2024/25 – Glenugie United 2 v 3 Mormond Thistle

Bert Fowlie Arena(Strichen), Mormond Cup Final, 30/8/24

Me still 322, Wee Man still 186

I don’t hide my admiration for the Welfare football in our wee corner very well these days. So the chance of a cup final on a Friday night will not be spurned. Especially when the Wee Man knows the kickabout is a good one too. Unfortunately when we turned up deliberately early, there was a game on the go on the small pitch meaning we couldn’t use the usual silver goals as they are too close to the side line of said small pitch. A gutted Wee Man straight off. We did get on the wee astro after though so it wasn’t all bad in the end

Going back to my admiration of the “Summer League”, long gone are the days of players scoofing tinnies and keepers smoking fags during the game. There is a very high standard of fitba on show now and many players who could be playing at a higher level. Then the games are always entertaining and this cup final was right up there. A great watch from start to finish and I am sure everyone in attendance would agree. Speaking of people in attendance, there were a surprising amount of folk I knew there, fellow ex- Red Finaler Martin with pal and other ex-Red Finaler Fraser, Ellon United striker Baino, Ellon Thistle Captain Menace plus the Forman father and son combo but they go without saying as the Ugie were in town. Doesnt seem a lot but when you are in the back of beyond and not in your own area it is.

Anyway, what a bonnie night for a game of fitba on a stunning surface. A lot of love clearly goes into keeping the BFA surface in such an outstanding condition. Perfect for two very good fitba teams (two of the three best in the NESFA, the other being Invercairn United). They did not disappoint in this game of two halves. The first period being well in favour of the Strichen side. When I say they could have been 4 or 5 up at half time I am not over egging the pudding. But the Ugie had a behemoth in goal for them in Donnie Watt. He was fucking outstanding. The first time he was called into action he denied Charlie Scott(also a brilliant player for the record). Then he somehow managed to keep out Ryan McDonnell who got his head on the end of the resulting corner. The keeper he had no right to get there but incredibly he did. He was almost caught out soon after when he was caught out his box but the effort from Owen Sutherland was poor. Glenugie settled into the game and had a good chance of their own when Brown showed some excellent feet to dance through two defenders but he couldn’t get the better of keeper Allan with his effort. The ball was soon up the pitch again and it was Watt who was pulling off heroics again and by heroics I mean what I write will never do his next two saves the justice they deserve. Both point blank and both utterly remarkable. One from Scott and the other I am unsure due to the raft of bodies but both well placed efforts but the man in black threw himself across goal for both and not only saved but put them into areas of relative safety. Fantastic stuff from the young keeper. However, unsurprisingly Mormond opened the scoring when a through ball seemed to bamboozle the Ugie defence as no defender took charge and went to the ball allowing Scott to run through and strike low past Watt into the bottom corner. This time the keeper had no hope in hell given the quality of the finish. It was very close to being two not long after but you guessed it, the solid finger tips of Watt sent a shot from Davidson past the post. Another superb save to add to his highlights reel for the half. There was a moment that made every man in Strichen grimace before the half ended. This was when Ugie man Stephen Davidson took a venomous one right in his “equipment” . You could hear all men present let out an “ooocha bastard” as it happened. The Peterhead man stayed down for a good bit. There is nothing the physio can do in these situations. Only time can heal. Fortunately the Ugie number six managed to carry on.

HT 0 v 1

Half time came and so did the pies. There were none on sale, it was Fraser who provided as his backie looks out onto the Bert Fowlie Arena. His wife passed over a box which contained half time refreshments including pies, beer and Moray Cup. this was a fine addition to what was proving to be a fine night. Wee Man and me took a pie each, which to be noted were Bert Fowlie pies, they kind of had to be given the location. These went down a treat, this after the long cooling down period as they seemed to be cooked in a blast furness. But what a man Fraser is. A top gesture we were both very thankful for. Mormond were quick out the traps and again called Watt into action when he palmed a Davidson effort over. The did make it two early doors and it was going to take something special to do so given the game Watt was having. Step forward Charlie Scott who grabbed his second when he lobbed Watt with a stunning effort from the edge of the box. There was not much room for error given the position of the keeper but the striker managed to get it up and down perfectly and then some. What a goal it was. Glenugie seemed to get fired up from this and looked the better team. Mormond were given a scare when keeper Allan went down for a substantial period of time. It looked like his night was over. But he eventually returned to his feet and was immediately called into a action as he managed to soundly tip one over the bar. But he could not keep out the next effort when Glenugie halved the arrears. This when Dylan Marshall tapped home from close range. Game well and truly on. Glenugie continued to attack Mormond but could make much head way. But it looked like, if anyone was to score again it was them. Typically it was Mormond who scored when Fraser Davison powered an effort at goal which Watt got his hands too, it looked like he tried to send the ball over the bar but there was not much upward power and the ball went over him but not the crossbar and into the net it went. A shame for the keeper who really had been impressive all night. Was that the Cup staying at “home”. Glenugie were determined to say otherwise and again made it “game on” when Marc Walker finished off a rapid fire team move, huge credit has to go to the ball into the box from Thom. The power and precision were equally brilliant. With a couple of minutes to go Glenugie went for it in the seriously badly fading light. The Peterhead side did have the ball in the net again and incredibly saw it chopped off. I am sorry but if a goal can be disallowed for this then the games shite now. An up and under went into the Mormond box, keeper Allan jumped to catch which he did against a Ugie striker(maybe Marshall) but seemed to come down on the striker and drop the ball which was smashed in from 15 yards by I am unsure of who, this because I heard the whistle go and lost my bearings a bit as to be honest a bit of rage descended in my brain as this was not a foul. I am impartial in these games but I never want to see teams hard done by and I cant help but feel Glenugie were done over. With the light fading expeditiously, did the ref just not want penalties as it would have been a joke in the darkened conditions? Whatever the reason for the “foul” to be given it handed Mormond Thistle the Mormond Cup and a third piece of silverware for the season.

What a great way to spend a fine summer Friday night. Quality match, quality pitch, quality company, quality pies. Another top NESFA night. Roll on Tuesday when we head back to the Bert Fowlie Arena. Hopefully we can use the silver goals this time.

Entrance – Free

Attendance – 154 when I counted but it fluctuated throughout.

Pie – Free due the the top man that is Fraser

Pint– N/A

Score Predictions – Me 0 v 2, Wee Man 2 v 1

Season Score Prediction Totals – Me 0 v 0 Wee Man