Spain Park, Highland League, 6/9/24
Me still 322, Wee Man still 187
Banks o’ Dee Football Club
Founded – 1902
Nicknames – The Dee, The Rechabites
Selected Honours – Scottish Junior Cup-1957, Highland League Cup – 2022/23 Aberdeenshire Cup – 2021/22, Aberdeenshire Shield– 2021/22 and 2023/24. North Region Superleague – 2007/08, 2008/09, 2015/16, 2015/16, 2017/18, 2018/19 and 2021/22. Grill League Cup – 2013/14, 2016/17, 2018/19 and 2021/22. North Regional Cup – 1969/70, 1970/71, 1973/74, 1976/77, 1978/79, 1980/81, 1981/82, 1983/84, 1984/85, 2010/11, 2017/18 and 2018/19. McLeman Cup – 1924/25, 1937/38, 1938/39, 1950/51, 1955/56, 1958/59, 1960/61, 1967/68, 1969/70, 1978/79, 1981/82, 1986/87, 1990/91, 2015/16, 2016/17, 2018/19 and 2021/22
Random Fact – The club are still the only club that have been eligible to be promoted to the Highland League from tier 6. This meaning there have been 6 criteria failures since the Dee’s promotion. This clearly highlighting how flawed the pyramid is.
International football breaks are shite. I have never really been into international football and at 40 I doubt I ever will be. I have always found the stops to accommodate Scotland games as a hindrance on real fitba especially as they got longer and longer. To be fair though, they are not as bad these days given the level of fitba I now find myself watching with the Wee Man. When I was a season ticket holder at Pittodrie it was much worse as your Saturday was goosed. I am not saying they are not a pain in the ass these days because they are for numerous reasons but now though fitba doesn’t stop and we can get games and a Friday night under the Spain Park lights will never go a miss. So of course with the Vale travelling south through to Tullos on a Friday, it would be rude not to take it on.
What a night for a game, I was decked out in a t-shirt at kick off as the sun still lit up the Aberdeen sky. The game was a decent battle too with plenty talking points. But first there was the customary tyre game to take care of pre-game. A visit to Spain Park would not be the same without it. Kick off came and with shoes full of those bloody rubber pellets we took our berth at the usual spot in the corner by the stairs expecting a comfortable Dee win. It did not pan out this way as the Vale were a lot better than expected and some heroics between the sticks from keeper Ethan Hopkinson also helped. But between the last time I saw them (v Culter in pre-season) and tonight it was night and day in terms of performances. Back to keeper Hopkinson he was called into action early on when Alexander fired a low shot at him from close range. It may have been close to him but a confidence builder none the less. The keepers night was not perfect though as soon after his first save he was almost caught in no mans land as he came bounding out his goal when there was no real need, his defender headed back to him but Hopkinson found himself beyond the ball and Max Alexander ran in but the Dee couldn’t get the ball in the net. A let off for Deveronvale. There was another big let off when Dee captain Winton went down in the box. I think it was a pen, Wee Man thought it was a pen, a couple of punters next to us thought it was a pen. Winton himself thought it was a pen but the officials did not. Winton feeling aggrieved decided to try and trip up his assailant after it was clear there was no spot kick. This leading to the first yellow of the game. An early yellow for Winton, a rarity in this league as he usually seems to get a couple for free. Not tonight though. The home side were unlucky not to take the lead after a fast paced team move got the ball up the park and out right to Gilmour who found Lachie MacLeod on the edge of the box but his shot across goal was a ball hair the wrong side of the post. Although a lot of the ball was in “our” half, by this I mean a high percentage of the play seemed to be right in front of us meaning in favour of Bank o’ Dee, I couldn’t help but notice Vale midfielder Yunus and the amount of ground he was covering while getting stuck in when needed. He was having a decent game but he had two notable moments. Two stern but fair challenges on Winton and it was distinctly noticeable the Dee man was not liking it with one looking to have a petulant swipe in the Vale midfielders direction. I said to Wee Man that I bet Winton was going to be sent off at some point. Speaking of sending off’s the biggest talking point of the game came and some around us were calling for a red card, I on the other hand was calling Lachie MacLeod an embarrassment . I have watched the big striker since the Junior days