
The second half was only three minutes old when the visitors stretched their lead still further cruelly exposing Saints on the counter-attack with Burrows providing the left foot finish to beat MacKenzie.
An accidental collision with team-mate Connor Moore left Aaron McKay with a deep gash on the back of his head and brought his involvement in proceedings to an end with Angel Animashaun taking his place and joining Craig Livingstone and Thomas McCrindle in midfield.
Another swift counter-attack saw Kirkfield man of the match Burrows got the better of Ryan Barclay again to complete his brace in the fifty fourth minute with an emphatic finish which gave Murdo MacKenzie no chance.
Saints kept probing for openings but got no change from the Kirkfield rear guard which protected keeper Sinton well.
With the game long since over as a contest Saints were again picked off far too easily when Henderson played-in second half substitute Egan to add a fifth goal with fifteen minutes remaining.
The final personnel change of the afternoon came in the eightieth minute and saw young Ryan Hill replace Cammy Clark at right fullback.
Goal difference could yet prove crucial in the race for the Division Three title and the visitors gave theirs a further boost in the eighty first minute when Henderson raced through the inside left channel to slot past the hopelessly exposed Murdo MacKenzie.
MacKenzie denied the South of Scotland Amateur Cup semi-finalists a seventh with a fine save at the death from yet another counter-attack after Lewis Buchanan had failed to lift a twenty five yard free-kick over the Kirkfield defensive wall.
Oban Saints GG are at home again this coming Saturday when they host Glasgow Harp in their final home Greater Glasgow Premier Amateur Football League Division Three match of the season.
Meanwhile Oban Saints Central Scottish Amateur Football League side are on the road with a long journey south to face Premier Division title chasing Lesmahagow at the Glebe.
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