Lochside Park, NRJFA Premier League, 21/3/25
Me still 337
Hermes Junior Football Club
Founded – 1968
Nickname – N/A
Honours – NRJFA Superleague – 2011/12 and 2014/15. North East Division One- 1994/95. Grill League Cup – 2003/04. North Regional Cup – 1997/98 and 2003/04. McLeman Cup – 2008/09. Morrison Trophy – 1993/94 and 1996/97
The top two in the local Joons head to head on a Friday night. Great idea whoever decided this. I am a big fan of floodlit Friday night matches. They have definitely grown on me. With Bridge of Don top and Hermes chasing them this was bound to be a tight affair and it was to an extent but to be honest the better team over the 90 won. Not a huge amount of action throughout without knowing the exact stat I am sure there were more bookings than chances. Another stat I would imagine was the case was Bridge of Don had the better share of the ball with huge parts of the game played in the Hermes half. But for all the possession they had there were not a huge amount of threats to the Hermes goal. There was an early chance when Adam Joji was played in to the box on the left but he dragged his effort well wide. Hermes keeper Jacob Otto was not tested at any point n the first half but he was left to pick the ball out of his net on 37 minutes when a freekick was sent into the box from full back Napier, this found Scott Milne who gently side footed the ball sending it into the side of the goal, a cool and also bloody good finish from eight yards. The game needed it, the tough tackles were there, the managers with clear fire in their bellies were there (Steven Watson and Jamie Watt, home and away respectively). But it really needed a goal to get it going just to add a bit more to proceedings.
HT 0 v 1
What were Hermes going to bring to the second half. The pattern of the game did not change much truth be told and it was largely played in the Hermes half again. Any time the home side did attempt to get forward they were stopped by the BoD defence marshalled by a solid performance from Cammy Bowden. On solid performances I was impressed by the amount of ground covered by visiting number 7 Stewart Rennie. So shift from the midfielder. There was very little in terms of chances. An early ball into the Hermes box from Kyle Murphy looked to be bang on the money between defence and keeper but there were no takers in black shirts.Sam Muirhead had a big chance from a handful of yards but his powerful effort was stopped by what looked like the chest of Otto. Other than that there was a host of yellows, some deserved and some not so. Late on Bridge of Don ensured the three points were theirs when some questionable goal keeping let in “Fizzy” Onefeko who was just on as a sub. A quick throw was challenged between fellow sub Mussunda and Otto but the diminutive Thistle man somehow beat the keeper in the air leaving the ball to fall to Onefeko who lashed it home into a net guarded by outfielder Youngson on the line only. But Onefeko made no mistake and ran off to the corner flag to celebrate as his manager went flying past me on the touchline rolling back the years to the days he was banging them in in the Highland League for the Vale. A very worthy celebration as Bridge of Don do not have much margin for error with the teams around them including Hermes having games in hand. This tonight opening a four point gap on their Bridge of Don rivals. A decent enough game in the middle of the park but lacking in box action. Testament to this was the fact Bridge of Don keeper Salmon did not make a save all night. Not one. This aided by some stern defending by the men in front of him but still. The visitors in black remain number 1 for now.
Entrance – £7
Attendance – 149 (rough head count)
Pie – £3.50, Pie and Coffee
Pint – £4.55, Tennent’s, Mill of Mundurno
FITBAWBAG 