2021/22 – New Elgin 0 v 2 Forres Thistle

Nicol-Togneri Park, North Region SJFA Second Division, 19/3/22

Entrance – Me £4, Wee Man £0

Attendance – 33 paying, 25 outside the fence

Pie – £3, Pie and Coffee

Pint – N/A

New Elgin Junior Football Club

Founded – 1896

Nickname – The Freestaters

Honours – Morayshire Junior League – 1947/48, 1950/51, 1951/52, 1953/54, 1954/55, 1956/57, 1957/58, 1959/60, 1963/64 and 1966/67. North Region Division 1 – 2012/13 North Region Division 2 – 2004/05 and 2005/06. Morrison Cup 2011/12/ Morayshire Junior Cup – 1950/51, 1955/56, 1959/60 and 1976/77

Random Fact – Nicol-Togneli Park is situated on old Ministry of Defence land and to avoid building changing rooms, the block used to this day is an old MoD building.

A close one today was needed as birthday wining and dining with the other greatest human being was on the cards at night. With New Elgin eluding me in playing days and viewing days thus far, it was a chance to tick it off being not too far away from our house. Pre-game took us to Elgin Cathedral which was some sight. It must have been some size of building and a stunning one at that, in its hey day. After a quick nosey about it was picnic time in the incredible 19 degree Moray heat in the adjacent Lossie Green.

Nicol-Tognelli Park is nothing special. It is a fenced in pitch with bricked dug outs which appear to be new. There were a lot of unused bricks kicking about which we used as a perch. Left over from the dug out or is some plans afoot? With a quest of ticking off all the North Junior grounds it needed a visit despite its basic structure. (Nairn St Ninian the only outstanding venue now). The pitch has seen better days and was looking a sorry state and very threadbare but it was flat and didn’t effect the game. The game though was not a classic. It started with a bang when Forres talisman Matty Davidson cooly slotted home past the the New Elgin keeper when played through in the first minute. The pre-games prediction of a 6-0 Jags win looked to be on. But it didn’t materialize. The game had many a lull in activity. The visitors had a lot of the ball but didn’t do much with it and in fairness to the struggling hosts their defending limited the chances. Brandon should have doubled the lead when a great ball in from the left but he seemed to misstime getting on the end of it making the keepers job easy. The second did come and it was a cracking team goal with multiple passes leading to a good finish from Charlie Beck. That was about it for the action in this dull half of football. Dull it may have been but that didn’t ruin the mood of the travelling band of merry Thistle fans, complete with flag stating player “Danny Black is a horny joiner”. The only chance of the half for New Elgin came right on the half when their full back had a snap shot effort which went millimetres wide.

HT 0 v 2

Not much can really be said about the second half, so I will start with the pie. It was bloody fine, despite the girl in the pie window demolishing it with the tongs when picking it up it was a decent tasty mince pie. The coffee was peely wally though and tasted of hot water and not much more. Also during half time and the second half I was pinging shots at Wee Man and have realised he is turning into a bloody good wee keeper. With him wanting to join a team after summer I reckon he might make a decent fist of his aspirations of being a number one. He is fearless and a bit daft too. Two key aspects

On the game there were three pieces of action in the second half. A stunning save from a header by the New Elgin keeper Dey. He did brilliantly to get across his goal to palm the effort to safety. Forres also thundered the woodwork when Moir struck a long range free kick off the crossbar. But the highlight of the game came via some violent conduct when both teams were put down to ten men. Forres broke and their man Brandon had his clock cleaned out as he approached the box. This leading to a bit of handbags, then Brandon decided to slap his assailant Irish who was no shrinking violet and returned the favour by punching the Forres man. They both were sent packing and I hoped for a rumble on the long walk to the changing rooms which did threaten but petered out before round two started. This couple of minutes were worth the four quid to get in(we were not one of the rouges outside the fence). Not a pretty game, not one to be remembered but Forres Thistle are promoted so they wont be giving to much a shite. Congratulations to them(but I hope Rothie Rovers pip them to the title).

Me 226, Wee Man 101