Pleasure Park, NRJFA Premier League. 29/4/25
Me still 343, Wee Man still 205
Maud Junior Football Club
Founded – 1973
Nickname – N/A
Honours – Grill League Cup – 2011/12, North Region 1st Division – 2003/04
18.20 I see Wee Man first and he asks if we could go to Maud as he had seen the nights Junior fixtures. After working out we could make it he pretty much forced me out the door for some live fitba action. It was a good thing too as he picked a cracker under the warm Aberdeenshire sun. From 3 v 0 down to 3 v 4 victors went Hermes and incredibly at 3 v 0 down, Wee Man said Hermes were going to win.
A reason for wanting to head to the deeply rural wee town of Maud was the fact we had not been for years, heading for four years actually. So it was about time we took in a game there. What a choice as we were treated to seven goals, a commendable comeback, stonewall penalties not given, a superb pie and a quality kick about. Quality stuff.
First point of note, the pies. Oocha, straight up to near the top of the list for sure. One of the best to date, worth the wait for it to cool down as the filling was reminiscent of lava when first purchased. Stappit full of tender beef and delightful gravy this really was a wonder of the fitba food world. The night was made before a ball was kicked. Then the game kicked off and threw up one of the best Junior games we have attended ever. Maud started the better team which was to be the story of the first half on the whole. I was surprised at how good they were, obviously a much improved team given their league position but way above my expectations. They were unfortunate not to take the lead early when PA Bruce failed to take advantage of some poor defending which left the goal gaping for the striker but it looked as though he opted to pass. After this they went even closer when Owen Mackintosh ball into the box bounced around deflecting off a defender, even though wrong footed the Hermes keeper Otto managed to instinctively throw up a hand to tip it just over the bar an no more. One of those that look like they go into slow motion as the ball took an age to.drop on top of the net. A great save. An interesting point of this game was being so close to the lino who was miked up and we could hear every word to the referee and far side lino. This interesting as the game was littered with terrible decisions and it was clear referee and lino were not on the same page with a good few of them. It was also clear the far other lino had issues with his comms. Maud continued to push and were finally rewarded with a flurry of goals in quick succession. The first when PA Bruce picked out Luke Kinsella from the right and the Maud man couldn’t miss. Then it was soon two when this time Mackintosh turned provider when he crossed for Matty McDonald in an almost identical move as the first goal. The ball in from the right peg of Mackintosh was becoming a real thorn in Hermes side and once again it was to provide an assist. One which was aided by some poor defending. The cross passed at least four men in black and blue before being buried by Bruce. 3 v 0, a surprise but not unmerited. Maud were flying here. Wee Man wanting a Hermes win incredibly called what was about to unfold when he said “I think Hermes will score four and win” to which I just laughed. Then just as one of the many tractors passed Pleasure Park at the road end of the ground Ewan Clark (one of the many Highland League loanees involved tonight) smashed in Hermes first goal of the night. A tidy finish but he looked to be in too much space, something you cannot afford to do with Clark as he doesnt need an excuse punish you. You also could probably ask questions about how the long ball through was not dealt with. It was too easy for Hermes. Then the same man was to net again a few minutes later in a very similar goal to his first with a slammed finish across the goal into Shingler’s bottom right. Half time came at the right time for Maud as they had been rocked by “Kaka’s” brace.
HT 3 v 2
Half time gave us a quality kick about as Pleasure Park has a training pitch at the far end this giving us a 15 minute crossbar challenge which I lost in front of the onlooking sheep and lambs. (I did say Maud is very rural). This kick about led to Wee Man asking to come back soon. The second half opened in controversial circumstances when Hermes were denied a stonewall penalty when Halliday(i think) was wiped out in the box, clear as day but it was waved away much to the disgust of Hermes gaffer Steven Watson who was booked for quite rightly losing his shit.A shocker of a decision, then incredibly another absolute stick on penalty to the visitors was again waved away. You even heard the noise of the clip on the Hermes mans boot but again, referee Ruszniak quite incredibly waved it away. But there was nothing the referee could do about the Hermes equaliser which was very fresh out of the Maud first half hand book. Ball out right, cross in which found Adam Burr to tap in an effort he couldn’t miss. To get back to level was quite the feat, but to go on and win it was an outstanding effort even though in controversial fashion. Maud man McDonald was clearly taken down in the box but again the referee waved this away. It was starting to look like an aversion to spot kicks. Another clear penalty in my eyes. Instead, Hermes took the ball up the park seeing a cross into the box(again) which found Clark who juggled the ball past a defender laying off Halliday who made no mistake from six yards. What a game we were witnessing and the action was not over yet either as Maud had chances to equalise late on but were thwarted on a couple of occasions by Otto. A save from a back heel out of a melee of players was a superb stop as he got down quick to block the effort which came out of nowhere. Hermes held on leaving my wee partner in crime ecstatic at the fact he predicted the outcome which I doubt anyone else would have imagined. He was also chuffed with the game as a whole and told me it was “ace”. He was not wrong as I would put it up there with the best games of the season. I doubt it was so ace for the Christie brothers in the Maud dugout though, as it was points chucked away as opposed to lost.
Entrance – Me £6, Wee Man £3
Attendance – 67 (rough head count)
Pie – £6.50, pie x 2 and coffee
Pint – Nae time
Score Predictions – Me 1 v 2, Wee Man 1 v 3
Season Score Prediction Totals – Me 5 v 4 Wee Man
FITBAWBAG 