Scottish Cup First Round Exit

Saturday 4th November 2023

The Scottish Amateur Football Association Challenge Cup Competition

First Round

Houston United 3 - 0 Oban Saints

Johnstone Community Sports Hub

Beith Road

Johnstone

PA5 0JA

Kick-off 2.00pm

Referee Mr Jim Walker

Four weeks later than originally scheduled Oban Saints finally got their Scottish Amateur Cup campaign underway last Saturday afternoon. The weather affected tie eventually kicked off at Johnstone Community Sports Hub where any thoughts of a Saints cup run were firmly squashed by Greater Glasgow Premier Amateur Football League Division One high-fliers Houston United who racked up three goals without reply to run out comfortable winners.

A lacklustre first half performance saw the visitors trail at the interval to a twelfth minute Josh Ward strike and, despite an improved second-half showing from the D&K Lafferty and MKM Building Supplies sponsored Saints, the home side were on target twice more through Jay Ward and Liam Cleary.

Manager Ross Maitland's selection woes continue to worsen with the Gaffer and Coach David Dunlop having to make up the numbers on the bench alongside new signing Keiron Lopez.

Saints lined up with Craig Maitland in goal behind a back four of Craig Livingstone, Aaron Moore, Martin Bonar and Captain Scott Maitland. The three-man midfield consisted of David Beaton, Paul McFatridge and Rory Dowd with Oran Bryce, James Ford and James Muir up front. On the substitutes bench were Keiron Lopez, Ross Maitland and David Dunlop.

Attacking the car park end on the excellent 4G Johnstone Community Sports Hub surface Saints had an early opportunity to test the home defence with a second minute set-piece when Houston Skipper Mark Coyle brought down Rory Dowd on the Saints left . David Beaton's delivery however was too deep for intended target Martin Bonar and the home side broke quickly to the other end. Liam Cleary got in behind the Saints defence on the Houston right and Craig Maitland was called into action with an excellent double save at his near post to deny the Houston wide man.

Callum Bryan's fifth minute long throw from the right was only partially cleared by the Saints defence and when the ball broke back to Bryan his cushioned pass was too eagerly anticipated by striker Josh Ward who was correctly ruled offside by Referee Jim Walker.

Saints leading goal-scorer James Ford was just off target with a curling effort from the corner of the eighteen yard box before the Saints defence were undone by a twelfth minute ball over the top from Niall Carslaw. Josh Ward timed his run well and raced through to tuck the ball past Craig Maitland for the opening goal.

James Ford and David Beaton combined well to force a twenty-sixth minute corner-kick on the Saints left with Houston goalkeeper Garry Kerr showing good handling to gather Ford's delivery.

Paul McFatridge made an important interception to block a Liam Cleary cutback from the right with Josh Ward waiting to pounce while at the other end James Ford and Oran Bryce were both off target with efforts from the edge of the Houston box.

Craig Maitland was called into action again standing up well to push a Niall Carslaw shot behind for a corner-kick before making a solid connection with a flying punch to clear a dangerous looking cross from Ross McCaw.

On the stroke of half-time Saints finally landed their first effort on target with a James Muir shot from twenty-five yards which Garry Kerr held well.

During the interval an animated Ross Maitland demanded more from his players in the second half which began promisingly for Saints who forced two corner kicks in quick succession with the home side surviving an appeal for a penalty kick when the ball appeared to strike the arm of a Houston defender. Referee Jim Walker, who had a good game, was not interested however he did award Saints a fiftieth minute free-kick after Paul McFatridge was hacked down twenty-five yards from goal.

Rory Dowd tried his luck with the dead-ball however, despite beating the Houston defensive wall, he couldn't get the batter of Garry Kerr who made a fine one-handed save low to his left.

Saints good start to the second half was undone in the fifty-second minute when they switched off at a throw-in on the Houston right affording Jay Ward acres of room to measure a sweet strike from eighteen yards into the roof of the net.

Gaffer Ross Maitland made his only change of the afternoon after fifty seven minutes bringing to an end Oran Bryce's first start for the club by replacing him with new signing Keiron Lopez. Maitland also made a tactical change leaving Craig Livingstone, Aaron Moore and Scott Maitland at the back with Martin Bonar going into midfield and Paul McFatridge joining the attack.

McFatridge drew another good save from Houston keeper Kerr who did well to push over his header from a deep sixty first minute David Beaton cross.

Kerr was in action again two minutes later denying Keiron Lopez a debut goal with a flying save to his left to push behind Lopez's sweet strike from thirty yards.

Saints kept pressing for the goal which would bring them back into contention however the the Houston defence was a tough nut to crack and whenever they did manage to get in behind the home back four they found Garry Kerr to be in inspired form. Excellent saves to deny James Muir and James Ford secured a highly prized clean sheet for the Houston number one and even the addition of Aaron Moore to the Saints front line failed to give Saints the edge they so desperately needed.

Their pursuit of a goal left Saints exposed at the back and from an eighty-seventh minute breakaway on the left Mark Coyle picked out Liam Cleary for a tap-in from close range to complete the scoring and send Saints tumbling out of the Scottish Amateur Cup.

This coming Saturday Saints will be looking to bounce back strongly when they turn their attention to the West of Scotland Amateur Cup where Strathclyde Evangelical Churches Football League Division One leaders Anniesland are the visitors to Glencruitten. The tie must be decided on the day with penalty kicks to decide the winner if the score is level after ninety minutes.