Saints and Stirling University Fire Blanks
- Winning In The Rain
- Mar 1
- 5 min read
Saturday 28th February 2026
Scottish Premier Amateur Football Association
Premiership
Oban Saints 0 - 0 Stirling University
Oban Community Sports Field 3G
Soroba Road
Oban
Argyll
PA34 4JB
Kick-off 2.00pm
Referee Mr Pat O'Donnell
Oban Saints winning streak stuttered to an end at Oban High School last Saturday 28th February with a goal-less draw against fellow Scottish Premier Amateur Football Association Premiership title aspirants Stirling University. Although not the outcome Manager Steven MacLeod had hoped for, the share of the points sees Saints maintain an interest in the what is developing into a fascinating five-way tussle to be crowned league champions.
Aaron Moore once again missed out with a knee injury, but that blow was cushioned slightly by the inclusion of new signing Preston Macintyre. A product of the Saints' youth system, tricky winger Macintyre returns to the club after spells with Drumchapel United, Dumbarton and, most recently, Scottish Junior Cup holders Johnstone Burgh.
Saints lined up with Craig Maitland in goal behind a back three of Ryan Barclay, Captain Scott Maitland and Aidan Jackson. The central midfield three of Matty Kelly, Gavin Forgrieve and Aaron McKay were flanked by wingbacks David Beaton and Rhys Millar with Will Graham partnering Connor Moore up front. On the substitutes bench were Connor Beattie, Donald Campbell, Innes Fraser, Preston Macintyre, Matty Pollock, Kuba Ryszka and goalkeeper Graham Douglas.
In the reverse fixture at Stirling University Campus Saints struck in the third minute paving the way towards a comfortable victory but there was no indication of a similarly early breakthrough. Uni keeper Louis Bisset, who was beaten four times inside the opening twenty-eight minutes in Stirling, comfortably plucked Aaron McKay's fifth minute cross from the left out of the air and launched a counter-attack up the right which saw Thomas Reilly cut inside for a left foot shot which Craig Maitland did well to hold low to his right.
There was a "heart in mouth" moment for Bisset in the eighth minute when his clearance from the left edge of his eighteen-yard box landed at the feet of David Beaton whose attempted lob flew over Bisset's head but inches wide of target.
Aaron McKay came closer still three minutes later with a dipping effort from twenty-five yards which struck the top of Bisset's crossbar.
The visitors won the first corner kick of the match in the twelfth minute which was taken short to Adam Jamieson who advanced into the Saint's box and took aim for the far post where Craig Maitland got down well to gather safely.
Saints responded sixty seconds later with their first corner kick with David Beaton volleying Gavin Forgrieve's delivery from the right six inches wide of target.
Uni central defenders Euan Ross and Jerome Holland were doing a good job of keeping Saints' strikers Will Graham and Connor Moore in check, but Moore eventually broke free after a quarter of an hour only to see his shot from eighteen yards saved by Louis Bisset.
Moore tried his luck again in the eighteenth minute this time lifting his effort from tweny-two yards over the crossbar.
Handed a starting role following his debut as a substitute in the previous week's victory over Stenhousemuir Foundation, Will Graham linked well with strike partner Connor Moore in the twenty-second minute with Moore picking out David Beaton in the middle for a dipping effort which Louis Bisset held well.
Bisset denied Beaton again six minutes later clutching Beaton's looping header from the edge of the box after Matthew Cattigan had beaten Ryan Barclay to another good Gavin Forgrieve delivery from the corner flag.
Aaron McKay's industry in the middle of the park continued to drive Saints forward and he tee'd up Will Graham for twenty-ninth minute shot which Euan Ross did well to block. Matty Kelly was first to the loose ball and fed Graham for another another attempt which flew wide of Louis Bisset's right-hand post.
Sixty seconds later Saints launched a swift counterattack from a Stirling Uni corner kick which saw Connor Moore denied firstly by Louis Bisset and then, from the rebound, by Euan Ross who got back onto the goal-line to make the block.
There was a massive let-off for Saints in the thirty-fourth minute when they made a hash of playing out from the back after Levis Wilson had sent a free-kick from twenty-two yards tamely wide. The ball was sent straight to the feet of Thomas Reilly who cut in from the right and left Craig Maitland rooted to the spot with a shot which struck the foot of Maitland's left-hand post.
Euan Ross came to the visitor's rescue again in the thirty-sixth minute with an excellent interception ahead of Connor Moore after a measured Saints' build up involving Aaron McKay, Rhys Millar, Gavin Forgrieve, Will Graham and David Beaton.
On the stroke of half-time Levis Wilson got on the end of a Skipper Owen Halliday's free kick from the left but sent his header looping high over Craig Maitland's crossbar.
Matty Pollock replaced Aidan Jackson in a straight swap on the left of the back three for the start of the second half where Saints would attack the Dalintart Drive end with the strong low sun at their backs.
The visitors started the second half the stronger without testing Craig Maitland with efforts from Ewan Blues, Thomas Reilly and Adam Jamieson all failing to hit the target.
Aaron McKay and Will Graham linked well on the left with McKay driving into the Uni box for a shot which went straight into the midriff of Louis Bisset before Graham made way, in the fifty-fifth minute for the return of Preston Macintyre.
Craig Maitland ensured the score line remained level with an excellent save at full stretch to his left claw away a fifty-seventh minute free kick from Adam Jamieson after Scott Maitland had been penalised for a foul on Levis Wilson.
Saints slowly began to exert some pressure on the Uni back line but wayward finishes from Preston Macintyre, Connor Moore and Rhys Millar failed to work the Uni keeper.
Donald Campbell replaced David Beaton with twenty minutes remaining with youngster showing good strength to escape the attentions of Jerome Holland and force a save from Louis Bisset.
Saints lost the services of Matty Kelly with ligament damage following a collision with Ryan Barclay which looks set to keep the influential midfielder out of action for some time. Kelly was replaced by Kuba Ryszka with the visitors making the only change available to them sending on Collins Asamoah to replace Christnovi Madila.
Gavin Forgrieve forced his way through in the eighty-second minute to get a shot away under pressure which was straight down the throat of Louis Bisset.
Saints mounted a bid for a grandstand finish forcing a succession of corner kicks deep into the four minutes of stoppage time added on by Referee Pat O'Donnell but yet again when the shooting opportunities arrived, they went straight to the Uni goalkeeper.
Saints finally managed to find the back of the Uni net but, unfortunately, Aaron McKay's thumping drive into the roof of the net from twenty-five yards as the visitors tried to repel one last corner kick came after Referee Pat O'Donnell, who handled the match well, had blown for full-time. McKay was forlorn in his protests which were born more of frustration than any genuine belief that the goal should stand.
This coming Saturday the D&K Lafferty Contractors and MKM Oban Building Supplies sponsored Saints travel to Stirlingshire to face Plean in their penultimate away fixture of the Scottish Premier Amateur Football Association Premiership season.
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