Alba win battle of the semi-finalists
A wind assisted free-kick from Alba Thistle dead-ball expert Craig McCready was all that could separate Scottish Amateur Cup semi-finalists Alba Thistle and West of Scotland Amateur Cup semi-finalists Oban Saints at Ralston Sports Centre last Saturday afternoon.
Unluckily for Saints, the Scottish Amateur Football League Premier Division encounter was decided in the 13th minute when McCready’s whipped freekick from wide on the left looped over Graham Douglas into the postage stamp corner for the only goal of an evenly contested encounter.
Oban Saints management duo Donald Campbell and Willie Gemmell were dealt a blow when Lewis Cameron failed to shrug off the injury sustained in the previous weekend’s victory over Cambria and was forced to withdraw from the squad leaving the travelling party a man light.
Rash challenge
Alba opened the scoring in the 13th minute after a rash challenge from Steven MacLeod on Basile Deshougues wide on the Alba left gave dead-ball expert Craig McCready the chance to put the ball in the danger area. Assisted by the strong wind, McCready’s delivery caught Graham Douglas off his line waiting for a cross and left the Saints keeper clawing at thin air as the ball sailed over him and into the postage stamp corner to give the hosts the lead.
From a 25th minute Matthew Kelly free-kick on the Saints right, Cammy Hill powered a header on target from 10 yards which Mitchell showed lightning quick reactions to dive to his right and push over his crossbar for a corner kick.
Mitchell’s reactions were put to the test once again in the 36th minute when he thrust up a strong right hand to turn another Cammy Hill effort from a tight angle around his near post for a corner kick.
Saints kicked off the second half defending the striking art deco-style pavilion end and made a positive start keeping the home side pinned
back for the opening five minutes.
That bright start was almost undone from another Craig McCready free-kick after Steven McLeod had been penalised for a foul on Paul Kerr. McCready’s delivery was met by a spectacular overhead kick by Martin Sinclair which came back off the post and was turned behind by Scott Maitland with Rikki McArthur waiting to pounce.
Saints made a double substitution in the 64th minute, replacing Daniel Croarkin and James Ford with Willie Gemmell and David Beaton.
Gemmell’s first contribution was to place a free-kick from the Saints left onto the head of Craig MacEwan eight yards out who made a solid contact but unfortunately couldn’t direct his effort on target. There was a loud appeal for a penalty kick in the 74th minute when Cammy Hill skipped past Gordon Meredith on the bye-line and the Alba captain appeared to use an arm to turn the ball behind. Referee Pat O’Donnell was satisfied no infringement had taken place and was content to award a corner kick.
Tight angle
David Beaton’s delivery from the corner flag was good, however Martin Sinclair put Jamie Graham under just enough pressure at the back post to prevent the Saints full back from getting his header from a tight angle on target.
David Beaton sent over another dangerous ball from the corner flag in the 80th minute which Lee Mitchell somehow managed to claw off his goal line under severe pressure from Dene Cassells. Saints must surely have realised that this just wasn’t going to be their day when Lee Mitchell’s punch from another good David Beaton corner kick was volleyed on target by Willie Gemmell only to be stopped 12 inches short of the goal line by Steven MacLeod who couldn’t get himself out of the way in time.
Saints huffed and puffed their way through the time remaining plus the five additional minutes allowed by referee O’Donnell but failed to threaten the miserly Alba defence who were delighted to extend their clean sheet tally to seven in a row and leapfrog Saints into second place in the Premier Division table.
Saints have no fixture this coming Saturday but will resume on Saturday April 6 with a home Jimmy Marshall Trophy second round tie against Premier Division One leaders Port Glasgow. Kickoff at Glencruitten is 2pm.