Aviemore Leisure Centre, SBWFA Caldwell Cup Final, 7/6/24
Me 311, Wee Man 176
“Where do you want to go for fitba on Friday min?”. “Somewhere new as I am am near 200 grounds and I want to get there, but not too far away”.
The hour and a half to Aviemore we went to take on a the Strathspey and Badenoch Welfare Football Association for the second time in our travels. This time a bit further into the Cairngorms and to Aviemore for a cup final. One which turned out to be the top two of the league. Aviemore had taken three points from the Grantown side a couple of weeks ago, so what unfolded was totally unexpected by Wee Man and me. I doubt we will ever end up at a more one sided final in our lives. It was one way traffic for a huge proportion of the game and it could have been a further unmitigated embarrassment for the Aviemore on their home turf on another night. Speaking of the ground which was a late change of venue from Carrbridge, you get some bonnie views of the nearby hillsides to one side and trains whizzing past only a few meters to the other. So close that it must fall into some of the closest in the country. I doubt they come as near as Banks o’ Dee’s Spain Park but it cannot be far off. The place is not much more than a caged 3G and is part of the community leisure centre but it serves its purpose.
Despite the score the first twenty minutes was devoid of chances and was quite a tense and tight affair. Both teams were getting forward but creating nothing and soon as I mentioned this to Wee Man. Bang, Grantown man James McShane was wiped out as he skilfully drifted his way into the box. The referee had no choice but to award what was stonewall penalty. McShane got up and buried the kick himself. This led to the wheels falling off the Aviemore wagon. They seemed to implode and the game became all Grantown and it was quickly 0 v 2 when McShane was found with a defence splitting ball, but instead of bursting into the box, he beautifully chipped the keeper from twenty-five yards. It was a fantastically executed, a top top strike. McShane should could have had a hat trick not long after when he connected with a Grant cross but his shot hit the outside of the post. Grantown spurned numerous more chances before the end of the half with the most clear falling to Paluga who burst through but struck too close to the keeper. The game was incredibly one sided which in all honesty was disappointing as being a final as a neutral and seeing it unfold is not what you want to see. Just before the half ended I noticed there were no corner flags. It took me maybe forty-four minutes to notice and the only reason I did was because United’s Kane Davies took a corner significantly outside the quadrant. Very observant me, clearly.
HT 0 v 2
Half time came and as like the close trains were reminiscent of Banks o’ Dee so were the tyres lying about. This meaning a tyre game, but a bit different as it was one car sized tyre as opposed to 4 tractor tyres to chip into. A lot harder, a lot more frustrating but a lot more winnable for me as I smashed the little dude 5 v 1. (He always beats me at BoD). I was hoping for a woken up Aviemore in the second half but it did not come to fruition as Grantown was more dominant than in the first half. McShane went close in the first minute. Grantown pushed and pushed to kill the game but couldn’t get the ball in the net. The highlight of the game in the amusement stakes came when a fifty-fifty sent the ball up and over the perimeter fence (around twenty feet) like a missile twatting a car off it’s windscreen then incredibly bouncing back over the fence and returning itself on to the pitch given the power in the balls travel from the challenge on the park. It’s one of those things I doubt I will ever see again. Soon after this amusing episode Grantown made it three when Paluga smashed home a bending effort with the outside of his right foot from eighteen yards. Another top strike in proceedings. Then it was hat trick time for McShane who added another cracking goal when after travelling with the ball for fifteen yards or so he unleashed a thunderous effort from the edge of the box across the goal and into the top left corner. Absolute quality from the Grantown number 8 again. The fifth came when after a bit of pinball and shambles in the Aviemore box Davies was there to slot the ball home. It was far too simple for Grantown who had already travelled down easy street and were now feet up with cigars. But they were not finished and winger Liam Grant added a sixth with ten to go. Aviemore were cannon fodder and with ten minutes left I thought there could be a couple left in the is game but it was not to be. Before the game was over Wee Man said to me, “I knew I recognised the (Grantown) keeper, he was in goal for Strathspey against Fraserburgh”. He was correct. It was Callum Ligertwood. He had a much easier night tonight than that afternoon back in September. To be noted Liam Grant and James McShane also played that day. The referee, who I thought was very good in his manners with players and letting the game flow throughout blew for full time and the Caldwell Cup was heading the fourteen miles back up to Grantown-on-Spey and well and truly deserved to be doing so. Wee Man wanted to see the presentation and I am glad he did as we got to see the cup turn up in a polly bag. More amusement for the night. Seventy-seven miles each way for a walkover in the Welfare. Was it worth it, of course it was.
Entrance – Free
Attendance – 74
Pie – N/A
Pint – N/A
Score Prediction – Me 3 v 1, Wee Man 2 v 3
Season Score Prediction Totals – Me 2 v 2 Wee Man
FITBAWBAG 