Huntly win 4 v 2 on penalties
Christie Park, Aberdeenshire Cup 1/4 Final, 30/8/22
Me still 242, Wee Man still 122
Huntly Football Club
Founded – 1928
Nickname – The Black and Golds
Honours – Highland Football League-1929/30, 1993/94, 1994/95, 1995/96, 1996/97, 1997/98 and 2004/05
Highland League Cup -1948/49, 1951/52, 1992/93, 1993/94 and 1995/96
Aberdeenshire Cup -1960/61, 1985/86, 1991/92, 1993/94, 1994/95, 1995/96 and 1999/00
Scottish Qualifying Cup (North)– 1992/93, 1994/95, 1996/97 and 1999/00
Random Fact – The club are the only side to win the Highland League in five successive seasons. This great feat coming between 1993/94 and 1997/98. The closest to this is four from Clachnacuddin between 1920/21 and 1923/24.
The big team were down in Annan but the youngsters were not too far away for a school night. Christie Park, just the twenty five minutes up the road from our Garioch abode saw Barry Robson’s youngsters competing in the Aberdeenshire Cup. I was quite interested to see what Aberdeen have to offer in terms of the youth set up given what what has been seen coming through in recent years. Unfortunately, I didn’t leave Huntly with much positives as the game was a tough watch. Wee Man even stating as we left. “I didn’t enjoy that”. To be noted that was his third 0 v 0 in 138 games. The second at Christie Park (Huntly v Formartine being the other).
The young Aberdeen side started brighter and controlled possession for the first fifteen minutes. The clearly had pace to burn to get in behind the Huntly defence, Harvey, Emslie and Bavidge especially . But the end product was never the right option. Poor crosses and over hit through ball were the flavour of the match for the young Dons.The game changed after a quarter of a hour. This due to Huntly creating the biggest chance of the match so far. Gavin Elphinstone found himself in space at the back post but his fist time half volley flew wide into the side netting. He should have at least pulled a save out of Blessing Oluyemi in the Dons goal. This clearly got the black and gold tails up and the became the better team. Elphinstone was unlucky when he saw a header off a corner just clear the bar and land on the roof of the net. Ryan Sewell and Adam Morris both saw themselves shanked wide. The home side were clearly creating the better chances in the half but failed to test Oluyemi at any point. Aberdeen on the other hand knocked the ball about well and looked sharper but going into the final third they were quite frankly, poor throughout. Before the half was out Huntly hit the bar . A cross from the left eluded the well packed box passing every man bar one, Michael Clark (I think). His header looped up and hit the top of the crossbar. Huntly looked the more dangerous but it counted for nothing and both teams went in having drawn blanks.
HT 0 v 0
The teams came out to a lot more noise as a gaggle of youngsters had made their way into the stand creating a bit of a din. Fair play to them too as it lasted all half. Again the Dons started the more positive but also in similar to the first half the opening chance fell to Huntly, this time it was Ross Still who hit the ball ferociously from twelve yard but he saw his effort crash of the bar and away to safety. The Dons were let off not long after when a terrible defensive headed clearance found Still who struck his effort past the post. As the game got older, Aberdeen’s fitness began to show and they upped their game a bit in the last half hour. They pressed for the opening goal. The aforementioned pace seemed to have upped as Huntly tired, but the poor decision making and overcooked passes continued. This must have been infuriating for boss Barry Robson who as a player, his biggest attribute was his passing ability. It’s clearly not rubbing off on his side. Time ran out , but not before the referee handed out a completely pointless yellow card to Elphinstone who supposedly kicked the ball away in the final minute of the match. It did not even travel far but the ref decided it was a yellow. Common sense did not prevail that’s for sure.
One bonus of a poor cup tie these days and something I think is a great idea is the removal of extra time in many competitions. Straight to penalties is a winner in my eyes and that is how this Aberdeenshire Cup tie went.
Aberdeen continued their match long habit of being poor in the box when the opening kick from Lobban was easily saved by Huntly keeper Euan Storrier. This was repeated by Alfie Stewart after Still had thumped home for Huntly. Elphinstone, Dallin and Clark confirmed the victory for the Black and Golds rendering Aberdeen’s Marshall and Bavidge’s successful efforts as irrelevant. The latter being a brilliant penalty for the record. Huntly progress to the semis where Formartine United await at North Lodge
A poor game from an Aberdeen perspective. But for Huntly this could be a huge confidence booster for them in what has been a season which has started in somewhat a struggling fashion.
As we walked out of Christie Park Wee Man was bouncing his ball and managed to bounce it perfectly off the tip of my toe as I took a stride. This leading to me connecting a beauty of an accidental volley down East Park Street leaving me to chase it down the road amusing the other punters in the vicinity. The creating more entertainment than the ninety minutes in the ground.
Entrance– Me £10, Wee Man £5
Attendance – 260 (Rough Head Count)
Pie -£7, 2 x Pie, coffee, juice
Pint– Didn’t bother
Score Prediction – Me 1 v 2, Wee Man 0 v 2
Overall Score Predictions – Me 0 v 1 Wee Man
FITBAWBAG 