OBAN BOOK THEIR PLACE IN THE CUP QUARTERS

Connor Howe’s second spell with Oban is paying dividends and he blasted a double to book an Artemis Macaulay Cup quarter-final against his previous club, Inveraray, at Mossfield Park.

Oban manager Gareth Evans was delighted with his side’s form in their 4-1 first-round home win over Glasgow Mid Argyll and feels the Red and Blacks, who have not won this trophy for 27 years, could be in with a shout of ending that long wait.

“It’s good to land another home tie and we’re targeting the Macaulay this year. We played some really nice stuff against Mid Argyll, although we missed a host of chances,” he said.

“Connor Howe was the man of the match, his best game since rejoining us this year. He’s benefited from a good pre-season and is looking really sharp. He’s still young and his best is yet to come in a line-up where all but three lads are aged under 24.”

Howe and Daniel Madej gave Oban a 2-0 interval lead, but John McNulty pulled one back before Daniel Cameron burst forward from defence to make it 3-1. Howe grabbed his second in 81 minutes.

Col Glen took a surprise lead at Inveraray through Danny MacDonald, but Ally Macdonald levelled before the interval and Ross Macmillan struck in the first minute of the second half to put the hosts ahead, with Fraser Watt’s late double completing their 4-1 win.

Kyles Athletic’s 4-2 win at Oban Celtic earns them a home quarter-final against Bute.

Lennon Campbell gave Celts an interval lead, but Ross MacRae (penalty), Calum Millar (2) and Roddy MacDonald had Kyles coasting before Scott Dempster’s late goal.

Craig Fisher’s hat-trick and Scott Harvey’s double saw Bute win 5-0 at Aberdour.

Former internationalist John MacDonald was a hat-trick hero for Ballachulish, including a 99th-minute winner as they beat Cruachanside 4-3 in the Single Team Club tournament.

Ally Banks hit Balla’s opener with the visitors responding through Kyle MacFarlane, a Cian MacPhee own goal, and Ally Cameron’s 96thminute leveller.