Oban Saints 5
AFC Chryston 2
West of Scotland Cup – third round
Heavy rain last Saturday morning necessitated a change of venue for Oban Saints’ West of Scotland Amateur Cup third round encounter with AFC Chryston.
The grass surface at Glencruitten was unable to cope with the incessant rain which continued to fall throughout the day and the tie was switched at short notice to the 3G at Oban High School.
The all Scottish Premier Amateur Football Association clash was a welcome distraction from the weather conditions for the hardy band of spectators who were entertained to seven goals including a hat-trick for Connor Moore. Goals from James Muir and Rory Dowd sandwiched Moore’s treble while Joseph Fraser and Peter Bradley were on target for the visitors.
A familiar face in the Chryston backroom staff was amateur football stalwart Jimmy McCarthy, a veteran of many battles between Saints and Postal United, the club with which he enjoyed a 44-year association.
The usual mix of injuries, suspensions, work and family commitments restricted manager Ross Maitland’s options, however, the now free from suspension Steven MacLeod made a welcome return to partner Drew Murray in central defence.
Saints lined up with Craig Maitland in goal behind a back four of Fredrik Marthinsen, Steven MacLeod, Drew Murray and captain Scott Maitland. Gavin Forgrieve, Paul McFatridge and David Beaton formed the midfield, with James Muir, Connor Moore and Aaron Moore up front. On the bench were Oran Bryce, Rory Dowd, James Ford, Craig Livingstone and Keiron Lopez.
The slippery conditions had the potential to cause problems for the goalkeepers and Craig Maitland in the Saints goal faced an early test from a second minute Connor Neilson deep free-kick from the left which he held comfortably.
At the other end Liam Grant, deputising for regular number one Brendan Shaw, was similarly assured in dealing with Scott Maitland’s fifth minute right foot effort from 25 yards.
Having opened his goalscoring account against Anniesland, James Muir made it two goals in two games with a 12th minute opener. Paul McFatridge flicked-on Steven MacLeod’s ball out from the back for Muir to run onto. The teenager outpaced full back Connor Neilson and raced into the box to calmly slot the ball under Liam Grant.
Saints had the ball in the Chryston net again two minutes later, however, referee Pat O’Donnell, who handled proceedings well, ruled Connor Moore’s effort out for offside.
Mr O’Donnell waved away Chryston’s appeals for another offside decision when Connor Moore hit the bye-line on the left of the box and squared for James Muir who lifted the ball over the crossbar from inside the six-yard box.
Muir thought he had doubled his tally in the 25th minute, only for his goal-bound effort from a Paul McFatridge cutback to be blocked on the goal-line by Kenneth McLeod.
Saints’ failure to fully capitalise on their early superiority was punished just after the half-hour when Joseph Fraser conjured up a stunning individual effort out of nothing. Fraser closed down and dispossessed Scott Maitland deep in his own half on the Chryston right and cut inside unchallenged before finding the bottom corner with a crisp left strike beyond Craig Maitland’s left hand.
David Beaton made a well-timed 33rd minute run to beat the Chryston defence’s high line and unselfishly squared to Paul McFatridge who narrowly missed the postage stamp corner from 18 yards.
On the stroke of half-time Saints re-established their advantage when Connor Moore smuggled home from close range after a stramash in the Chryston 18-yard box.
If there was an element of scruffiness about Moore’s first goal, he more than made up for it two minutes after the restart with a goal straight out the top drawer. Lurking just inside the Chryston half, Moore gathered Gavin Forgrieve’s pass and turned away from Connor Neilson showing the full back a clean pair of heels. Cutting in from the right, Moore curled an exquisite left foot finish into the top corner giving goalkeeper Liam Grant no chance.
Referee O’Donnell issued a yellow card to Andrew Beveridge for a late challenge on James Muir level with the 18-yard line on the Saints right. Worse was to follow for the visitors when Mr O’Donnell lost patience with the level of dissent from Connor Neilson and sent him packing with a straight red card.
Ross Maitland’s double change with 20 minutes remaining bore fruit immediately. Rory Dowd and Keiron Lopez replaced David Beaton and James Muir and both substitutes had a hand in the build-up to Connor Moore’s third goal which Moore had to be sure to finish off after ignoring skipper Scott Maitland’s repeated pleas to slip him in.
Four minutes later, Gavin Forgrieve provided the assist for Rory Dowd to add a fifth for Saints with a typically unerring finish from 16 yards.
Saints replaced Fredrik Marthinsen and Connor Moore with Craig Livingstone and Oran Bryce as the clock ran down.
There was no thought of throwing in the towel from the ten men of Chryston who kept plugging away until the end and were rewarded with a second goal five minutes before full-time when substitute Peter Bradley’s perfectly executed lob sailed over Craig Maitland and into the net.
In the fourth round, Saints travel to Stepford Football Centre to face UB United of the Strathclyde Saturday Morning Amateur Football League on Saturday December 16.
Shortly after Saturday’s match came the sad news that manager Ross Maitland’s mother Teeney had finally lost her long, brave battle with cancer. The thoughts of everyone at Oban Saints Football Club are with Ross, his sister Marie and their respective families at this sad time.
Saints have no game on Saturday.