Ian Mair Park, NRJFA Premier League, 10/02/23
Me still 264, Wee Man still 135
Dyce Football Club
Founded – 1989
Nickname – The Blue and White Hoops
Honours – NRJFA Division One – 2005/06. North Regional Cup – 2007/08 and 2008/09. Grill League Cup – 2008/09, 2015/16 and 2017/18. Morrison Trophy – 2001/02
Random Fact – I once saw a team mate wiped out by a member of the home dugout at Ian Mair Park while sprinting up the touchline. One of the funniest while a being totally mad things I have ever seen in a fitba match. I will mention it at every given opportunity
Back on the fitba trail with the sidekick after my latest trip away. What better place to do it then Ian Mair Park under the lights (and what seemed to be a lot of offshore choppers for that time of night). Looking at the table going into this, leaders Culter could open up an eight point gap on nearest rivals Hermes who are in cup action this weekend. Dyce on the other hand would close in on Culter and take the deficit to 5 with a win. It had the makings of a decent night on the city and ‘shire boundary.
On leaving Oldmeldrum for this I was worried that the hoolie that was blowing up would affect the match, but this was to be a false scare as when we arrived in Dyce there was not a breath of wind as we made our way under the A947 via the pitch black tunnel in the direction of IMP. “Are there bats in here daddy” I was asked. I wouldn’t know, there could have been three million for all I know. Seriously dark place. A good sign for the game as we got there was the fact we had to queue to get in. To be noted too, there were still punters making their way in ten minutes after kick off. 228 I counted which justifies the Friday night kick offs.
After a week kick about on the wing pre game Wee Man took his make shift seat on a toppled wheelie bin as I watched on from behind and we were treated to a great opening quarter of an hour. Chances were created, the game was fast there were goals and there was also some calamitous moments. All of which happened as not all the paying customers were in the ground.
The first big chance fell to Culter’s Ross Clark who was the final piece of a lovely move but Morgan Cook saved well. But the keeper was at fault not too long after when he conceded a penalty. Ross Clark broke through like shit off a shovel and as he knocked past the Dyce custodian only to be sent to the ground. Cammy Fraser took the kick and sent the keeper the wrong way. The lead was then doubled in comical fashion moments later. Cook came out to retrieve a headed from his defender but it went badly wrong and was overcooked leaving Fraser to nip in to get the ball and fire home to grab his brace. Dyce were nowhere near out of this and it could be argued were the better team as the half grew. The attacked well especially down the right in front of us and that’s where the goal came from.A ball was played out right but dropped at the edge of the box, Culter keeper Tait yelled to defender Adam to “nod it back” but the defender was caught in two minds and his indecision let Gavin Byars to get there first with his foot to deftly lob Tait who had come off his line. Another avoidable goal in this match which was barely twenty minutes old. Dyce tails were well up for the rest of the half and they continued to attack the league leaders and went into the break in the ascendancy but unfortunately still on the wrong side of the score.
HT 1 v 2
The second half was not as eventful as the first but that’s not to say it was bad. It opened with the ever dangerous Garnham rattling the frame of the Culter goal with a cross. The Culter had a big chance through Clark who almost connected with what looked like a wonderful ball across the box but the ball was a tad to heavy for the rapid forward. But a scare for Dyce none the less. A third and killer goal came on seventy minutes. It was a bizarre goal. Culter earned a corner. It was played in by Dimov but not very well, incredibly it beat the first defender then seemed to squeeze through the smallest of gaps between another two. Culter bodies seemed to fly at it and I was positive Callum Dunbar got the final touch from a yard out. I even noted it down. Culter originally awarded it to Fraser for his hat trick. The box was so crowded it was hard to tell. However after the game the man I thought had scored it, admitted he didn’t and said it was in fact an OG. Culter had a couple of decent chances to kill the game. The first falling to captain Petrie who fired over the bar from the edge of the box when he should have hit the target at least. In the dying moments Ross Clark had another chance to get his name on the scoresheet but again was thwarted by Cook. This being the last action for the night at Ian Mair Park. A park that will need a good roll after events under the lights tonight. Decent events though. A good advert for the Junior game up this way.
As we left the ground for the car the earlier darkness of the underpass was tenfold now as we were facing away from the little ray of floodlights you could see on the way in. Possibly the darkest place I have been in my 38 years and I do not exaggerate
Entrance – Me £6, Wee Man £3
Attendance – 226 (rough head count)
Pie – £9 , sausage roll, steak pie, coffee, 2 x juice
Pint – N/A
Score Predictions – Me 0 v 2, Wee Man 1 v 2
Season Score Prediction Total – Me 1 v 2 Wee Man
FITBAWBAG 