Harlaw Park, Aberdeenshire Cup 1/2 Final, 6/3/24
Me still 300, Wee Man still 168
Entrance – Free due to Blackburn 2014’s involvement
Attendance – 420 (Rough head count)
Pie – £7, Pie, coffee and Twirl
Pint – £4.10, Social Club
Score Predictions – Me 1 v 1, Wee Man 1 v 2
Score Predictions Season Totals – Me 0 v 1 Wee Man
Usually Wee man has his school training on a Wednesday night. However the chance to play on a Highland League park was too much for him and he wanted to sack off the usual for this. This, being an AFCCT affair letting Blackburn 2014s act as ball boys for the night and have a game on the pitch at half time. This ran by Dons coach (and Tarves keeper) Steven Boddie. A fine experience for the young loons for sure. (gets them away from the Champions League too). A strange experience for me as it seemed weird not having my sidekick next to me armed with a thousand questions nicking my phone to check the scores every 10 minutes. Instead he was tied up with his team mates.
With the up turn in Locos form this year this had the makings of a decent cup tie as Aberdeen hosted the Locos at the Locos (the Dons playing at their opponents ground not uncommon). The game started heavily in favour of the young Dons who were faster, slicker with the ball and just sharper in general. Some of the pace in the team is frightening especially Alfie Bavidge up front. Although the possession in the early stages was as good as even the Dons were better with it while the Locos were guilty of numerous unforced errors. But the Dons didn’t do much with the ball when the did get forward. It took a while for their first effort of real threat when Adam Emslie was sent through striking an shot which tested Zakk Ellis down to his right with the keeper collecting at the second attempt. The Locos then should have taken the lead not too long after when Marc Souter found himself wide open on the pen spot only to head a Paul Coutts corner over. The defender should have done better and he looked to know it himself. A big let off for Aberdeen but it was they who took the lead when on half an hour they broke at devastating pace with a ball through to Bavidge seeing the rapid striker cut in on the left and smash an effort part Ellis. The Dons were an inch away from doubling their lead a minute later when Brendan Hamilton struck a venomous effort which flew past the left post of Ellis. Inverurie had grown into this game and looked a lot more composed than they did in the earlier stages and on 35 minutes grabbed an equaliser. Jay Halliday found himself unmarked which seemed to come as a surprise to him, his shot connection looked rushed and he saw it strike the left hand post but team mate Myles Gaffney was on hand to tap in past Ritchie in the Dons net. It was a much more even game now and not just because of the scoreline. There was nothing between them in the final ten minutes of the half.
HT 1 v 1
Half time saw the reason we were there. Two mini games between the two Blackburn teams . As stated already, a great experience for the boys and one they all seemed buzzing about. The teams re-emerged and the loons had to depart. Personally I had no idea how this game was to turn out. What transpired wasnt definitely not what I thought. By that, I mean I have watched the Aberdeen youth side a lot of the past few seasons and on the whole have been impressed. The second half tonight , not so much. The second period opened with Gaffney stinging the palms of Ritchie as they Aberdeen looked sloppy at the back. If that was sloppy then I don’t know how to describe what came next when the Locos took the lead. Nathan Meres received the ball on the left and like Bavidge for the Dons earlier cut in but he had a defender to beat in Finlay Murray, however there was clearly a sniper on the social club roof and the Dons defender went down under no challenge allowing the Locos striker to hit an unstoppable shot across Ritchie and into the far side of the goal letting off a joyous thud as he connected with the ball. The hit was a cracker . A quality goal despite the defensive error which Murray tried to say he was injured in the process as he stayed down. Hurt pride more like. The Dons were lucky not to give away a penalty when Cole Anderson was clearly flattened in the box. A stone waller directly in line with me as I looked and that means the lino too who was in front of me. How this was missed was incredible and Anderson clearly thought so too as he chased the referee, effing and blinding in protest earning him a caution. As I was saying about Aberdeen, they fell completely flat, the fast slick attacking disappeared and in all honesty they looked like they were entirely devoid of ideas. The ball was being lumped. The game was being made easy for the Locos as they were wise to everything the Dons had as they had become predictable. Gaffey had a chance to grab a brace for Locos when he managed to stretch and toe end an effort past Ritchie but also the post. There was one scary moment for the Locos in the final minute when the Dons swung a cross in which eluded everyone and had that slow motion feel to it as it looked destined for the far corner, but it travelled inches wide meaning the Locos were heading to the final against a rampant Buckie Thistle who had destroyed the Broch up the road in Fraserburgh 2 v 5. A decent win for the Locos who will be looking for their first ‘shire Cup etching as Aberdeen will have to wait another year and despite being the most successful team in the tournament, have not won it since 2004/05. Once again we have seen them fall short. However they were poor tonight, arguably as poor as we have seen them.
A great night for Wee Man who was clearly ecstatic in the car on the way home. He got to be a ball boy, play on a Highland League pitch but even more importantly, guessed the correct score for the first time this season sending him into a 1 v 0 lead for the overall season tally.
FITBAWBAG 