Saturday 13th August 2022
Central Scottish Amateur Football League
Premier Division
Tower Hearts 4 - 1 Oban Saints
St Ambrose High School
65 Townhead Road
Coatbridge
ML5 2HT
Kick-off 1pm
Referee Mr Michael Kerr
Oban Saints kicked off their 2022-23 Central Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division campaign last Saturday afternoon with a trip to Coatbridge to face Tower Hearts. Despite competing well in patches against the Scottish Amateur Cup holders Saints returned home empty handed on the wrong end of a 4 - 1 scoreline.
The usual mixture of injuries, suspensions, holidays, work and family commitments restricted Manager Ross Maitland's selection options forcing the Gaffer to pull on his boots for a place on the bench. Aidan Campbell was given his competitive debut partnering Jack Wright in a previously untried central defensive pairing while Daniel Terry once again deputised in goal for the unavailable Graham Douglas.
Saints lined up with Daniel Terry in goal behind a back four of Ruaridh Horne, Aidan Campbell, Jack Wright and Captain Scott Maitland. In midfield were James Conington, Gavin Forgrieve and Rory Dowd with a front three of Lewis Cameron, Kyle Cooper and Cammy Hill. Keeping the Gaffer company on the substitutes bench were Nathan Allan and Fraser MacFarlane.
The hosts kicked off attacking the Townhead Road end at St Ambrose High School and came tearing out of the traps forcing a corner kick on the left inside the first minute. Saints failed to react to Alexander Lynn's run to the corner of the eighteen yard box which Mitchell Barclay picked out from the corner flag however midfielder Lynn lifted his shot over the crossbar.
Saints goalkeeper Daniel Terry made a clean catch to safely gather a sixth minute Mitchell Barclay corner kick from the left however two minutes later the early pressure from the hosts eventually received it's reward. Reegan Shearer came to the edge of the six yard box to meet another Barclay delivery from the corner with a glancing header which deflected off Lewis Cameron past the helpless Daniel Terry.
Daniel Terry saved well from Reegan Shearer as the one way traffic continued before Saints were finally seen in an attacking sense in the fourteenth minute. Lewis Cameron sent Kyle Cooper racing through the inside left channel however, despite successfully lifting the ball over the advancing Darren Linton, the young striker's lob drifted agonisingly wide of the far post.
The Saints front three of Lewis Cameron, Kyle Cooper and Cammy Hill combined to great effect sixty seconds later for Cameron to place a right foot finish from eighteen yards beyond the reach of keeper Linton and briefly restore parity.
Straight from the restart the fragile looking Saints rear guard was opened up again for Reegan Shearer to sprint through and slot the ball low past Daniel Terry to put the hosts back in front.
Lawrence Hendry's eighteenth minute ball out from the back was flicked on by Jamie Boyle for Shearer who rounded the advancing Terry but was denied his hat-trick by an excellent sliding recovery tackle from Aidan Campbell.
Referee Michael Kerr, who had a good game, interrupted proceedings midway through the half to give the players a much needed water break. The stoppage in play re-invigorated Saints who enjoyed an improved spell forcing Darren Linton into an excellent reaction save when an attempted clearance cannoned off Ruaridh Horne and looked certain to nestle in the net until Linton threw himself to his right to claw the ball away.
Horne was inches away from connecting with a Lewis Cameron free-kick from the left lofted to the back post before Rory Dowd had sight of the target but failed to generate the necessary power in his shot from eighteen yards to seriously test keeper Linton.
Tower Hearts central defensive pairing Ross McConville and Lawrence Hendry looked comfortable on the ball and when Hendry was allowed to carry the ball out of defence for a give and go with Greig McEwan Ruaridh Horne was left with little option but to bring the big centre half down. From the resulting set-piece Hendry's spectacular overhead kick landed just wide of Daniel Terry's right hand post.
As Saints continued their search for a second equaliser Skipper Scott Maitland combined well with Lewis Cameron to send over a cross from the left which narrowly eluded the stretched neck muscles of Rory Dowd at the front post. Following up on the right Cammy Hill blazed over from the corner of the eighteen yard box.
Hill switched to the left for a forty third minute run and cross which Lawrence Hendry thumped clear from the six yard line just ahead of Kyle Cooper.
The second half began in disastrous fashion for Saints despite forcing a corner kick inside the first minute. Rory Dowd couldn't connect with Gavin Forgrieve's delivery from the right and the hosts moved swiftly to the other end winning a throw-in on the right. The Saints defence failed to deal with David Quinn's long throw which Reegan Shearer headed beyond Daniel Terry to complete his hat-trick.
A calf strain cut short Aidan Campbell's involvement with his place in central defence being taken by Nathan Allan making his competitive return to the first team after a five year absence.
Allan's first involvement was to head clear a Greig McEwan long throw from the left with the Tower Hearts fullback scurrying back to bring down Kyle Cooper who looked set for a run at the exposed home defence. Gavin Forgrieve's fifty first minute delivery into the box found Rory Dowd for a turn and shot which came crashing back off the crossbar.
Saints came close to reducing the deficit sixty seconds later with Scott Maitland and Cammy Hill linking well on the left. Hill turned inside and found Lewis Cameron who played in Kyle Cooper on the right for a low shot which fizzed inches wide of Darren Linton's right hand post.
Referee Kerr ignored a loud sixty third minute penalty appeal from Saints when Cammy Hill appeared to have been pushed to the ground inside the Tower Hearts box.
With the second water break looming the hosts struck for a fourth time with Reegan Shearer picking out strike partner Jamie Boyle for a close range finish past Daniel Terry's left hand.
Home front pairing Shearer and Boyle made way for David Green and David Quinn for the final quarter while the rehydrated Saints steeled themselves for a final push.
Rory Dowd and Nathan Allan both narrowly failed to connect with headers from Gavin Forgrieve corner kicks before Cammy Hill's weak shot from the left corner of the eighteen yard box bounced harmlessly through to Darren Linton.
Jack Wright made a good stretching challenge to stop Mitchell Barclay's seventy third minute run into the Saints box. Wright's challenge however came at a cost as he was unable to continue forcing Gaffer Ross Maitland into a reshuffle. James Conington dropped back into central defence while Lewis Cameron took Conington's midfield berth to make room up front for substitute Fraser MacFarlane.
With the match long since over as a contest Saints were able to create half chances for Lewis Cameron, Rory Dowd and Fraser MacFarlane however the home defence stood firm to safely and deservedly secure the points. Full credit must go to both sides for producing an entertaining high tempo match in baking hot conditions.
This coming Saturday Saints host Bannockburn on league business with Referee Tom Cavanagh officiating.
As Scottish Amateur Cup holders Tower Hearts went into the hat on Tuesday 2nd August for the Preliminary Round of the Scottish Cup F.A. Cup where they were drawn at home against Cumnock Juniors of the West of Scotland League Premier Division. All at Oban Saints would like to wish Tower Hearts the best of luck for the tie which is scheduled for Saturday 27th August.
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