Bert Fowlie Arena, NESFA League 1, 3/9/25
Me still 322, Wee Man still 187
Back to the Bert Fowlie for a second time in 5 days it was for us. But this time the world is short of a pigeon as I pulverised one with my wind screen between Methlick and New Deer en route. The splatter was excessive and reminiscent of smashing a jelly with a baseball bat.
A second quick visit to Strichen was planned on Friday during the last visit when I told Wee Man about the potential 5 trophy haul and he asked if we could come again. Who am I to let the boy down. Personally I was all for it after seeing both teams this season knowing they are both good fitba sides. To the extent that I would imagine they could hold their own in the Amateur Premier or even one up in the Junior Championship. So knowing it would be a good game I was all for the 35 minute drive north. We were not disappointed either, even when late on we were thinking it was going to be a blank, it would have been a good nil nil. But a late couple of goals sealed it for the hosts. This after an action packed prior 85 minutes. Mormond were claiming a goal early doors when a Charlie Scott effort off the end of a set piece was cleared off the line. There were half claims that it had crossed the line but my Hawkeye system can guarantee it was not. The early possession was more in the favour of the visiting side but when Mormond did attack they looked a bit more dangerous. As the game progressed and it became more even and end to end with both keepers called into action. Invercairn stopper Gordon McLeman pulled off a cracking double save when got down to a Scott effort and was rapidly up to stop the rebound too. This leaving him to land funny and stay down but he was ok to carry on. The Belgar keeper then on hand to prevent Fraser Davidson with another brilliant save. The keeper was as prevalent in the game as the country stink that was surrounding the Bert Fowlie. Next moment of interest was home number 7 Shaun Sim taking the ball full pelt of the dish letting off a decent thud as it did. A proper sore one but the Thistle man returned after he had to leave the pitch to plug up his nose which was leaking crimson. Invercairn should have took the lead late in the half when Michael Lumsden reached a cross a few yards out but he failed to connect fully and seemed to skiff the effort wide. Any sort of proper touch would have seen United going into the half one up.
HT 0 v 0
After the half time entertainment of bouncing the ball off one of those …….in fact I don’t even know what they are called, see photos. Anyway, we thought we were in for an early goal when Joel Watt burst through, Thistle keeper Allan was out quick to close the angles, Watt got a toe on it but it went agonisingly wide. Mormond were next up to come close but there really should have been no coming close, they should have been in the lead. Scott hit a shot from range which McLeman saved very well only to see the rebound land at the feet of Liam Allan who incredibly put the ball past the post from a couple of yards. Wee Man had the best view in the house of it as he was on his way back from getting the sweeties out of the car and was behind the goal. He returned to as “did you see that banana?”. The to and fro nature continued and it was Belgar with the next big chance. Lumsden picked the ball up on the half way line and sprinted toward goal (he is fucking rapid for the record), he worked the ball past two defenders but his well struck shot was equally well saved by Allan. This stirred up Belgar who had a decent period of pressure and moments later I cannot help but feel they should have been in the lead. A corner from another Allan save was sent into the box, big defender Fleming got up well above his man but he sent the header wide from three yards. Invercairn were the better team at this point and I had a feeling the goa was coming. But there was a moment that made me change my mind. Belgar broke and seeing Mormond keeper well out of position (too far to one side) Watt cracked an effort that was top corner bound but miraculously Allan somehow despite being out of position earlier scrambled across his line and threw himself to claw the ball out of the postage stamp and to safety, this made me think it was not to be the visitors night. That wasn’t the last chance for Invercairn either as Dylan Price fired a shot wide. It could not have been far away as it hit the net support pole behind the goal. Allan was beaten too. Mormond were cursing Fleming when his opposite number Daniel Smith had an empty goal to smash home into, this he attempted but from out of nowhere the defender flew in with a leg to block the effort and sent the ball over the bar. Truly, fantastic defending. The nil nil conversation between us two started as we were running out of minutes in the game. At this point the rain started and we moved behind the goal under the trees behind the Belgar goal for the last five minutes. A masterstroke it turned out to be as we saw the late late show from Mormond from close up, this inclusive of me catching a cracking photo of the first going in. This was when Charlie Scott smashed a ball across goal from the right into the far top corner. It was an exceptional strike and McLeman could just watch it fly past him. Surely that was game over and to be honest a strike of that quality was worthy of winning a game, but there was more to come when a couple of minutes later Davidson shot and saw the strike take a nick on the way taking it just out of reach of McLeman and that was that and Mormond headed to the summit of the league after what can only be described and another great advert for this under appreciated league. As the final whistle sounded the rain got heavier as we got to the car. But the time we had reached the New Pitsligo/ Peterhead junction a couple of miles out of Strichen it was biblically hammering. It was lucky the game started with an early kick off. One things for sure, there will be no pigeon guts on the motor after the 22 mile car wash it got on the way home
Entrance – Free
Attendance – 42
Pie – N/A
Pint – N/A
Score Predictions – Me 2 v 2, Wee Man 2 v 1
Season Score Predictions Total – Me 0 v 0 Wee Man
FITBAWBAG 