Spain Park, Friendly, 2/7/23
Me still 283
Banks o’ Dee Football Club
Founded – 1902
Nicknames – The Dee, The Rechabites
Selected Honours – Scottish Junior Cup-1957, Highland League Cup – 2022/23 Aberdeenshire Cup 2021/22, Aberdeenshire Shield– 2021/22. North Region Superleague – 2007/08, 2008/09, 2015/16, 2015/16, 2017/18, 2018/19 and 2021/22. Grill League Cup – 2013/14, 2016/17, 2018/19 and 2021/22. North Regional Cup – 1969/70, 1970/71, 1973/74, 1976/77, 1978/79, 1980/81, 1981/82, 1983/84, 1984/85, 2010/11, 2017/18 and 2018/19. McLeman Cup – 1924/25, 1937/38, 1938/39, 1950/51, 1955/56, 1958/59, 1960/61, 1967/68, 1969/70, 1978/79, 1981/82, 1986/87, 1990/91, 2015/16, 2016/17, 2018/19 and 2021/22
Random Fact – Since starting watching random fitba with Wee Man and chucking my season ticket at Pittodrie. Spain Park and Banks o’ Dee have been the most visited by a long way. I think the Dee can safely not be called random any more
A very rare afternoon where I found myself kid free and well…. everyone free . With work looming tomorrow and an impending football lack coming there was only one place I was heading to fill in this close but wet at times afternoon. One of my most regular haunts these days. Spain Park, home of Banks o’ Dee to watch two teams who I have a lot of time for. People always say you cant take much from pre-season games. I think you could here.
After a swift jar up at the Wellington I headed into the ground where I was surprised at the crowd that was building. A very impressive number. 350 including committee members was what i was told by a Dee official. Maybe boosted by Peterhead fans who had the novelty of a new ground to visit. With no score predictions today as there was no Wee Man I didn’t really think about what the outcome would be. However, looking back I wouldn’t have known to be honest. It turns out it lived up to an age old fitba cliche. “A game of two halves”.
Peterhead ran the show in the first half. They were slick with their passing and in all honesty made Banks o’ Dee look like puppies chasing a ball at times. A decent performance by the Blue Toon. As i watched on being attacked by what looked like a swarm of green fly while my hay fever was causing havoc leaving me with an eye like Arnie in Terminator I did’t stop me seeing Peterhead were looking good. With Kieren Shanks buzzing about and Connor O’Keefe and living on the shoulder of the Dee defence they looked dangerous when they went forward. It was Shanks who had the ball in the net first. Jordan Brown walloped the bar with a close effort which made a brilliant sound that reverberated around Spain Park. From here the ball wouldn’t leave the Dee box and despite trialist keeper Irvine doing his best to keep the ball out with a couple of quick solid saves Shanks finished the job from six yards out. Peterhead continue to show their dominance on the ball and a second and deserved goal came. It was a beautifully worked team goal too. Brown did brilliantly on the left and crossed into what was a packed box but the ball was perfect for Shanks who directed his header superbly across goal leaving Irvine no hope in hell of saving. Irvine did keep the score down when he denied O’Keefe with a very good quick reactionary save with his feet late on.
HT 0 v 2
Half time saw me bump into an old acquaintance from many moons ago. Lee Carver. 15 years he guessed it had been. I would say longer. I remember bumping into him on Belmont Street steaming and I definitely played against him when he was at Sunnybank. Which came first I don’t know but I would say closer to 20 years since we last spoke. A fine catch up and the second half in his company ensued as the game changed dramatically. The Dee were by far the better team. The subs made a huge difference, with the Dee taking on Gilmour and Phillipson while Peterhead took off Brown(Jason) and Shanks. The Dee looked more threatening and seemed to keep the ball a lot better than they did in the first half. They struck the post early when Chris Antoniazzi’s trundler managed to get past Peterhead keeper Blessing Oluyemi. The Dee kept pressing and were by far the better team but there were no real chances of note. In the second period the biggest chance fell to Peterhead’s Aaron Reid who was stopped by Dee’s sub keeper Duncan who was rapid off his line to close the angles. Barring that there was nothing much more to report. The Blue Toon had done enough in the first half to take the win.
A good way to spend a final afternoon before returning to Denmark. As stated above I have a lot of time for both clubs and I wish them both all the best in the coming league campaigns. Shanks could be the man to play a huge part in getting the Balmoor side back up. On the Dee they will do alright this season without a daft points deduction. Silverware again, I would say is a big possibility.
Entrance – £10
Attendance – 350 (with committees, official)
Pie – £5 Coffee and pie
Pint – £4.55, Tennents, The Wellington
FITBAWBAG 