Honours Even At The Foot Of The Ben
- Winning In The Rain
- Aug 3
- 5 min read
Tuesday 29th July 2025
Preseason Friendly
Fort William 4 - 4 Oban Saints
Lochaber High School
Camaghael
Fort William
Inverness-shire
PH33 7ND
Referee Mr Peter O'Hara
Oban Saints answered an S.O.S. from northern neighbours Fort William to fill an unexpected void in the North Caledonian Football League side's preseason schedule. Having had two of their own planned friendlies cancelled at short notice, Saints were only too happy to oblige and set off last Tuesday evening for Lochaber High School with an eighteen-man squad which included Co-managers Steven MacLeod and Graham Douglas.
The match proved to be a useful exercise for both clubs with Fort William blooding a number of new signings while Saints, with eyes fixed on this coming Saturday's opening Scottish Premier Amateur Football League opener, gave the full ninety minutes to the nucleus of the new season's likely starting eleven.
Saints lined up with Craig Maitland in goal behind a back three of Ryan Barclay, Aidan Jackson and Captain Scott Maitland. Midfield triumvirate Matty Kelly, Gavin Forgrieve and Aaron McKay were flanked by wingbacks Kuba Ryszka and Rhys Millar while, up front, Connor Moore was joined by David Beaton, Alongside Co-Managers Graham Douglas and Steven MacLeod on the substitutes bench were Shaye Black, James Conington, Innes Fraser, Fraser MacFarlane and Alec McInroy.
North Caledonian and Highland League official Peter O'Hara got proceedings under way on a pleasant summer's evening at Lochaber High School with Saints kicking off attacking the school end.
Saints were making most of the early running and came close to opening the scoring in the fifth minute when Gavin Forgrieve narrowly failed to thread the ball from a tight angle through the legs of Fort keeper Mateusz Kulbacki.
There was an early blow for Saints when young Kuba Ryszka limped off with a back injury to be replaced by James Conington. A reshuffle followed with Aaron McKay moving to right wingback, David Beaton dropping back into midfield and Conington joining Connor Moore up front.
Against the run of play it was the home side who struck first after Saints' Skipper Scott Maitland was deemed to have fouled Fort striker Andrew Sneddon just inside the Saints' eighteen-yard box. Maitland was adamant he had got to the ball cleanly however Referee O'Hara, who had a good game, did not share Maitland's opinion and pointed to the penalty spot. Fort Skipper Kane Davies outfoxed Saints' goalkeeper Craig Maitland and sent his effort from twelve yards straight down the middle as Maitland threw himself to his right.
James Conington's twenty-second minute cross on the run somehow managed to elude both Connor Moore and David Beaton as Saints pushed hard for an equaliser which duly followed four minutes later. Matty Kelly's well weighted ball through the inside right channel sent Connor Moore spinning in behind the Fort back four. Moore skipped over the outstretched right leg of the advancing Mateusz Kulbacki and kept his balance to stab the ball into the unguarded net.
David Beaton blasted a twenty-eighth minute free-kick high and wide from twenty-two yards but was more accurate on the half-hour mark with a through ball for Connor Moore which, once again opened up the home defence. Moore comfortably evaded the Fort keeper's challenge to give Saints a deserved lead.
Saints continued to move the ball about well but were unable to add the finishing touch with David Beaton, James Conington and Connor Moore all failing to hit the target before the half-time whistle.
The home side retreated to the dressing room for their half-time team talk which did little to reverse their fortunes as Saints made a storming start to the second forty-five. Less than sixty seconds were on Referee O'Hara's watch when Aaron McKay, Matty Kelly and Connor Moore combined to send David Beaton through on the right for a shot which Mateusz Kulbacki did well to parry. The big keeper's luck was out however when the ball bounced back into the stride of Beaton who made no mistake second time around.
Three minutes into the second period Saints stretched their lead still further when Connor Moore burst into the Fort eighteen-yard box on the left. Moore's cutback from just short of the goal line took a deflection which David Beaton was quickest to react to knocking home at the near post.
Saints were far too easily picked off from the restart when Andrew Sneddon's deflected effort past Craig Maitland brought the home side back into the match which he been rapidly slipping away from them.
Rhys Millar cut in from the left to curl right footed just wide of the postage stamp corner as Saints continued to look the more likely to add to the scoring. David Beaton's fifty-sixth minute cross from the left picked out Aaron McKay's supporting run from the right with newly signed from Mallaig defender Niall MacBeth getting a vital touch to deny McKay.
On the hour mark David Beaton couldn't get out of the way of Matty Kelly's shot from a James Conington cutback and with Saints cursing their luck the home side struck on the counterattack. New Signing Liam Taylor found the gap between the Saint's back three and keeper Craig Maitland with the well-travelled man of many Highland League clubs keeping his composure to lift the ball over Maitland to continue the Fort comeback.
Rhys Millar shaved the outside of Mateusz Kulbacki's right-hand post before David Beaton sent a twenty-eight-yard free kick high over the Fort crossbar. Home Skipper Kane Davies fared better with his seventy-fifth minute dead ball effort which Craig Maitland manged to shovel behind for a corner-kick.
Innes Fraser and Fraser MacFarlane were given late runs replacing James Conington and Rhys Millar however the changes did nothing to reverse Saints' flagging fortunes in front of goal. The home defence doggedly threw bodies in front of efforts from David Beaton and Fraser MacFarlane while Aaron McKay was inches wide of target with a header from a Beaton cross from the left.
The home side completed their comeback when Liam Taylor got his head to Kane Davies' eighty-sixth minute free kick from the right sending the ball high into the net beyond the despairing right hand of Craig Maitland.
The Fort were now looking to complete an unlikely turnaround but the Saints back three of Aiadan Jackson, Ryan Barclay and Scott Maitland held firm. As the clock ticked down Saints squandered two excellent chances to seal victory on the counterattack and it was honours even when Mr O'Hara blew his final whistle.
This coming Saturday Oban Saints, sponsored by D&K Lafferty Contractors and MKM Oban Building Supplies, kick off their Scottish Premier Amateur Football Association Premiership campaign with the visit to Glencruitten of Stirling based Forth and Kerse FC.
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