Castlemilk Sink Saints In The Rain
- Winning In The Rain
- Mar 30
- 4 min read
Saturday 29th March 2025
Scottish Premier Amateur Football Association
Premiership
Oban Saints 0 - 3 Castlemilk Community
Oban Community Sports Field 3G
Soroba Road
Oban
Argyll
PA34 4JB
Kick-off 2.00pm
Referee Mr Jimmy Litster
Oban Saints welcomed Castlemilk Community to Oban High School last Saturday afternoon where the Barlia based men continued their push for the Scottish Premier Amateur Football Association Premiership title with a dominant performance to secure the three points,
A flooded pitch at Glencruitten saw the match switched to the all-weather surface at Oban High School where, through incessant wind and rain, both sides produced an entertaining encounter for the hardy band of spectators who had braved the elements.
Despite the visitors holding the upper hand for the most part, Saints were far from disgraced battling hard throughout and, with a little more composure in front of goal, would have run their experienced opponents a lot closer.
Saints lined up with Craig Maitland in goal behind a back three of Shaye Black, Ben Forbes and Matty Pollock. Across the five-man midfield were Keiran Griffin, Aaron McKay, Gavin Forgrieve, Captain Scott Maitland and James Ford with Connor Moore and David Beaton up front. On the substitutes bench were Oran Bryce, Donald Campbell, Innes Fraser, Rhys Millar and Alec McInroy.
The visitors kicked off attacking the school end and immediately stamped their authority on proceedings with Captain Andrew Gilmartin pulling the strings.
On Saints first foray into opposition territory Referee Jimmy Litster, who handled the match well, gave the benefit of a very tight offside call to visitors who capitalised on the let off with the opening goal in the tenth minute. Scottish Amateur Select man Gilmartin linked well with Jamie Gillan and Matthew McGibbon before curling a delightful left foot finish into the top corner from twenty-two yards.
There was no offside decision from Referee Litster when Connor Moore broke through the Castlemilk back line in the sixteenth minute. Keeper Joshua Goldfarb however read the danger well racing out to the edge of his eighteen-yard box to block bravely at Moore's feet.
Saints were dealt a blow with the loss to injury of influential midfielder Gavin Forgrieve after just nineteen minutes. Young Donald Campbell was given the nod from the substitutes bench with David Beaton dropping back into central midfield to fill the void left by Forgrieve's departure.
Saints' goalkeeper Craig Maitland kept the deficit to one denying Jamie Gillan with an excellent save in the twenty-eighth minute. Andrew Gilmartin was again heavily involved in a flowing move which opened up the Saints defence with the Skipper picking out Gillan on the corner of the six-yard box with cross from the left. Gillan controlled the ball well but couldn't beat Maitland whose reactions at close range were not found wanting.
The visitors continued to ask most of the questions but the Saints back three of Matthew Pollock, Ben Forbes and Shaye Black kept clear-cut chances to a minimum and successfully saw out the remainder of the first half.
Saints' injury woes continued, and Manager Ross Maitland made enforced changes for the start of the second half replacing James Ford and Keiran Griffin with Oran Bryce and Rhys Millar.
It was almost an instant impact substitution from the Gaffer when Millar broke through straight from the restart, but the youngster sent his finish straight at Castlemilk keeper Goldfarb.
The strong wind was now very much in the visitors favour however Saints threatened again when Connor Moore picked out Rhys Millar with a cross from the left which Millar headed straight into the gloves of Joshua Goldfarb.
Saints rode their luck as Castlemilk blazed four presentable chances well off target, but their good fortune ran out in the sixty-fifth minute when Matthew McGibbon's free-kick from the left into the corridor of uncertainty bounced all the way into the Saint's net.
A well-timed challenge from Ben Forbes prevented McGibbon from doubling his tally before the visitors struck again in the seventy-first minute. Jamie Gillan pounced on a bouncing ball inside the Saints eighteen-yard box beating Ben Forbes to the loose ball and steering his finish beyond the reach of Craig Maitland.
A head knock deprived Saints of the services of leading marksman Connor Moore after seventy-nine minutes with his place being taken by Alec McInroy.
The Saints central midfield of David Beaton, Aaron McKay and Captain Scott Maitland continued to compete well and unlocked the Castlemilk defence twice in the closing stages.
Oran Bryce was sent through on goal in the eighty-eighth minute and guided the ball past the advancing keeper but, unfortunately, wide of the post. In the first of three minutes added by Referee Lister Aaron McKay evaded two despairing challenges from the Castlemilk defence but couldn't beat Joshua Goldfarb who spread himself well to block McKay's effort and preserve his clean sheet.
This coming Saturday the D&K Lafferty and MKM Oban Building Supplies sponsored Saints travel to Allandale to face East of Scotland Amateur Cup winners Steins Thistle in the Scottish Premier Amateur Football Association Premiership.
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