and think he is brilliant on his day. Today his actions were pathetic. What started with Vale player/manager Wood flying through Alexander with a extremely poor challenge and a booking for sure, Wood stood up only to see MacLeod sprinting towards his raising his hands to him, but as soon as MacLeod realised what he had done knowing he was in trouble he threw himself to the deck lamely and theatrically holding his face as if Wood had headbutted him. It was truly laughable. I can assure you unless Wood had a go-go-Gadget neck there was no way the defender could have got near the Dee striker. The Vale fans just down from us were apoplectic at what was being called out as blatant cheating. Wood was correctly booked and MacLeod after he shook off the phantom Glasgow kiss followed him into referee Lawrence’s book. I thought the ref was bang on in how he dealt with it. But this incident seemed to raise the temperatures a bit and some niggle found its way into the game. As we made our way back tot he tyres for just prior to half time I spoke to regular Spain Park acquaintance Colin and we were both in agreement of two things. It was a shame the break was coming as it was threatening to boil over, this and Kane Winton was definitely going to get sent off. Banks o’ Dee had two late chances, MacLeod tested Hopkinson with a quick turn and shot which the keeper got down well to. There was then an effort which Hopkinson saved low to his left on the line. It was nowhere near over the line despite the shouts from Winton and MacLeod.
HT 0 v 0
Tyre game as always and I got humped by Wee Man. 6 v 4. I need to stop going for the glory long shots. I never learn. The game kicked off and Wee Man wanted to stay behind the goal. Fair enough with me as there is a great view from the gap in the wall which I took advantage of. The reason he wanted to stay there was there are a heap of mini goals there. In his element. Watching the game while trying to hit the bar at the same time. On the pitch Philipson had an early effort go close as he struck a rebound of a solid Hopkinson save. He really should have scored as the keeper was on the ground, the calls from the Dee 7 that it was a corner were in vain but also I suspect him trying to cover his own ass for a big miss. The Vale were to pass up a huge chance when the broke at speed Jack Mitchell sprinted into the box, the ball found him and from eight yards he skied it over the bar hitting the fence above me. He really should have been testing Hoban in the Dee goal. Unfortunately for Deveronvale no sooner had they missed that chance, the Dee were in the lead. A ball from wide into the box found Liam Duell who from our viewpoint at the other end looked to be in too much space as he smashed the ball into the top of the net. Not that he cared as he celebrated a home debut goal.This coming on the hour. A couple of minutes later the most obviously coming red card since Naveed was sent off for the Craiglang Old Team was handed out. Kane Winton was given his second yellow card for a late challenge. It looked avoidable too. The man deficit was noticeable and the next three chances fell to the hosts and in a quick fire fashion. Duell was up first as he struck well but Hopkinson carried on his solid game to keep it out. Alexander then tried his luck after a mazy run but the Vale keeper at full stretch palmed it round the post to his right. A fine save, but not as fine as the save from the corner he just conceded. The ball was long and Duell (I think) connected at the back post and from out of nowhere Hopkinson was across to claw the ball off the line. A great save and I noticed Hoban in the Dee goal applauded the save too. Hoban was not as busy as his opposite number but he was very good at everything he did, quick off his line, good in the air, but his best moment came with about ten minutes to go when he managed to stop a Ben Hermiston header down low to his right. The striker did everything right but the keeper was determined to ruin his moment. A top save. The dying moments of the game saw Deveronvale have a spell of pressure, a couple of corners looked dangerous and with as good a the last kick of the ball a corner landed at the back post, Hoban seemed to be nudged out the way by his own man the ball fell to substitute Angus who was on the ground, with a bit of improvisation he attempted an overheard while on his back but the effort went just over the bar.
Entrance – Me £10, Wee Man free
Attendance – 280 (Rough head count)
Pie – £6, Pie, Juice x 3
Pint – N/A
Score Prediction – Me 4 v 0, Wee Man 3 v 0
Season Score Predictions Total – Me 0 v 0 Wee Man
FITBAWBAG 