Recreation Park, AAFA Premier League, 17/4/24
Me 305, Wee Man 171
Insch Amateur Football Club
Founded – 1994 as an amateur club
Nickname – N/A
Honours – AAFA Division One North – 2011/12. AAFA Division One East – 2017/18 Dickie Trophy – 2007/08. Stephen Shield – 2011/12. White Cup – 2017/18. Ian Napier Memorial . Trophy – 2018/19.
Random Fact – The club are a phoenix continuation of a now defunct Junior side who folded after the 1993/94 season
Champions League, sack that. A dip into the amateurs deep in Aberdeenshire was on the cards for us. This after being asked if there was any games tonight while on the school run. With a late night for Wee Man last night, early and local was key. Insch being only 15 miles away and unvisited in the past by both of us it was perfect. It also has one of my favourite “things found on clubs badges” to visit. This being Dunnideer Castle which sits on a hill on the outskirts of town and on the chest of the Insch AFC players. The castle dates back to the 1200s and was built within an already existent vitrified fort on the top of the hill. The views from the here are breath taking with the whole of Insch at one side and Bennachie flanking to the right. If you look west you see Benrinnes and through to the Cairngorms. Stunning stuff, especially on a sunny evening like we were treated to. Surely no fitba badge has better views in the country than this.
Recreation Park may have been unvisited for viewing purposes by me in the past it has been played on numerous times inclusive of some real teuchter ding dongs when I played for Ellon Thistle. Nowadays Insch are in the Premier League, and it was Echt who were popping in for a visit tonight. (This bringing out Wee Man’s Echt hat that he was gifted by the club a couple of seasons ago). A decent enough 90 unfolded and got us out of the house and away from the monstrosity that is the Champions League.
We arrived in ample time for a kick about in the blazing sun. Much needed sun as there was clear evidence the Rec must have been boggy up until recently. The sun also looked like it would cause problems for the keeper who was to be the unfortunate one who ended up at the road end goals in the first half. (Echt’s Callum Gibson it was to be). As the sound of woodpeckers pecking, birds tweeting and the F word being used with reckless abandon filled the Garioch air, we were surprised to see Insch being the better team in the opening stages. This due to us both expecting away wins. They had more chances overall but failed to test Gibson. It was Echt who had the first big chance of the half when Sean McHardy used his strength to break free from his chasing marker Shaun Whyte and got a toe poke off but Insch keeper Charles Wood manged to save well with his feet . This was from a ball over the top that seemed to be in the plan for Echt and it did look a dangerous ploy. But it was Insch who took the lead with their own ball over the top and Fraser Bruce was on hand to take advantage of a deflection of the ball on the way through to hammer past Gibson from just inside the box. Echt called for offside but referee Mr Nicolson was having none of it. The woodpecker got louder and Wee Man went to investigate exactly where it was looking for beasties and just as he found it, Echt found the net. The pre-mentioned ball over the top saw Wood race off his line but he had underestimated Echt man Mark MacAuley who got to the ball first and lifted it over the onrushing keeper and into the net. Wee Man returned from his twitching adventure in the trees, he knocked the ball to me and as I was unaware, it ended up on the pitch. I retrieved it then proceeded to be tackled by the nearby corner flag as I passed it much to the hilarity of the Wee Man. I am glad he was the only one who saw it. Robbed of possession of the ball by a bit of plastic and faded fabric. Not my proudest moment if truth be told. Both teams had big chances. First up was Hugo Rickets stung the palms of Gibson who pulled off a sound save. Then Echt were denied by even better keeping when Danny Forsyth struck at goal, the effort hit a man on the way through which needed an adjustment of feet from keeper Wood who did excellently to palm the ricocheted effort over the bar. Echt were then denied a stonewall penalty when there was a blatant handball in the six yard box but it was waved away. A nonsense decision as the travel of the ball across the box was stopped dead . Echt were to take the league before the half ended. The when a corner was swung in and off the head of defender Whyte and into the top corner. The whip on the cross was immense and highly dangerous. A superb ball in.
HT 1 v 2
After the usual gripe from Wee Man at amateur games that the half time is not long enough, Echt flew out of the traps and grabbed a third when again from a corner the ball made its way in. This time via an Echt player, Lewis Harrold who struck goalward from the edge of the box. Wood tried to keep it out but failed as did his defender on the line. This came in the 47th minute. As we had moved our position slightly we could see all three peaks of Bennachie close together above the town. It’s not often you get an angle that puts the peaks so close together. Back on the pitch Insch were given a lifeline from 12 yards. This after a stramash in the box, Gibson saved but couldn’t get control of the ball on the first or second attempt. The ball spilled to a defender who tried to clear and failed then the second attempt ended up being a foul on the Insch man. It was a clear penalty despite claims to the contrary from the men in red. Gary McWilliam stepped up and made no mistake. Game on. The foul count was now creeping up with a few niggly exchanges happening across the park. It was from one of these fouls that Echt grabbed a fourth. Insch man Ross Clelland was late on Ben Rattray(I think) the resulting free kick was struck across the park to the back post where substitute Dylan Singer was lurking to head into the top left corner despite Cooks admirable effort to get there. Echt were now well on top and eventually notched a fifth when Singer again was on hand, this time to absolutely rasp a volley from 18 yards over Cook and into the net. A ferocious hit. Echt were soon given a penalty for what I thought was nothing. Justice was maybe served when Aiden Grieg fired his kick high wide and handsome leaving Wee Man to retrieve it. But the win was there for the away side and they took the three points back south with them and deservedly so.
Entrance – Both free
Attendance – 46
Pie – N/A
Pint – N/A
Score Prediction – Me 0 v 3, Wee Man 1 v 2
Season Score Prediction Total – Me 0 v 1 Wee Man
FITBAWBAG 