A walk in the park as Saints pick up pieces of eight in Port Glasgow

Further strikes from Fraser MacFarlane, Rhys Millar and Oran Bryce plus a four-goal salvo from top marksman Connor Moore made for an 8-1 winning margin which would have been even more emphatic with a little more composure in front of goals.

Saints lined up with Craig Maitland in goal behind a back three of Shaye Black, Ben Forbes and Aidan Jackson. Scott Maitland and Gavin Forgrieve formed a captain and vice captain axis in front of the back three with Fraser MacFarlane, Alec McInroy and Donald Campbell in the more advanced midfield roles. Up front was the twin strike-force of Connor Moore and Rhys Millar.

The hosts kicked off with the low sun at their backs on one of the two excellent 4G surfaces at Parklea. Saints however soon regained possession, and it wasn’t long before young Rhys Millar, restored to the starting line-up following a toe injury, pressured OBU full back Reece McLaughlin into conceding a corner-kick on the Saints’ left.

Gavin Forgrieve’s delivery into the box was cleared but only at the expense of a throw-in on the opposite flank.

Aidan Jackson launched a trademark long throw into the OBU box which Ben Forbes reached ahead of Andrew Turner to send a back-header looping over keeper Mark Turner and into the net to open the scoring.

Saints were the beneficiaries in a moment of controversy in the 17th minute.

Attacking on the right, Fraser MacFarlane knocked the ball past left full back Andrew Turner and raced into the OBU box. Both ended up in a heap on the ground with Turner convinced he had reached the ball before MacFarlane.

Referee Kevin O’Neil, who had a good game, however had other ideas and ruled in favour of the Saints’ man. With regular penalty taker David Beaton still on the bench MacFarlane took the responsibility and confidently dispatched the spot kick past Mark Turner.

Deep midfield pairing Gavin Forgrieve and Scott Maitland were at the heart of everything for Saints and the two combined in the 22nd minute to send Rhys Miller through in the inside-left channel.

Millar skilfully escaped the attentions of Reece McLaughlin and turned inside onto his right foot to lift the ball from 18 yards over Mark Turner and into the net off the underside of the crossbar.

The D&K Lafferty Contractors and MKM Building Services sponsored Oban side were very much in control at this point, but OBU skipper Mark Turner kept his side in the game with an excellent fingertip save to deny Donald Campbell and followed that up with a brave block at the feet of Rhys Millar.

The OBU cause was helped by off-target efforts from Connor Moore, Rhys Millar and Fraser MacFarlane all of which should have seen the net ripple.

The hosts took advantage of Saints’ profligacy by pulling a goal back on the stroke of half- time. OBU forced a turnover of possession midway inside the Saints’ half and worked the ball out to Callum Brown on the right.

Brown’s cross to the back post was met perfectly by Adam Johnston whose stooping header flew past Craig Maitland to put an entirely different complexion on proceedings.