Saturday 21st January 2023
The West of Scotland Amateur Cup
Fourth Round
Oban Saints 0 - 3 Shortlees
Oban Community Sports Field 3G
Soroba Road
Oban
Argyll
PA34 4JB
Kick-off 2.00pm
Referee Mr Steven Nicholls
For the second week in succession a place in the last sixteen of one of the major cup competitions was at stake when Oban Saints welcomed Shortleess to Oban High School last Saturday afternoon. Despite a brave performance the young Saints side once again came up short against vastly more experienced opponents with cup holders Shortlees ultimately running out comfortable winners.
The ice and snow which had forced closure of the artificial surface at Oban High School during the week gave way to rain and milder air in time for the pitch to thaw out sufficiently for the match to proceed in front of another healthy crowd of local and travelling supporters.
Saints Manager Ross Maitland was unavailable for this fixture and left team matters in the capable hands of Assistant Manager Iain Jackson who was forced to make a number of changes to the previous week's line-up which had exited the Scottish Amateur Cup at the hands of Cupar Hearts. Out went Graham Douglas, Matty Kelly, James Ford, Fraser MacFarlane and Ryan Barclay with Shaun Lockhart and James Conington coming in.
Saints lined up with Shaun Lockhart in goal behind a back four of Ruaridh Horne, Myles McAuley, Ben Forbes and Captain Scott Maitland. Across the five man midfield were Connor Moore, Rory Dowd, Gavin Forgrieve, Daniel MacCuish and Cammy Hill with Kyle Cooper the lone striker. On the substitutes bench were David Beaton, Ross Campbell, Cammy Clark and James Conington.
The visitors kicked off attacking the school end and, after an even opening spell, got their noses in front in the seventh minute. Dangerman Keir Knapp turned away from Ruaridh Horne on the left corner of the eighteen yard box and deftly lifted the ball towards the up in support Jackson Biggar. Saints Skipper Scott Maitland made a timely interception however Saints couldn't clear the danger with the ball eventually breaking for Scottish Amateur Select man Kristopher Chisolm who curled left footed into the bottom corner past the unsighted Shaun Lockhart.
Young keeper Lockhart stood up well to the Shortlees aerial challenge standing his ground to punch away a ninth minute Keir Knapp corner kick under pressure from the considerable frame of central defender Gordon Minor.
It was a welcome sight for the Saints management to have Connor Moore back in the starting line-up after a lengthy spell out with an ankle injury and the speedy youngster was involved in a pivotal moment in the nineteenth minute. Rory Dowd sent Moore racing through with John McFarland in pursuit. Moore lifted the ball over advancing Shortlees keeper Garry Murdoch whose momentum took him clattering into Moore on the eighteen yard line. Murdoch's challenge clearly prevented Moore from reaching the loose ball bizarrely however Referee Steven Nicholls saw nothing wrong and awarded a goal kick. Worse quickly followed for Saints when it became apparent that Murdoch had unintentionally caught Moore's left ankle in the challenge ending the youngster's involvement in proceedings and leaving him facing another spell on the side lines.
Moore's misfortune gave David Beaton a longer than anticipated run out on his phased return following an ankle injury picked up in the opening month of the season.
A neat turn inside from the left by Cammy Hill in the twenty sixth minute left Gordon Minor off balance with the big central defender dragging Hill to the floor twenty two yards from goal. Gavin Forgrieve's free-kick was blocked by the Shortlees wall before Forgrieve lifted the loose ball into the box for Rory Dowd who was judged to be offside by Mr Nicholls.
Rory Dowd's determined thirty second minute run from midway inside his own half eventually found him the space to pick out David Beaton wide on the right. Beaton's pace took him away from John McFarland but his dangerous cut-back looking for Kyle Cooper was well cut out by Jordan Drummond.
Keir Knapp was a constant threat on the Shortlees left and, when he picked out striker Marc Walker's run into the Saints box ten minutes before the interval, Shaun Lockhart was forced into a good save low to his right to stop Walker's effort at the near post.
Saints forced a succession of first half corner kicks however, despite some good deliveries from Gavin Forgrieve, they were unable to get the better of the experienced Shortlees defence.
Referee Nicholls brought to an end an evenly contested first half with a very tight offside call against Kyle Cooper who looked to have timed his run well to finally escape the close attentions of Gordon Minor.
Cup holders Shortlees started the second half very strongly and Saints had Shaun Lockhart to thank for a flying save to tip over a Keir Knapp shot from twenty eight yards after just three minutes.
Saints couldn't get out of their own half and, when a very unfortunate ricochet off Gavin Forgrieve from a throw-in on the left broke kindly in the Saints box for Marc Walker, the Shortlees striker showed all of the predatory instinct which has earned him a call-up to the Scottish Amateur International Squad to slot the ball past the stranded Shaun Lockhart.
The visitors had their tails up now and ruthlessly punished a rare slip from Ben Forbes in the fifty fourth minute. The big central defender, who has been a fantastic addition to the squad since signing from Lochgilphead Red Star, lost his footing on the eighteen yard line and could only look on in anguish as Keir Knapp nipped in to pick up the loose ball and tuck neatly beyond Shaun Lockhart for a killer third goal.
The out of sorts Forbes was replaced by James Conington on the hour mark with the versatile Daniel MacCuish dropping back into central defence. Unfortunately for Saints this was MacCuish's last game for a while as he has decided to pick up his caman once again and return to the shinty fold with Oban Camanachd. Also bowing out is Matty Kelly who is taking a year out to go travelling in Australia. Everyone at Oban Saints wishes both the best of luck.
There was plenty of time left on the clock for Saints to stage a comeback but sides of the quality displayed by Shortlees don't surrender three goal leads easily and Saints had a mountain to climb.
Ruaridh Horne curled left footed just wide of Garry Murdoch's right hand post before winning a seventy eighth minute corner kick on the right. Gavin Forgrieve once again produced a good delivery finding James Conington whose header smacked off the Shortlees crossbar.
Injury forced the withdrawal of Cammy Hill and Ruaridh Horne who were replaced by Ross Campbell and Cammy Clark for the closing stages.
Clark and Campbell combined with David Beaton who sent Clark racing through the inside right channel for a thumping drive which flew narrowly wide of the junction of post and crossbar.
Shortlees remained a constant threat and Shaun Lockhart made another excellent save to deny Dale Galloway launching himself to his right to fingertip Galloway's eighty third minute strike behind for a corner kick.
Opposite number Garry Murdoch saved his best moment until deep into stoppage time throwing up a strong left hand to block Kyle Cooper's effort from fifteen yards after another strong run from Cammy Clark.
There was to be no consolation for Saints as Referee Steven Nicholls blew for full time after three added minutes sending cup holders Shortlees through to the fifth round.
Victorious visitors Shortlees showed just why they remain near the top of the pile in Scottish amateur football and once again they will almost certainly be there or thereabouts when the silverware is handed out at the end of the season. From a Saints perspective for the new look side to reach the last thirty two in both of the major cup competitions is a good showing in Manager Ross Maitland's first season in charge with still one league cup and plenty of league points still to play for.
It's cup business for Saints again this coming Saturday when they host Campsie Minerva in round one of the Central Scottish Amateur Football League Cinema Cup. The visitors are in a good run of form with just one defeat in their last eight outings in all competitions which has helped lift them to third place in the Championship league table four points behind leaders Dunipace but with three games in hand. The tie must be decided on the day with kicks from the penalty mark to decide the winner if the score is level after ninety minutes.
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