Second Round Scottish Cup Exit For Saints

Saturday 19th October 2024

Scottish Amateur Football Association

Challenge Cup Second Round

Oban Saints 0 - 2 Leven United

Oban Community Sports Field 3G

Soroba Road

Oban

Argyll

PA34 4JB

Kick-off 2.00pm

Referee Mr Pat O'Donnell

Following the previous week's weather enforced cancellation Oban Saints made an early decision to switch Saturday's Scottish Amateur Cup second round replay against Leven United to the all-weather surface at Oban High School where, despite a decent showing against the 2016 Cup runners-up, the D&K Lafferty Contractors and MKM Oban Building Supplies sponsored home side failed to progress to the third round.

Cheered on by a large home support Saints dominated large parts of the proceedings but failed to trouble the scorers and were ultimately undone by two clinical finishes from Leven striker Bodhi Taylor.

Manager Ross Maitland returned from his own injury woes and despite work and injury related absences denying him the services of Ryan Barclay, Daniel Beaton, Ben Forbes, Keiron Lopez, Keiran Griffin, Aaron McKay and Drew Murray the Gaffer was able to name a seventeen-man squad.

Saints lined up with Graham Douglas in goal behind a back four of Craig Livingstone, Ruaridh Horne, Paul McFatridge and Captain Scott Maitland. David Beaton, Gavin Forgrieve and Matty Pollock made up the midfield triumvirate while, up front, Connor Moore led the line flanked by James Ford and Rhys Millar. On the substitutes bench were Shaye Black, Oran Bryce, Cammy Clark, James Conington, Alec McInroy and goalkeeper Craig Maitland.

Leven kicked off attacking the school end where after some early sparring Sean McCrossan sent a low shot from the left across Saints keeper Graham Douglas and just wide of the far post. At the other end Connor Moore did well to escape the attentions of Leven Skipper Oliver Fleming but could only muster a scuffed effort which Lewis Clark in the Leven goal held comfortably.

The aerial threat from the visitors was considerable and Saints had a lucky tenth minute escape when giant central defender Andrew Fleming's towering back-post header from a Liam Bell left wing corner came crashing back off the post.

James Ford was asking questions of Leven right fullback Glen Russell and after successfully cutting in from the left curled a nineteenth minute right foot effort just wide of Lewis Clark's left-hand upright.

Two minutes later Ford combined well with Scott Maitland and David Beaton before jinking his way into the Leven box and crashing a left-foot shot into the side netting.

Creator in chief for Leven was Liam Bell and his delivery from a twenty-second minute free-kick on the left found Sean McCrossan who sent his header looping over the Saints' crossbar.

Saints passed up another good opportunity on the half-hour mark when James Ford picked out a good run on the right from Rhys Millar. Youngster Millar did well to beat Leven keeper Lewis Clark but, with Andrew Fleming getting back to cover, snatched his finish into the side netting.

James Ford continued to torment Glen Russell on the Saints left but couldn't find the finish to match after again creating a good opening in the thirty-sixth minute. Ford skipped past the already cautioned Russell before curling an effort tamely into the midriff of Lewis Clark.

Saints started the second half on the front foot with Connor Moore winning a free-kick in a promising position which David Beaton sent eighteen inches over Lewis Clark's crossbar. This was quickly followed by Beaton forcing a corner-kick on the left which was headed clear at the front post by Andrew Fleming.

Another good opportunity came and went for Saints when Gavin Forgrieve, Craig Livingstone and James Ford combined in the fifty-second minute with Ford picking out Rhys Millar for a brave diving header which Lewis Clark at full stretch clawed away just inside his left-hand post.

Saints were left to rue their missed chances when Bodhi Taylor, who had until then been kept well in check by previously untried central defensive partnership Ruaridh Horne and Paul McFatridge, picked up a loose ball midway inside the Saints half and was allowed to race through unchallenged and slot the ball low past Graham Douglas.

The bookings count was increasing for the visitors, but they continued to defend resolutely limiting Saints to half chances which failed to seriously test Lewis Clark in the Leven goal.

Ross Maitland tried to freshen things up going into the closing twenty minutes sending on James Conington and Cammy Clark to replace MattyPollock and Rhys Millar.

Saints Skipper Scott Maitland pushed forward in the seventy-ninth minute and combined with James Ford to force a corner-kick on the left. Paul McFatridge climbed well against Oliver Fleming and Lewis Clark but couldn't direct his header from Gavin Forgrieve's delivery on target.

The home side kept pressing but when David Beaton fired wide of the junction of post and bar in the eighty-sixth minute there was a growing feeling that this would not be Saints' day.

Indeed, two minutes later their fate was sealed when Bodhi Taylor was again left unchallenged to fire an unstoppable shot into the top corner and double Leven's advantage.

Referee Pat O'Donnell, who handled proceedings well, added considerable time for stoppages and Leven time wasting during which time Paul McFatridge headed a Gavin Forgrieve free-kick wide of target and James Conington had a header cleared off the goal-line by substitute Stephen King. However, had Mr O'Donnell allowed play to continue for a further forty-five minutes Saints would probably still not have scored and the final whistle after seven added minutes confirmed the Kingdom of Fife men as worthy winners.

With their interest in the Scottish Amateur Cup now at an end Saints turn their attentions to the West of Scotland Amateur cup with a trip this coming Saturday to Stepps to face Caledonian League Premier Division highflyers Strathclyde University in a second round tie which must be decided on the day with kicks from the penalty mark to decide who progresses if the two sides cannot be separated after ninety minutes.