Saturday 20th August 2022
Central Scottish Amateur Football League
Premier Division
Oban Saints 1 - 4 Bannockburn
Glencruitten 2
Mossfield Avenue
Oban
Argyll
PA34 4EH
Kick-off 2pm
Referee Mr Tom Cavanagh
Oban Saints difficult start to their Central Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division campaign continued with the visit to Glencruitten last Saturday of Bannockburn. The three time Scottish Amateur Cup winners opened their campaign with a win at Glenhead Park, Drumchapel and made it back to back away wins inflicting a second 4 - 1 defeat on Saints.
Saints Manager Ross Maitland made a number of changes to the squad which had lost to Tower Hearts on the opening day. A mixture of injuries and unavailability saw Daniel Terry, Aidan Campbell, Jack Wright, Cammy Hill and Nathan Allan drop out with Graham Douglas, Myles McAuley, Daniel MacCuish, Cammy Clark, Donald Campbell and David Beaton coming in.
Bannockburn have profited from the recent sad and unexpected demise of near neighbours Fallin snapping up eight of the back to back East of Scotland Cup winning squad and included four of the new recruits in their starting line-up.
Saints lined up with Graham Douglas in goal behind a back four of Ruaridh Horne, Myles McAuley, James Conington and Captain Scott Maitland. In midfield were Daniel MacCuish, Rory Dowd and Gavin Forgrieve with a front three of Fraser MacFarlane, Lewis Cameron and Kyle Cooper. On the substitutes bench were David Beaton, Donald Campbell, Cammy Clark, Alex Craik and Ross Maitland.
Saints were dealt a hammer blow with the loss to a hamstring strain of talisman Lewis Cameron just four minutes into what was a frantic start from both sides. Cameron's injury paved the way for an earlier than anticipated return for long term injury victim David Beaton.
After Graham Douglas had comfortably dealt with a Declan Wood shot Saints registered their first attempt on goal after five minutes when Daniel MacCuish sent David Beaton away on the left. Beaton held off the challenge of Darren Walker to find Rory Dowd who cut into the Bannockburn box but could only muster a tame effort which Mitchell Reid gathered at the near post.
Bannockburn new recruit from Fallin, Stewart Henderson, collected a Michael Gellaitry cutback from the left wing and fired a low shot inches wide of Graham Douglas' right hand post as the action continued to move quickly from end to end.
The visitors began to ask more of the questions and Graham Douglas saved well at the feet of left winger Gellaitry before Declan wood headed an Andrew Mochan right wing cross well over.
The deadlock was broken after twenty minutes when Kenneth Knox robbed Daniel MacCuish on the edge of the centre circle inside the Saints half. Referee Tom Cavanagh turned away the Saints appeals for a foul on MacCuish and allowed play to continue. Knox pushed forward unchallenged and deftly lofted the ball over the stranded Graham Douglas to open the scoring.
Andrew Mochan, another of Bannockburn's new signings from Fallin, placed a thirty second minute right wing cross onto the head of Declan Wood with Graham Douglas producing an excellent save to deny the centre forward.
Saints drew level in the thirty fourth minute capitalising on a dead ball opportunity after Kyle Cooper had been felled by Darren Walker on the corner of the Bannockburn box. Gavin Forgrieve's delivery from the left was contested by Rory Dowd and Bannockburn keeper Mitchell Reid with the ball spinning out of Reid's grasp. David Beaton was quickest to react in the packed penalty area and headed the loose ball into the empty net.
Parity lasted just two minutes when Saints failed to clear the danger from a left wing throw-in and Dylan McGowan pounced to send a deflected effort looping over Graham Douglas.
Kyle Cooper had tame efforts easily dealt with by Mitchell Reid either side of the half-time interval as Saints stepped up their search for a second equaliser.
Saints had a forty eighth minute penalty kick appeal dismissed by Referee Cavanagh when Fraser MacFarlane appeared to be pushed in the back when running into the Bannockburn box.
MacFarlane made way in the fifty fourth minute for the return of club legend Donald Campbell. The big striker was involved immediately linking well on the left with Kyle Cooper and setting up a shooting opportunity for Rory Dowd who saw his partially blocked effort bounce harmlessly through to Mitchell Reid.
Saints good start to the second half was undone in the fifty sixth minute when Dylan McGowan crisply volleyed a cross from the left past the helpless Graham Douglas to double Bannockburn's advantage.
An excellent recovery challenge from Myles McAuley denied McGowan a chance to complete his hat-trick before Graham Douglas saved at the Bannockburn danger man's feet with Gavin Forgrieve taking the loose ball off the toes of the waiting Stewart Henderson.
Donald Campbell and Kyle Cooper linked up well to win a seventieth minute corner kick on the left. Gavin Forgrieve's delivery was glanced tantalisingly across the face of goal off a Bannockburn head. Forgrieve moved over to the right from where his corner kick was headed away by Colin Brannan. Ruaridh Horne picked up the loose ball and found Forgrieve for another inviting cross which flew inches out of reach for Kyle Cooper at the back post.
Saints kept pressing for a route back into the game and when Mitchell Reid could only fingertip a Kyle Cooper cross from the right back into the danger area Rory Dowd ignored the screams from Donald Campbell for a cut back electing instead for a shot which was deflected wide for another corner kick.
Cammy Clark was given a run out for the closing stages replacing Gavin Forgrieve in central midfield while the visitors made a raft of changes including Dylan McGowan making way for Mark Fox.
Three of the Bannockburn replacements combined to notch a fourth with four minutes remaining. Niall Burns' deep cross from the left picked out Ryan Aimer at the back post for a shot which Graham Douglas did well to parry. Luck however deserted the Saints number one when Mark Fox was on hand to fire the ball into the net from close range.
David Beaton, who had run himself to a standstill on his return to action, was withdrawn in the final minute of the ninety with an under the weather Alex Craik being sent on as a late replacement. Full credit must go the club stalwart Craik who made himself available for selection despite a viral illness which had laid him low all week.
Fortunately for Craik Referee Cavanagh, who handled proceedings well, brought the match to an end after three added minutes leaving Saints firmly rooted to the foot of the formative Central Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division table.
This coming Saturday Saints travel to Wishaw Sports Centre to face Wishaw High School Former Pupils on league business.
Comments