2023/24 – Fraserburgh 3 v 0 Wick Academy

Bellslea Park, Highland Football League, 27/1/24

Me still 299, Wee Man still 167

Fraserburgh Football Club

Founded – 1910

Nickname – The Broch

Honours – Highland League – 1932/33, 1937/38, 2001/02 and 2021/22 Highland League Cup – 1958/59 and 2005/06, Aberdeenshire Cup – 1910/11, 1937/38, 1955/56, 1963/64, 1972/73, 1975/76, 1996/97, 2012/13, 2014/15, 2015/16, 2019/20, 2020/21 and 2022/23. Aberdeenshire Shield – 1991/92, 1993/94, 1995/96, 1996/97, 1999/00, 2011/12, 2015/16, 2019/20 and 2022/23, Qualifying Cup – 1957/58, 1995/96 and 2006/07

Random Fact – On the 31st of January 1959, Fraserburgh’s most famous victory was in the Scottish Cup where they defeated Dundee. A 1–0 at Bellslea is seen by many as the greatest cup shock in the history of Scottish football.

Bloody hell. Who would have thought that trying to write a book on the Highland League would be such a pain in the hole? 18 clubs in a season doesn’t sound like a huge hardship. But when you work away for half the year combined with the quite regimented HFL model of home/away/home fashion of the fixtures with very little change it can become difficult .It’s really not that easy and we are now heading towards failure on our quest in all honesty. Having a postponement not much more than 40 minutes before kick off will never help things and it was like a kick in the stones. A 9.30 pitch inspection (by the linesman) was a pass leaving us to head up to the Moray coast and take in the sights prior to a trip to Victoria Park. The day started brilliantly with a wander to Bow Fiddle Rock, then to see the brilliant “old bicycles by the sea” followed by a kick about with the yellow ball at Merson Park. This being the home of defunct Junior team Buckie Rovers. A wee bit of food followed before walking up South Pringle Street towards Victoria Park only to be informed on arrival that the game had been called off. This after what was explained as “Banks o’ Dee complained”. Lets just say whether they did complain about the pitch or not there was no way this pitch should have passed any sort of inspection earlier in the day. A shocking decision. Whether the Dee complained or not they were well within their rights given the photos of the pitch that emerged.

Back in the car Wee Man asked if Deveronvale were at home which they were not. I suggested Elgin v Dumbarton or Peterhead v Stenhousemuir as a substitute. But I was filled with a bit of pride when he said ” can we just go to a Highland League game” after checking the fixtures he asked for Formartine United v Clachnacuddin before realising it was a 2pm kick off. “Fraserburgh v Wick Academy as I haven’t seen Wick before”. The plan was set (to be noted all fixtures were teams where we have already written chapters for the book this season)

With a bit of time to spare we managed a pint in the Leisure Centre while watching the adjacent bowls. This as Wee Man sat in his huge throne. We both predicted a big score for the Broch and also predicted defeat for Aberdeen down in Edinburgh before leaving to get kick off . Into Bellslea we headed and as always a pie was first order of business. For a change I opted for a sausage roll which I was told was free. The reason being they were lets say, a bit charred. I passed on it and opted for the usual steak pie. We headed off to our favourite spot in front of the corporate bit, this so we could have a kick about, and as I bit into my pie I almost broke my teeth and stabbed the upper part of my mouth simultaneously as it turned out the pies were also burned to buggery, to the extent they were now in effect, a brick. The day was not going well.

On the park the game started in the manner we expected as the Broch took the lead on 5 minutes when Scott Barbour’s shot was well saved by More in the Wick goal but the ball landed at an unmarked Logan Watt who tapped into an empty net . The Broch looked hungry for handing out a do-in. Barbour was stopped by a solid More save soon after . This followed by an almost OG from Wick man Campbell who headed a Barbour cross a fag papers width past his own post. The Broch were getting forward but they seemed to have an issue with overcooking (a theme of the day) their crosses. They had a huge share of the ball but were not taking advantage. The better team yes but as Steve (Milinkovic-Savic) in our company was saying, these were the types of games where the Broch have dropped point this season. For example, against Clach at home a few weeks ago. They lead stayed at 1 v 0 going into the break despite ‘e’ Scorries creating a couple of decent chances.

HT 1 v 0

After a kick about with Wee Man and a couple of local wee men during the half time break we decided on an alternate view for the second half. This would aid me getting a piss and a coffee, but also Wee Man asked where Steve was(seems he has a new pal). I also thought, the goals were surely going to be at the opposite end. After a brief encounter with another top Broch fan Martin Moir we took our perch behind the west side goal unaware of the incident packed half that was coming. The Broch had a big early chance when Aitken struck wide. He should have done better and his body language showed he knew this was the case. From here the game got a bit scrappy. There was no better team and frustration was setting in. To the extent where a wee bit of rough housing was apparent. Broch man Josh Bolton took this too far when after being tackled by Brandon Sinclair he tried what looked like a choke hold manoeuvre on the defender, this leading to the Wick man’s team mate Owen Harrold stepping in to help. Bolton lost the plot and directed a headbutt at the the Academy man, but only managed a slight connection. The referee was looking straight at the skirmish and was quick and correct in brandishing the red card. This infuriating the Broch locals who were heard saying “but he didn’t make contact”. So by that logic, if a player throws a punch and misses its not a foul? Or spits at someone’s face and it doesnt splat them, its not a red? Bolton aimed a headbutt, connection was there albeit minimal but it was utter stupidity. Deserved red card, absolutely. This triggered the Broch into sending on some experience to shore up the side . On came Jamie Beagrie and Willie West. The latter wasnt slow on making his mark as he glided through the Wick defence to nod home a Barbour freekick. A super sub moment by the Broch veteran. A decent glancing header too which should not go unnoticed. It was looking like a Fraserburgh win. Even more so eight minutes later when Logan Watt doubled his tally. The man deficit did not seem to make a difference and when Barbour pulled out another decent save from More, there was only one player aware and on hand to find the rebound and Watt made no mistake. 3 v 0 and surely done and dusted. Wick were unlucky when Marc MacGregor struck an effort which seemed to rattle the bar. The corner was given meaning the largely untested Joe Barbour was still aware to make the save on to the woodwork. Then the game took another twist and more incident was thrown into the mix. Willie West went to take a throw in but was adjudged to have taken too long over it. He was shown a second yellow for time wasting(after a first for a trip) and the Broch were down to 9 men. This infuriated manager Mark Cowie who’s profanity saw a third dismissal for the home side . He was clearly fuming as he trudged past us shouting “fucking disgrace” on his way to the changing rooms. Wick found the goal frame again before the game was out when Ross Gunn hit a low effort to beat Joe Barbour which was cleared for a corner by a defender. And that was that. Not the game we had planned but, three goals and three reds for the same team is a strange one. But as mentioned earlier, with Wee Man picking “another Highland League game” I have to be chuffed. If that’s where he wants to watch fitba, I will never stand in his way. Top loon loving the top league.