Victory Continues To Elude Disappointing Saints

Saturday 9th November 2024

Scottish Premier Amateur Football Association

Premiership

Oban Saints 1 - 1 Glenvale Carlton

Glencruitten 2

Mossfield Avenue

Oban

Argyll

PA34 4EH

Kick-off 2.00pm

Referee Mr Pat O'Donnell

Oban Saints stuttered to a disappointing draw with Glenvale Carlton at Glencruitten last Saturday afternoon. The share of the Scottish Amateur Football Association Premiership points with their Paisley based opponents extends Saints search for a win to reignite their season to seven matches which includes early exits from both the Scottish and West of Scotland Amateur Cup competitions.

A sloppily conceded thirteenth-minute opener left Saints chasing the game where a clutch of missed opportunities left the D&K Lafferty Contractors and MKM Oban Building Supplies sponsored home side with only David Beaton's successfully converted sixty sixth-minute penalty kick to show for their efforts.

The Glenvale travelling party was limited to just thirteen players however, despite having the advantage of more options on the substitutes bench, Saints ever changing line-up continues to inhibit Manager Ross Maitland's quest for consistency.

Saints lined up with Craig Maitland in goal behind a back four of James Conington, Aidan Jackson, Ruaridh Horne and Drew Murray. Captain Scott Maitland joined Gavin Forgrieve and Alec McInroy in midfield while, up front, David Beaton led the line flanked by Connor Moore and Fraser MacFarlane. On the substitutes bench were Shaye Black, Keiran Griffin, Rhys Millar, Matty Pollock and goalkeeper Graham Douglas.

Prior to kick-off Referee Pat O'Donnell led both sets of players in a silence of remembrance for former Saints player David Livingstone who sadly passed away recently. David was a classy defender in his day and has been followed into the Saints set-up by his son Craig. The thoughts of everyone at the club are with the Livingstone family.

After a jittery opening two minutes Saints settled and looked to take the game to their opponents. A David Beaton free-kick after four minutes failed to beat the Glenvale defensive wall before fullbacks James Conington and Drew Murray combined for the first chance of the match. From a sixth minute throw-in on the right Conington swung over a cross which Murray met with a diving header at the back post which unfortunately flew straight into the gloves of Glenvale keeper Ryan Kerrse.

Captain Scott Maitland was enjoying his new midfield role and two minutes later sent his replacement at left fullback, Drew Murray, scurrying away on the left wing. Murray's cross picked out Connor Moore who controlled well in the box but was denied by an excellent block from Glenvale central defender Lewis Quinn.

The visitors struck in the thirteenth minute from a ball over the top which James Conington misjudged allowing Ross Skalley to run in behind unchallenged. Craig Maitland looked to have Skalley's shot covered however the bounce deceived him, and the ball nestled in the bottom corner to give Glenvale the lead.

Saints were slow to recover from this setback and didn't threaten again until the twenty-first minute when David Beaton broke on the left before sending a low cross to the far post which Connor Moore couldn't direct on target.

Moore was in again four minutes later however, after timing his run well to reach Gavin Forgrieve's through ball, he shot tamely into the arms of Ryan Kerrse. The Glenvale keeper faced a sterner test ten minutes before the interval extending himself well at the feet of David Beaton after Drew Murray, Fraser MacFarlane and Connor Moore had combined well on the left.

Murray's thirty-eighth minute free-kick from the left corner of the eighteen-yard box after Gavin Forgrieve had been upended was headed into the path of Alec McInroy whose cushioned volley was easily gathered by keeper Kerrse.

Glenvale's Lewis Quinn made a vital interception to prevent a Drew Murray cross from the left reaching Connor Moore before Alec McInroy and Fraser MacFarlane linked up well to play in Moore for a forty-fourth minute effort inches wide of target.

Scott Maitland's curled shot past the junction of post and crossbar from twenty-two yards range brought to an end with Manager Ross Maitland demanding an increase in application from his troops for the second-half.

It was an encouraging start to the second forty-five from the home side with Fraser MacFarlane meeting David Beaton's right wing cross with a flying diving header which narrowly cleared the crossbar.

Saints passed up a glorious opportunity to get back on level terms when David Beaton's forty-ninth minute free-kick came back off Ryan Kerrse's right-hand post into the path of Alec McInroy who steered the rebound off target with the goal at his mercy.

James Conington and Fraser MacFarlane made way for Shaye Black and Rhys Millar after fifty-two minutes, Saints were still adjusting to the changes when Derek McIntyre found Ross Skalley on the left and Craig Maitland in the Saints goal produced an excellent save low to his left to keep the deficit at one.

Another good chance followed for the visitors when Barry Mills wound-up his long throw-in from the right which found David Sinclair for a spin and shot just over the Saints crossbar.

The Glenvale back line were defending manfully making vital interceptions to block cutbacks from David Beaton and Rhys Millar before Saints made their third change of the afternoon sending on Matty Pollock to replace Alec McInroy.

Pollock had an early involvement releasing Connor Moore through the inside-right channel where his run was eventually halted in the Glenvale eighteen-yard box by Ryan Kerrse. Referee Pat O'Donnell had no hesitation in pointing to the penalty spot from where David Beaton dispatched a sixty-sixth minute equaliser.

Pollock had a seventy-fourth minute shot from the edge of the box saved by Ryan Kerrse before the Referee was called to make another crucial penalty decision. Connor Moore was poised to pull the trigger on the corner of the six yard box when he was bundled over by Barry Mills. This time however Mr O'Donnell, who handled proceedings well throughout, saw no infringement and allowed play to continue.

Saints hit the woodwork for a second time when Connor Moore climbed well against Craig Hazley to head Drew Murray's delivery from the left back across the face of goal shaving a couple of coats of paint off the outside of post on it's way wide.

With six minutes remaining on Mr O'Donnell's watch Ruaridh Horne made way for Keiran Griffin as Saints switched to a back three.

Glenvale made injury enforced changes with William Munro and Paul McGoran replacing Ryan McDermott and Garry Wilson but the visitors continued to defend manfully as Saints began to run out of ideas.

In the three minutes of stoppage time allowed by Mr O'Donnell there was still no way through for the goal shy Saints with the hard working visitors well worthy of their point,

This coming Saturday Saints travel to North Lanarkshire to face Scottish Premier Amateur Football Association Premiership highflyers AFC Chryston.