Saints get back on track with a good home win over Inverclyde
OBAN Saints returned to winning ways in the Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division at Glencruitten last Saturday with a hard-fought win over an in-form and vastly experienced Inverclyde. Injury meant Craig Campbell had to miss out and David McPhee was away for the weekend but the squad was bolstered by the return of Willie Gemmell, Keith Millar, Myles McAuley and Ally McKerracher.
Also returning to take the reins after a two-week holiday was manager Alex Craik who named himself on the bench alongside Fraser MacFarlane, Craig MacMillan, Mark Robertson and David Smith.
Desperate to atone for the previous week’s aberration against league leaders Goldenhill, Saints produced a vastly-improved performance with a dominant first half performance laying the foundations for a hard-fought but ultimately deserved victory.
Returning after a six-week injury absence, Ally McKerracher linked up well on the left with Scott Maitland in the second minute setting up skipper Donald Campbell for a shot from 22 yards which Tom McKitrick did well to block on the 18-yard line.
Two minutes later at the other end Inverclyde central midfielder Jamie Docherty also tried his luck from distance sending a 25-yard effort wide of the junction of post and bar after Steven MacLeod had headed clear a Nick Jack long throw-in from the right.
In the sixth minute Craig MacEwan and Donald Campbell played their way into the Inverclyde box on the left where, from the corner of the six-yard box, Donald Campbell shot across ’Clyde keeper Mark Monk aiming for the far corner only to see Peter Cleisham get back to thump clear from just short of the goal line.
Mark Monk produced a terrific diving save to deny Saints in the 10th minute. Keith Millar burst forward from midfield sending Scott Maitland towards the bye-line on the left.
Millar continued his run into the box where he was denied a spectacular diving header when Monk dived full length to get finger tips to Maitland’s cross.
Saints kept the pressure up with Craig MacEwan peeling wide and beating the ’Clyde offside trap. Cutting in from the left MacEwan drove into the box past right back Nick Jack where, from a tight angle, he was denied by the legs of keeper Mark Monk. From the resulting corner kick on the left Ally McKerracher’s delivery was partially cleared by Neil McCole but only as far as Donald Campbell 12 yards out, who was once again denied by a goal line clearance from Peter Cleisham.
’Clyde keeper Mark Monk showed excellent handling in the 13th minute making a clean catch from a Shaun MacIver cross from the corner of the 18-yard box with Ally McKerracher at the back post waiting to pounce.
Saints had the ball in the visitor’s net in the 24th minute, however, referee Litster gave the benefit of an extremely close offside call to the visitors.
Myles McAuley made a good run forward and worked the ball along the edge of the ’Clyde box to Donald Campbell. Campbell helped the ball onto Shaun MacIver who beat Mark Monk at his near post with a good finish only to be denied by Mr Litster’s whistle.
Saints kept knocking on the ’Clyde door with Keith Millar seeing a powerful shot from a Donald Campbell knock down blocked on the 18-yard line and Donald himself agonisingly unable to get the ball out of his feet after beating the visitor’s offside trap allowing Jamie Docherty and Fraser Gunn to get back and clear the danger.
Docherty was covering a lot of ground for the visitors and Willie Gemmell did well to block his stinging 29th minute shot on the 18-yard line.
Craig MacEwan was taken out by a scything Fraser Gunn 40th-minute challenge 25 yards out, however, Willie Gemmell failed to test Mark Monk sending his free-kick high and wide of target.
Gemmell didn’t have to wait too long for another dead-ball opportunity this time from 12 yards. Keith Millar made a 43rd-minute driving run into the ’Clyde box laying the ball off to Craig MacEwan.
Nick Jack cut off the possibility of a return pass to Millar and looked to have the situation under control before rashly sticking out a leg and tripping MacEwan. Mr Litster had no hesitation in pointing to the penalty spot from where Willie Gemmell fired the ball high into the net sending Mark Monk in the opposite direction in the process.
