The Meadows(Ellon United), AAFA Association Trophy, 25/5/24
Me still 309, Wee Man still 174
Entrance – Me £4, Wee Man £1
Attendance – 58
Pie – N/A
Pint – £4.10, Tennent’s, New Inn
Score Predictions – Me 2 v 2, Wee Man 1 v 3.
Season Score Predictions Total – Me 2 v 1 Wee Man
As stated earlier there are two great things about this time of year in fitba terms. The Summer Leagues and the AAFA cup semis and finals taking place at Junior and Senior grounds. A 6pm kick off at the Meadows in my hometown, too right we will be there. An all Premier clash between two of the best teams in the area. One chasing a potential cup double and the other chasing a league and cups quadruple
After meeting my old boy after his Ellon Thistle (humped today) antics for the day in the New Inn for a beer we made our way across to the Meadows. My old stomping ground and somewhere I never get sick of for sentimental reasons. Unfortunately, despite the high scoring nature it wasn’t that great of a game that unfolded. Cowie were up one nil in the first couple of minutes when some poor defending let in Irvine who was left unmanned to run in and meet a cross from the right a few yards out to send the ball past a helpless Walker in the Kincorth goal. What a start for the Stonehaven side. But a very easy one at that. This explosiveness of the start didn’t last and the game was scrappy if truth be told. There was not much of note barring the cracking Meadows pitch. The new people in charge of running the Meadows need a pat on the back as the United and Thistle pitches this season have been fantastic throughout this season. Tonight the United pitch was a wee bit worn in the goal mouth but it is almost June so nothing unexpected. The rest of the park was superb. On it, after a lull in action Cowie took a two goal lead when what was was clearly an error found its way in. I cant say exactly what happened because in my eye line were two players blocking where keeper Walker was, this meaning the touch of the ball towards him was obscured as was whatever happened between the touch and his touch. OG? I think so but I may be wrong. Wee Man even said “I didn’t see that” (we were at the opposite end of the ground hence why our sight was blocked). Kincorth had a couple of chances and had a spell of being the better team and this was aided by the loss of Cowie defender Cooper who is a solid presence on the pitch. This allowed Kincorth to cause trouble from set pieces and that’s exactly how they got into the game. Cammy Ross can hit a mean corner and without Cooper on the pitch the Cowie keeper looked vulnerable and eventually big Kincorth defender Lewis Ifi smashed home one of these corners with his head. A superb set piece move and game on.
HT 1 v 2
The second half lacked excitement like the first did. But it was an even fight. The next goal was huge . However for a long spell it did not look like it was going to come. But Cowie upped their game and saw an Irvine effort smash off the bar . This getting their tails up and it suddenly looked like Cowie were going to score again and thats exactly what they did when Shaun McDonald tapped home a rebound from what was an excellent save from Walker. One of those unfortunate ones when you do everything right but the strikers instinct beats you. Time was ticking away and Kincorth were clearly a bit pissed off and a few fouls came into a game that was played in a decent spirit thus far. Wee Man was beside me loving it as he was adamant he was away to equal me in the season score predictions total, then Kincorth broke his wee heart when a mortar like lob went up and over Cowie keeper McCombie to make it 3 v 2. The poor wee dude was gutted(I wasn’t though). But time ran away from Kincorth and Cowie made it to a third final of the season.
Not a classic but five goals is never to be sniffed at.
FITBAWBAG 