Saturday 30th July 2022
Preseason Friendly
Oban Saints 3 - 1 Greenock High School Former Pupils
Glencruitten 1
Glencruitten Drive
Oban
Argyll
PA34 4EB
Kick-off 1.30pm
Referee Mr Pat O'Donnell
Oban Saints welcomed Greenock High School Former Pupils to Glencruitten last Saturday afternoon for the latest instalment in a friendly rivalry which stretches back to both clubs days in the Scottish Amateur Football League.
The Greenock squad has been freshened up considerably ahead of the new season and Manager Chris MacAllister's travelling party contained just five survivors from his side's last visit to Oban in January.
Saints Manager Ross Maitland had to call on the services of second team goalkeeper Murdo MacKenzie to deputise for the unavailable Graham Douglas. Late work related call-offs from Steven MacLeod and Gavin Forgrieve reduced the squad numbers however the Gaffer was still able to name three substitutes.
Saints lined up with Murdo MacKenzie in goal behind a back four of James Conington, Aidan Campbell, Myles McAuley and Captain Scott Maitland. In midfield were Daniel MacCuish, Rory Dowd and Lewis Cameron with a front three of Connor Moore, Fraser MacFarlane and Cammy Hill. On the substitutes bench were Nathan Allan, Ruaridh Horne and Thomas McCrindle.
The visitors kicked off in bright sunshine attacking the railway line end and carved out the first opportunity of the afternoon after just three minutes. Ryan Dickson slipped in striker Brandon Docherty who held off the challenge of Aidan Campbell and attempted to tee up Andrew Swan but put to much on his pass allowing Saints Skipper Scott Maitland to mop up the danger.
Two minutes later at the other end a Lewis Cameron free-kick gave fullback James Conington a rare sight of goal. Cameron's delivery from the left was headed back by Ryan Dickson with Cameron this time finding the feet of Connor Moore on the corner of the six yard box. Moore Squared the ball along the six yard line from where Conington blasted his finish over the crossbar.
Another wayward finish followed this time from the head of Myles McAuley who headed Lewis Cameron's seventh minute corner kick from the left over Kyle MacLean's crossbar.
Saints exploited the electric pace of Connor Moore to open the scoring in the sixteenth minute. From wide on the left just inside the Greenock half Daniel MacCuish sent Moore racing through the middle to round Kyle MacLean and roll the ball into the empty net.
After Brandon Docherty had curled a decent effort wide of the postage stamp corner Saints keeper Murdo MacKenzie was finally forced into action to make a comfortable save from Andrew Swan's low shot from the edge of the box.
Connor Moore had the chance to repeat his earlier goal scoring feat however after once again taking the ball round Kyle MacLean he was unable to find the target from an acute angle.
Murdo MacKenzie saved again this time from Brandon Docherty after a twenty seventh minute Greenock counter-attack from the edge of their own box.
Lewis Cameron curled a twenty seventh minute twenty two yard free-kick inches wide of the postage stamp corner but would make his next dead ball opportunity count.
After switching from the left wing Cammy Hill made a driving run into the Greenock box on the right where his progress was halted by Kyle MacLean. Referee Pat O'Donnell pointed to the penalty spot from where Lewis Cameron successfully found the bottom corner.
Fraser MacFarlane was well placed to clear a Brandon Docherty shot from a thirty sixth minute corner kick off the line before Saints Gaffer Ross Maitland made his first changes. James Conington and Rory Dowd were replaced by Ruaridh Horne and Thomas McCrindle in straight swaps at right back and central midfield.
Dowd's rest lasted just five minutes when he was sent back on to take the place of Connor Moore who sustained an ankle injury in the build up to a Daniel MacCuish shot which Kyle MacLean held well. Moore's ankle began to swell up immediately and the injury looks likely to keep him out for a few weeks.
Saints made it three on the hour mark with Cammy Hill marking his return to the fold with a goal. The big striker jinked his way into the Greenock box but was denied by keeper Kyle MacLean before Daniel Ferguson cleared to the edge of the box. Lewis Cameron intercepted Ferguson's clearance however his ball back into the danger area found Hill in an offside position. Cameron made another interception to cut out Kyle MacLean's quickly taken free-kick and this time there was no offside decision against Hill who ran onto Cameron's pass and glided past MacLean to find the net.
The rolling substitutions continued with Nathan Allan replacing Thomas McCrindle in the sixty second minute.
Saints survived two free-kicks in quick succession for dangerous positions on the edge of the box. Peter Dunn and Owen Little both sent efforts into the Saints wall before Sean Doherty sent the rebound from Little's shot wide of Murdo MacKenzie's left hand post.
Despite the heat the action continued at a good pace exactly what both management teams demanded with the new season now just two weeks away.
Cammy Hill and Lewis Cameron both came close to adding a fourth Saints goal while Murdo MacKenzie did well to claw away a Cian MacAuley corner kick and Ruaridh Horne was in the right place to make a goal line clearance from another MacAuley delivery from the corner flag.
The visitor's kept up their pursuit of a consolation goal and were rewarded for their perseverance with an eighty eighth minute penalty kick after eagle eyed Referee Pat O'Donnell spotted an infringement as Saints Skipper Scott Maitland made a clearing header from another set piece.
Jordan O'Neill made no mistake from the penalty spot notching a deserved consolation for the visitors and denying Murdo MacKenzie and his defence a clean sheet.
This coming Saturday Saints travel down the A816 to face Lochgilphead Red Star in the final pre-season friendly before the season opener on 13th August.
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