Spain Park, North Region Superleague, 2/2/22
Entrance – Me £5, Wee Man £0
Attendance – 124(Rough Head Count)
Pie – Coffee, Juice , crisps, £2.80
Pint – N/A
Banks o’ Dee Junior Football Club
Founded – 1902
Nicknames – The Rechabites, The Dee
Honours – Scottish Junior Cup-1957, Aberdeenshire Cup – 2021/22 North Region Superleague – 2007/08, 2008/09, 2015/16, 2015/16, 2017/18 and 2018/19
Current Division – North Region Superleague
Random Fact – The club were founded as the Rechabites due to links with a teetotal Rechabite group. The name was reportedly changed once it emerged that a few of the players were in fact fond of a shandy or two and was not a good look.
With the recent storms still playing havoc with fitba plans, Wee Man and I were on to game two of this trip home. As a first together it was to the same ground as our previous adventure. This due to a trip to Dalkeith tonight being ground damaged off (bloody storms). Tonight was also to put Spain Park out in front of Wee Man’s most frequented on four (Pittodrie and Harlaw Park both on three). Also to be noted, over the last three years we have watched Banks o’ Dee more than any team anywhere by a long way. I cant be far away from finding myself shouting “mon e Dee”.
A top of the table clash. A Dee win would see them go clear top. A Culter win would see them go level with their hosts and Bridge of Don Thistle. As our visit on Saturday did, this match did not live up to its billing. But instead of a poor Banks o’ Dee it was a destructive ruthless one. To be fair to Culter they started well and fashioned the first clear cut chance of the match when Dee keeper Sweeney was forced into a very decent save off a rasping effort from the Culter striker. The possession and half actions was even in the early stages as the teams sussed each other out, but Banks o’ Dee came more and more into it with their first real chance falling to Crosbie who’s strike was saved by what looked like the Culter keeper’s face. The keeper was not to do to well not too long after when he raced out his box to play sweeper keeper to head clear but he seemed to misstime everything and put more height than length on it, Michael Phillipson took the ball down beat a couple of defenders and fed Max Alexander who tapped into an empty net. Phillipson was soon stretchered off after being on the end of a pretty shocking challenge, one where the linesman(other side of the park) even let out a “oooh fucking hell”. Wee Man and me had the same view as the Lino and my inner monologue had the same reaction. A bad tackle for sure which saw the Dee number ten leave on a stretcher and his manager Jamie Watt leave the dugout after a red card for his protests. Culter almost capitalized from a Sweeney error late in the half when the keeper got a bit tangled up with his feet but his defence bailed him out. The last action was also a decent Culter chance where Dee full back young was caught ball watching and let in the big Culter striker, who from ten yards opted for power and sent the ball over the bar.
HT 1 v 0
The break saw Wee Man develop a wee game where we had to chip his yellow ball into tractor tyres behind the goal. Laid out in a straight line, it was one point in the first one, two in the second and so on. I lost 5 v 1 to a seven year old. Good fun though.
I said on Saturday I am usually full of superlatives when it comes from to the Dee but had none after their East Craigie defeat, well that was flipped on its head here. They were excellent in the second half tonight. A well worked team move saw Alexander double his tally from close range early on. Two became three a couple of minutes later when Gilmour got on the score sheet and effectively ended the game. The hosts were not finished though and Culter looked to have completely collapsed at this point and their night became worse very soon after the third. After testing the keeper with a good header Jack Henderson produced the moment of the match. The resulting corner from his header was cleared and dropped perfectly for the striker who placed an incredible volley across the goal and into the top corner. Stunning stuff and made to look so easy, sending Banks o’ Dee on to easy street. A second red card was shown midway through the half and again it was to a non player when Culter’s Duff was sent off from the dugout. Duff had been on the pitch but was subbed moments prior. I can only assume he said something the overly officious ref took umbrage to . This was not the last time a card was to be brandished to a bench either. Substitute Lachie MacLeod didn’t want to miss out on the goal scoring action after his introduction and with ten minutes to go chased down what looked a poor through ball. The Culter keeper came steaming out to clear by MacLeod clearly wanted the ball more than anyone and incredibly got their first and slid in getting to it first and directing the ball goal ward from 20 yards. The ball crept over the line before any visiting player could get near. This was now a demolition job. However the Dee were weren’t finished and bagged a sixth in the final minute when Gilmour cut in from the left and curled a peach of an effort across goal and into the bottom corner with the ref putting Culter out their misery almost immediately. A hell of a lot better from Banks o’ Dee this time around. Wee Man and me were joined tonight by Aberdeen’s best Mauricio Pochettino look-a-like and he was impressed with the team and the set up and vowed to return off the back of this. Well worth a fiver. Cracking team.
Me still 219, Wee Man still 89
FITBAWBAG 