Bellsdale Park, West of Scotland League Cup, 12/8/19
Beith Junior Football Club
Founded; 1938
Nickname; The Cabes
Honours; West of Scotland Premier Division –2009–10, 2017–18. Scottish Junior Cup 2015–16, West of Scotland Cup -1965–66, 1966–67, 2008–09, 2018-19
Current Division; SJFA West Premiership
Random Fact; The Club are a phoenix club of Beith FC who were members of the Football League who left senior football in 1938.
North Ayrshire and the first competitive game of this season at a sunny Bellsdale Park in Beith. A good excuse to tick off another Junior Scottish Cup winner from my life. Turns out that Wee Man and I, managed to pick a cracking game for the neutral. Maybe not so cracking for The Theesel fans present though.
Pre-game a bit of water was visited with a walk on the banks of the Clyde and on to Barr loch and Castle Semple Loch. A lot of walking was pretty much the aim of the day. That’s added with a lot of wildlife. We didn’t fail in the quest. Birds and beasties galore When was the last time anyone saw a caterpillar? Been a long long time for me. Saw a big green one that was faster across the deck than Neil McFarlane ever crossed the Pittodrie turf
I think the best place to start with Bellsdale Park. Anyone who has been will know what im about to say, The slope. It is phenomenal and should have a gradient warning sign. It really has to be seen to believed. It has to be a an advantage to the Cabes during every home game. Photos will not do it justice. The enclosures on the wing are at different heights it is so pronounced
A random place to find myself on a Monday night but it was totally worth it. The locals were great with Wee Man and me, that’s inclusive of the the Largs fans too.(Largs is only thirteen miles away) Something I have found a lot at this level. Nippers are very appreciated. Junior fitba is an old persons game these days hence why the crowds are not what they once were and that’s why an almost five year old armed with his own ball and a juice is looked upon with great delight. Either that or junior fitba is riddled with paedos. Which I highly doubt. But on top of that we were served up another quality game. A game that had many sides to it. To start Beith dominated proceedings up the mountain in the first half with Christie and especially Fisher causing endless problems for last years beaten Scottish Cup finalists. Going into half time they were up 1-0 but with the amount of great balls and fluffed headers it could have been and should have been more
Second half started with a bang. A two goal bang to be precise with the hosts bagged another couple quick sharp after the break. The second coming from a fantastic assist from the Beith goalie who raced out of his box to head clear (something theres not enough of in modern fitba) and created an opening which the big Miliken nestled on the half volley past Lundy. 3-0 and a lot more one sided than I expected. This changed the mood of the game. Where the mannies challenges in the first half were greeted with pats on the back, Largs were now out to hurt with some modern day outlawed tackles with no prisoners taken. Also during this spell the aforementioned Fisher was subbed off at a time that was too early in my own non managerial tactic brain. I turned out to be correct and Beith fell a bit flat allowing Largs to get one back. One turned into two with around ten to go, this leading to Beith losing all shape and Largs battering them for a good ten minutes. On another day Beith could have chucked their three goal lead but some great instinctive defending and some purely flukey ricochets kept Largs at bay with the home side even killing the game 4-2 with the last kick of the ball. Killing all doubts the home fans had and I’m sure every single one was expecting the lead to be surrendered during that ten minute spell of being brutally under the kosh. The Theesel fans must have left wondering what would have been if they had turned up all game. Good team when they play fitba. Cracking viewing for the neutrals in us
West Coast Juniors if fucking great. Roll on Hurlford in a couple of weeks
Me 154, Wee Man 27
FITBAWBAG 