Valefield, Derek Scott Memorial Trophy, 13/7/24
Me 318
Kilbirnie Ladeside Football Club
Founded – 1901
Nickname – The Blasties
Honours – Scottish Junior Cup – 1951/52 and 1976/77. West of Scotland Cup – 2007/08. Scottish Junior League – 1903/04. Ayrshire League – 1975/76. Western League – 1947/48, 1949/50, 1951/52 and 1967/68. Ayrshire Cup – 1912/13, 1923/24, 1947/48, 1949/50, 1971/72, 1974/75, 1975/76 and 1986/87. Western League Cup (Latterly Ayrshire League Cup) – 1923/24, 1931/32, 1938/39, 1988/89, 1994/95, 2009/10 and 2016/17.
Random Fact – In my Ellon Thistle playing days we had to stop a match for a couple of minutes. The reason being Ellon United were hosting Kilbirnie Ladeside in the Scottish Junior Cup (a replay in 2005/06). The large visiting support set off numerous flares smoking out our game due to the wind direction blowing it across our pitch. Kilbirnie won 3 v 1.
Not my original plan for the day. With being on my lonesome with no kids and everyone tied up elsewhere I decided to head long range. Although I was in Ayrshire I was aiming for the east and not north by heading to Glenafton Athletic v Cambuslang rangers. But, two smashes, a massive hold up at the pesky Broxden Roundabout and roadworks nearing Glasgow I ran out of time. (Despite leaving so I would have an hour or so to spare in New Cumnock). Where was closer, I knew Ladeside were at home as it was an idea before I opted for the Glens. Valefield is a place I have wanted to visit for a long time anyway so a good chance to get there. Although the traffic issues made me feel like the fitba gods were against me, it turned out they were not as Valefield and the people there made for a good afternoon.
Turning up to a game in Scotland without my sidekick doesn’t seem right these days. No ball, no double pie orders, no hundreds of questions, no big bag of sweeties and no pocket full of his litter. But of all the places I could have ended up the quality of it made up for the lack of Wee Man. The ground ticks many a box. Firstly there is a bar and their pies are full of steak. But the ground it self is great in my eyes. There is the remnants of old and by that I mean the terrace, Although needing a good weeding behind the far goal especially, it just adds to the great character of the place. In an old fitba romantic kind of way an old weedy terrace appeals to me. They have been there longer than the fans and know more of what has happened on the park than everyone if that makes sense. On the park, the pitch looked in brilliant nick and a joy to play on. On one wing it has as good as identical stands which in itself is a quirk but they are decent bits of kit and painted in the clubs colours make them stand out and add to the place overall. Behind one goal is a fabricated container stand that is fully seated painted in the club’s colours which seemed to have the quieter fans with the kids. Then there was the folk I spoke to, although all brief conversations , they were all friendly and nice folk, despite a couple of initial funny looks when my Aberdeenshire accent was heard. Just a sound place for a game of fitba overall.
The game was a bit one sided though. Largs looked very good from the off and played some really bonnie fitba throughout the game. In a game that although was a friendly had a high foul count and was full blooded too. All good in my book. Largs were the more threating and their first chance fell to Davidson who ballooned and effort over the bar and the wee stand. This was followed up by what was a rare Kilbirnie chance when Greg Ferry headed a freekick wide from a handful of yards. Two minutes later it was 0 v 1. An initial corner was cleared by the Blasties defence, the follow up corner found McGrath at the back post to knock it home. Largs continued to go at Kilbirnie and took advantage of the great pitch and knocked it about at pace and with great accuracy. It was magic to watch at times. The second goal came and again it was from a corner when a defensive clearance landed at Stuart Faulds who thumped the ball to almost bursting point through a cluster of bodies and into the net before McGowan in the Kilbirnie net could see it. It was also one of those efforts that let off a pleasing audible thump that echoed around the ground. This second goal increased the volume of the locals who were clearly not happy with what they were seeing. “Get your fucking finger out Kilbirnie” soon echoed around the ground just like the shot that led to the shout.
HT 0 v 2
With no half time kick about with Wee Man, I was at a bit of a loss, so I grabbed a coffee and swapped ends for a different view for the second half. Largs should have had a third in the first couple of minutes of the half when Sewell fluffed his lines from inside the box. Kilbirnie fashioned a good chance when after shouting for a cross to be left Mickey Wilson attempted to smash the ball goal ward but sent it out the ground over my car and into a garden. Largs could have been out of sight with a flurry of solid chances. The first was a Sewell free kick which looked goal bound but Kilbirnie keeper McGowan pulled off a stunning save from what was a rocket of an effort that I was sure was going in. This was followed up by an even more brilliant save when McGowan somehow managed to throw a foot at a Trialist (11) effort from point blank range. It was an absolute pearler of a save. The third did come though, this when Sewell took the ball down on the left wing, with a couple of defenders to beat he did just that at pace then let fly across the goal and into the far corner. An excellent solo effort. There was a bit off WWF to follow soon after when home man Scott Lewis got tangled with Laurie McMaster and seemed to unleash the fury on the full back with what looked to be a suplex to the ground. This striking up a rammy between Lewis and a handful of Largs men and a talking to for the original tow. Not even two minutes later McMaster got his own back with a studs up challenge on the man who had just slammed him on to the canvas moments earlier. Largs made it four when after a superb team passing move led to another superb save from McGowan off a Devine effort a winger Jamie Martin was there to stroke home into an empty net. It was some blisteringly fat breaking from Largs and McGowans save was ace but he had to pick the ball out his net once again. The locals started shuffling to exit at this point without seeing the end of proceedings. Not that there was much to see before the ref blew for full time. Largs were very much worth winners. But credit to both teams as friendlies can be a bit standoffish and shite at times. This was anything but, hard tackling and full blooded and despite the one way score line a decent watch, at what is now added to the upper ends of grounds I have dropped in at in the country to date. I’ll be back with the Wee Man in tow at some point. I am pretty sure of that.
On a side note, one thing I always do on a Saturday is look for team busses with Wee Man when on the road. Today I still did it although on my own. Queens Park heading to Balmoor, Buckie Thistle on the way to Ochilview, the excellently decorated Livingston wagon heading back from Station Park and some Dons fans on the way to Palmerston. But also at Cumbernauld on the way down I saw a bus heading toward me, “MORTON FC” on the front. On closer inspection, it was one of those budget travel FLIX busses. It gave me a laugh, probably more than it should have. Was it the team doing it on a budget or fans?
Entrance – £5
Attendance – 173 (rough head count)
Pie – £5.50, Pie, Coffee, Irn Bru
Pint – £2.50, Tennent’s, Club Bar
FITBAWBAG 