Saints get back to winning ways
Oban Saints Hillington
SAFL Premier Division
A BRACE from Shaun MacIver at Glencruitten last Saturday book-ended strikes from Craig MacEwan and Willie Gemmell to avenge Oban Saints’ opening day of the season defeat at the hands of newly promoted Hillington.
Sadly for Hillington the defeat, their 13th of a difficult season, confirms their immediate return to Premier Division One for next season.
Saints skipper Donald Campbell had the first sight of goal in the second minute but sent a tame effort straight at Hillington keeper Gordon Phillips when sent clean through by Craig MacEwan.
MacEwan set up a second Saints chance in the fourth minute with a run up the left touchline from deep inside his own half. MacEwan played the ball up to Donald Campbell on the 18-yard line and his lay-off found Matthew Kelly who, unfortunately, was closed down by Ian McFadyen and Neil Walsh before he could get his shot away.
The visitors turned defence into attack with a quick counter where Willie Gemmell had to look lively to cut out a Scott Gold through ball for Aaron Boyle.
The visitors forced the first corner of the match in the ninth minute but Stuart Ashton’s 4 1 delivery from the left was too high for Aaron Boyle at the back post and drifted harmlessly behind.
Saints opened the scoring from the goal kick with Myles McAuley winning a header in the centre circle which Matthew Kelly seized upon. Kelly quickly played Shaun MacIver in behind the Hillington back four who, from the corner of the box, drilled a low shot past the advancing keeper and into the net.
Saints slackness in possession was punished in the 29th minute when Aaron Boyle pounced on a misplaced pass and raced through on goal. Graham Douglas came off his line to try and cut out the danger but slipped on the soggy Glencruitten turf.
Clipped
Boyle took the ball around the prostrate keeper but, with the Saints defence getting back in numbers, was clipped from behind by Paul Carmichael giving referee Jimmy Litster an easy decision to award a penalty kick. Stuart Ashton made no mistake sending Graham Douglas the wrong way from the penalty spot, giving the visitors what was a deserved equaliser at the stage.
There was a large slice of good fortune attached to Saints’ second goal in the 37th minute. Matthew Kelly played a long ball over the top looking for Donald Campbell whose run was matched by Craig Phillips, who played the ball back to his goal keeper on the corner of the 18-yard box. The keeper then fired his attempted clearance straight at Craig MacEwan who, unfortunately for the Hillington number one, was able to get the ball quickly under control and lift it over the stranded keeper and into the unguarded net.
Saints stretched their advantage with five minutes of the first half remaining. Steven Cunningham felled Matthew Kelly on the edge of the D giving Willie Gemmell an opportunity to add to his already impressive goals tally.
The Saints dead ball expert didn’t disappoint and found the bottom corner bending the ball around the five-man Hillington wall and beating the despairing left hand of Gordon Phillips.
Young Hillington striker Aaron Boyle continued to make a nuisance of himself and pressured Paul Carmichael and Graham Douglas into a slip at the back in the 42nd minute. The keeper’s hurried clearance from Carmichael’s pass back was charged down by Boyle with Douglas having to scamper back to smother the ball on his goal line.
Mr Litster brought a high tempo first half to an end with the visitors slightly unlucky to find themselves two goals behind.
Saints kicked off the second half attacking the Mossfield end and were quickly on the attack through Scott Maitland on the left. Maitland’s run opened up space for Craig MacEwan who tee’d up Kerr Newbigging for a shot from 20 yards. Gordon Phillips could only parry Newbigging’s shot into the path of Donald Campbell who, under pressure from Lee Wales, couldn’t re-direct the ball on target.
Willie Gemmell handed Hillington set-piece expert Adam Nisanci a chance to exhibit his talents after he upended David Murdoch on the edge of the Saints box in the 49th minute. Nisanci fired a good effort inches over the crossbar with Graham Douglas well beaten.
The action moved to the other end where Donald Campbell won a corner on the Saints left. The skipper’s delivery to the back post was headed back across the face of goal by Shaun MacIver but with no takers in navy blue. The visitors could only partially clear the danger and, from the corner of the 18-yard box, Kerr Newbigging picked out Myles McAuley on the penalty spot who could only find the gloves of Gordon Phillips with his header.
Mr Litster very harshly penalised Shaun MacIver on the corner of the Saints 18-yard box for what appeared to be a perfectly legitimate challenge on Stuart Ashton. However, the visitors failed to capitalise on the referee’s generosity and Adam Nisanci sent the freekick into the grateful arms of Graham Douglas.
Daangerous area
Thorn-in-the-side Boyle won another free-kick for the visitors in a dangerous area in the 68th minute but once again the Saints defence stood firm with Kerr Newbigging heading away the delivery from Nisanci.
Saints put the final outcome beyond any doubt in the 69th minute with Shaun MacIver cutting in from the left and firing a low shot across Gordon Phillips and into the bottom corner for his second and Saints’ fourth goal of the afternoon.
Myles McAuley was denied a fifth for Saints two minutes later from a Scott Maitland throw-in on the left. Donald Campbell ran in behind the Hillington defence and sent a cutback to Craig MacEwan who tee’d up McAuley for a shot from 18 yards which Ian McFadyen did well to block.
Shaun MacIver’s afternoon came to a premature end when he picked up an ankle knock in the 76th minute. MacIver was replaced by young James Ford making his home debut. Saints gaffer Alex Craik made it a double change withdrawing Jamie Graham and giving another run-out to youngster Ruaridh Horne.
Ford’s trickery was probably not what the tiring Hillington defence wanted to see at this late stage of the game and the Saints substitute gave them a few anxious moments in the final 15 minutes or so.
After holding off the close attentions of Scott Gold, Adam Nisanci and Neil Walsh, Ford sent a dipping 80th minute effort inches over the Hillington crossbar.
Fellow substitute Ruaridh Horne was also just the wrong side of the woodwork two minutes later when sent through by Craig MacEwan. With the Hillington defence pressing high up the pitch Horne had acres of space to run into on the right and was given a perfect crossfield ball by MacEwan. The youngster beat the advancing keeper but could only find the side netting with his clipped effort from 18 yards.
Saints gaffer Alex Craik made his final change with five minutes remaining replacing Scott Maitland with another Saints youngster Craig MacMillan.
As the clock ticked down another James Ford run on the right won a corner kick which the youngster swung over himself. Myles McAuley won a knock down into the path of Donald Campbell who was denied the back post by yet another timely Lee Wales interception.
Adam Nisanci joined Paul Carmichael in referee Litster’s notebook for hauling back Matthew Kelly in the 90th minute.
Saints played the free-kick short with Matthew Kelly and Myles McAuley working an opening for Donald Campbell, who will be disappointed not to have added to the scoring with a tame effort from 14 yards.
Referee Litster decided he had seen enough and blew the full-time whistle.
The result lifts Saints to seventh place in the league table but the defeat means Hillington are relegated.
Unfortunately, however, they must now endure an enforced free weekend while the Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division takes the Easter holiday and potential Scottish Amateur Cup quarter final opponents Sandys and Goldenhill replay their seventh round tie in Drumchapel.
Manager Alex Craik will travel to watch this game and run the rule over Saints’ opposition for the Scottish Cup quarter final which will take place on Saturday April 7.