Gemmell’s successful spot kick sent Saints into the halftime interval with a deserved lead which they would look to build on in the second half. But the visitors had other ideas and came racing out of the traps testing Graham Douglas within 30 seconds of the restart.
Saints slow start to the second half allowed ’Clyde to gain the upper hand in the crucial midfield battle where Saints were unable to rediscover their crisp first half passing.
The improved spell from Saints continued with Donald Campbell unlucky to see a 58th-minute goal-bound effort turned behind for a corner kick by a flying Greg Wilson block. From the corner on the left Campbell played the ball short to Ally McKerracher, who sent a shot from a tight angle into the side netting.
On the hour mark Mr Litster had strong words for Shaun MacIver for a late challenge on Michael McKitrick on the halfway line. The Saints defence struggled to cope with Jamie Docherty’s free-kick which landed perfectly for McKitrick, who beat Graham Douglas but struck the base of the Saints keeper’s left hand post.
Saints’ second goal came in the 65th minute and was a stunning finish from the right boot of Shaun MacIver.
Previously denied by an offside decision there was no doubt about this one as MacIver controlled a Matthew Kelly pass and fired an unstoppable volley from 15 yards past a static Mark Monk.
Two minutes later Saints added a third with a classic counter attack from an Inverclyde corner kick. Willie Gemmell made an excellent sliding interception to turn a Ben Croucher cross behind for a corner. As the ball bounced around in the Saints box Gemmell made a telling clearance to Donald Campbell just inside the Saints half. Holding off the challenge of substitute Christopher McGivern, Campbell fed the overlapping Craig MacEwan on the left who bore down on goal and lifted the ball over the advancing Mark Monk and into the net.
Saints gaffer Alex Craik made his solitary change with 17 minutes remaining, replacing Ally McKerracher who had to come off with a shoulder injury with Mark Robertson.
Referee Jimmy Litster, who handled a good-natured encounter well, showed the only yellow card of the match to Neil McCole in the 77th minute for a late swipe at Myles McAuley born out of frustration.
Inverclyde replaced Steven Morris with James Buchanan, who would have a significant influence on proceedings during his short time on the field.
Within 60 seconds of joining the action Buchanan exploited a missed clearance by Matthew Kelly getting to the bye-line and sending a cut back to Michael McKitrick on the penalty spot who tucked away a neat finish beating Graham Douglas just inside his left hand post.
An ecstatic ’Clyde supporter dressed as Forrest Gump set off on a lap of honour only to come to grief at the second corner failing to negotiate the slippery Glencruitten surface in his white Fred Perry tennis shoes and ending up face down on the turf much to the hilarity of his traveling companions.
With five minutes of the 90 remaining Saints netted for a fourth time once again quickly turning defence into attack.
Matthew Kelly intercepted a James Buchanan throw-in and played the ball up to Shaun MacIver.
Hugging the right touchline, Craig MacEwan timed his run perfectly to meet MacIver’s through ball leaving the retreating Clyde defence trailing in his wake.
Mark Monk advanced to narrow the angle but MacEwan had the presence of mind to square to Donald Campbell coming in at the far post who lifted the ball over Jamie Docherty who made a valiant attempt to get back on the goal line.
The scoring wasn’t finished there, however, with the visitors grabbing a second in the 89th minute when James Buchanan repeated his earlier feat of picking out Michael McKitrick from the left wing. This time it was a near post run from McKitrick which beat the Saints defence and he doubled his tally for the afternoon with another good finish from close range.
Disappointing as it was to lose two late goals there was no disguising the delight on the faces of the Saints contingent when Mr Litster blew his final whistle after four added minutes to confirm just a second league win of the season for Alex Craik and his charges.
The massive confidence boost comes at just the right time as Saints prepare for next Saturday’s Scottish Amateur Cup third round trip away to Central Scottish Amateur Football League Division 1A high fliers Falkirk Community.
The game will be held at St Margaret’s Park, Polmont, kick-off 2pm. Referee JoeTodd.