Scottish Cup Stalemate
- Winning In The Rain
- Nov 2
- 6 min read
Saturday 1st November 2025
Scottish Amateur Football Association
Challenge Cup Competition
3rd Round
Oban Saints 0 - 0 Tollcross
Oban Community Sports Field 3G
Soroba Road
Oban
Argyll
PA34 4JB
Kick-off 2.00pm
Referee Mr John Campbell
Goalkeepers Graham Douglas and Kevin Rutherford were the stars of the show at Oban High School last Saturday afternoon where both produced vital saves to keep the score-line blank and force a Scottish Amateur Cup third round replay in Shettleston.
Combatants Oban Saints and Tollcross of the Greater Glasgow Premier Amateur Football League were well matched and, despite the lack of goals, produced an entertaining spectacle for the hardy band of spectators who had braved the elements.
With an unfavourable weather forecast for the week, Saints' Secretary David Buchanan made an early call to switch the match from Glencruitten to the all-weather surface at Oban High School which proved to be a good call as the grass surface at Glencruitten would certainly not have passed a pitch inspection. Heavy rain and hail showers were interrupted by brief spells of strong low sunshine all of which made for challenging conditions for players and spectators alike.
The D&K Lafferty Contractors and MKM Oban Building Supplies sponsored Saints lined up with Graham Douglas in goal behind a back three of Aidan Jackson, Aaron Moore and Captain Scott Maitland. The central midfield trio of David Beaton, Gavin Forgrieve and Daniel MacCuish were flanked by wingbacks Aaron McKay and Craig Livingstone while, up front, Donald Campbell partnered Connor Moore. Manager Steven MacLeod was joined on the substitutes bench by Connor Beattie, James Conington, Innes Fraser, Matty Pollock and Kuba Ryska.
Attacking the Dalintart Drive end, Saints had the blustery wind at their backs in the first half which they began with Aidan Jackson heading over a Gavin Forgrieve corner kick from the left.
The hosts followed this up with David Beaton and Donald Campbell combining on the left to send Connor Moore racing into the Tollcross eighteen-yard box where keeper Kevin Rutherford did well to smother the ball at the Saints striker's feet.
Tollcross forced a corner kick on the left after eleven minutes which was played to the corner of the eighteen-yard box for Alan Connolly to unleash a powerful shot which had Graham Douglas at full stretch to tip over his crossbar. The Saints' Assistant Manager, who continues to deputise in goal for the unavailable Craig Maitland, immediately had his reactions tested again with an excellent save to push big central defender Brian Eaglesham's powerful header over for another corner kick.
Saints tried to profit from Aidan Jackson's long throw-in however the Tollcross defence coped well with aerial threat. When Saints did manage to get on the end of Jackson's throws Craig Livingstone had his effort blocked at the near post and Donald Campbell sent his header looping into the gloves of Kevin Rutherford.
Daniel MacCuish ventured forward from central midfield for a nineteenth minute shot which required an excellent flying save from the Tollcross keeper to prevent the ball from finding the postage stamp corner. From the resulting corner kick Gavin Forgrieve's delivery from the corner flag was headed out to the edge of the box from where Aaron McKay's left foot shot was deflected off target by Tollcross fullback Barry Mcintee.
A push in the back from Christopher Eadie gave David Beaton the chance to lift the ball into the danger area where the presence of Donald Campbell was enough to force a rare handling error from Kevin Rutherford who was relieved to see John Kelly on hand to thump the loose ball clear.
Aaron Moore left his central defensive position to venture forward in the thirty-second minute and sent Connor Moore racing through the inside left channel where it was John Kelly to the rescue again for the visitors getting across to make a vital block at the near post.
David Beaton and Aaron McKay combined on the right four minutes later to create another opening for Connor Moore who, this time, escaped the attentions of the Tollcross defence but failed to test Rutherford with a rushed shot which flew high and wide of target.
Aidan Jackson's thirty-ninth minute push on Liam Reid gave the visitors another chance to get their big men forward for a delivery into the box. Aaron Moore won a solid clearing header which Alan Connolly returned with interest with a spectacular overhead kick which only just cleared the Saints' crossbar. From Graham Douglas' goal kick Saints moved swiftly to the other end with Skipper Scott Maitland getting a long way forward for a shot on his less reliable right foot which still managed to force a save from Kevin Rutherford high to his left.
The Tollcross defence was opened up again in the forty-second minute but, with Connor Moore free in front of goal, Gavin Forgrieve opted to shoot from a tight angle on the right and fired his effort wide of the junction of post and crossbar.
On the opposite flank, and in the final action of the first half, Donald Campbell elected not to shoot and squared tantalisingly out of reach for the onrushing David Beaton.
Saints were frustrated by the Referee's whistle straight from the restart when Connor Moore flicked the ball from the grasp of Kevin Rutherford but was denied a shot at an open goal when Mr Campbell ruled that the keeper had the ball fully under control.
There was no dubiety over Rutherford's handling two minutes later when David Beaton, Aaron McKay and Connor Moore combined on the right for Moore to pick out Daniel Maccuish for another shot which, although lacking the venom of his first-half effort, was nonetheless a decent test which the Tollcross keeper was the equal of.
Saints' Gaffer Steven MacLeod made a double change on the hour mark replacing Aidan Jackson and Craig Livingstone with Matty Pollock and James Conington. Pollock was involved immediately conceding a free kick on the touchline on the Tollcross left. Liam Reid's wind assisted effort had to be carefully watched by Graham Douglas as it drifted just over his crossbar.
The introduction of James Conington saw Donald Campbell switch to left wingback and the two almost combined in the sixty-seventh minute when a good delivery on the run from Campbell was fractionally too high for Conington at the back post.
An offside decision from Referee Campbell, who handled the keenly contested match very well, denied James Conington a one-on-one with Kevin Rutherfordin the sixty-ninth minute but there was no whistle sixty seconds later when Conington was through again. With just the keeper to beat Conington was picking his spot when he was robbed by an excellent recovery challenge from Brian Eaglesham.
Sixty seconds later it was the visitors turn to question an offside call from Mr. Campbell, the accuracy of which became irrelevant when Graham Douglas came off his goal line to make the save.
David Beaton's late challenge on John McGill ten yards inside the Saints' half was a long way out for an attempt on goal and even the strong wind couldn't give John Kelly's seventy-sixth minute free kick the power to trouble Graham Douglas.
With thirteen minutes remaining Saints were handed a perfect opportunity to open the scoring when Ethan Copeland bundled into the back of Connor Moore and sent him sprawling in the Tollcross box. David Beaton accepted the responsibility for the spot kick but his effort from twelve yards was at a perfect height for Kevin Rutherford to spring to his right with a strong hand to push the ball away and keep his side firmly in the tie.
The lifeline handed them by Rutherford gave Tollcross a timely boost for the closing stages during which both sides went at it hammer and tongs without producing that moment of magic necessary to clinch victory.
Graham Douglas secured his clean sheet with comfortable takes from Lee McBride and Alan Connolly free kicks as set pieces continued to look the most likely source of a Tollcross winner.
At the other end the fourth minute of stoppage time saw Saints open up the visiting defence for one last time however, with better options available, David Beaton opted to shoot from twenty-five yards but without the power necessary to beat man of the match Rutherford who got down well to his left make the save and confirm the need for a rematch.
The replay is scheduled for Saturday 8th November at Greenfield Football Centre, Shettleston where the tie must be settled on the day with penalty kicks to decide the winner if the sides still cannot be separated after ninety minutes.
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