Crombie Park, Friendly, 16/7/24
Me still 318
Culter Junior Football Club
Founded – 1891
Nickname – N/A
Honours – North/North East Region Top Tier -2003/04, 2004/05, 2005/06, 2006/07, 2010/11, 2012/13, 2013/14, 2022/23 and 2023–24. North East Junior Division 1 – 2000/01. North Regional Cup –1989/90, 1999/00, 2011/12, 2013/14 and 2022/23. McLeman Cup – 1988/89, 1992/93, 2000/01, 2009/10, 2010/11, 2012/13, 2013/14, 2022/23 and 2023/24. Grill League Cup – 2005/06, 2010/11, 2022/23 and 2023/24. Archibald Cup – 1987/88 and 1989/90. Jimmy Gibb Trophy – 2000/01. Aberdeen Cable TV Cup – 1989/90 and 1992/93. Acorn Heating Cup – 2002/03 and 2004/05
Random Fact – The club were part of a trio to make up the first Junior clubs to enter the Senior Scottish Cup (along with Linlithgow Rose and Pollok). This coming in 2007/08 when the SFA changed the rules to allow Junior League Champions into the competition.
There was no plan for fitba tonight but at the last minute after seeing a Deveronvale tweet I decided to take this on. The best of the Juniors in the area v a Highland League team that struggled last season and are in a stage of rebuild with new management and chairman. A dreich night which threw up a first for me. I had never had a pint in Culter before, this was remedied with a swift gold one in Black’ s Bar as I had a few minutes to spare and no sidekick. Seems a decent wee boozer although I had to laugh at one of the regulars conversation which went on longer than it should have, the topic being how he has gone off carrots in old age.
In I went buying a couple of half time draws and as I did then losing them somehow within seconds, so I potentially won but don’t know. But more importantly I broke the norm by opting for a mince and skirlie pie for a change and it was a delight, despite not being able it eat it for five minutes due to the lave like temperatures of it out the oven.
Going into this I did expect Culter to be the more dominant. Not to the extent it was though. They were sharper from minute one and forced the Vale into a clearance off the line and some more last gasp defending early on (pretty much all from McTavish efforts). Something else clear in the opening stages was the not so friendly nature of some of the challenges. This leading to the refs yellow card be brandishes as was her tongue as she gave a few stern chats out too. Especially to Demilade Yunus who got the wrath a tongue lashing almost face to face from the woman in the middle. Some people don’t want to see this type of commitment in pre-season but I love it personally. Culter took the lead on about the half hour mark when Ryan Stuart was played in by a superb reverse pass leaving the diminutive number 8 to slot home. A great goal. Both teams squander two big chance with efforts well over the bar before Culter knocked in a second before the half was up. The when Neal McTavish smashed an effort into the top right hand corner leaving Sean McIntosh absolutely no chance in the Vale goal. Vale were not out of it at half time but they really needed to make decisions quicker. There seemed to be one touch or a couple of seconds too much thinking which broke down numerous attacks.
HT 2 v 0
The tackles were to continue to fly in during the second half but something else noticeable and refreshing to see was full backs being taken on. Marcelo Bielsa was saying football is dying recently. He is entirely correct, the excitement is gone in the upper levels of the game and one thing I have noticed is almost non-existent is wide players taking on full backs and getting balls into he box. It seems like this is too much of a gamble these days as teams just want to keep possession. Not in the non-league and long may this continue. There was a fair bit of aiming to hit the line and fling a ball in tonight (as there has been at other games I have been at recently to be fair). After watching the shit going on in the Euros it was very much appreciated seeing this. Culter grabbed a third when Callum Dunbar got on the end of a corner, after an almost fresh air shot he recovered rapidly but smashed home from ten yard. Game well and truly over at this point. Yunus had a decent long range effort which flew over Culter stopper Peter Tait’s bar, but that was as close as they came. Culter on the other hand had another two in them. The next was from an easy surrender of possession from the Vale at a throw in leaving the home side to break leaving Willie Mathers a tap in and after a lay off from Jordan Cromar and a good team build up in general. Cromar turned scorer almost instantaneously when a long ball sailed over the Vale defence finding Cromar twenty-five yards out and he superbly stroked the ball up and over McIntosh seeing the ball kiss the bar on its way in. A tremendous finish to round off the scoring.
A last minute idea but worth it just to see fitba played where playing keep ball and having an aversion of attacking to win was not on the menu. Good riddance to the Euros. Welcome back the Juniors.
Entrance – £6
Attendance – 97 (Rough Head Count)
Pie – £5, Pie, Coffee, Irn Bru
Pint – £4.10, Tennent’s, Black’s Bar
FITBAWBAG 