Barclay Park, Bruce Lawson Memorial Cup Round 1, 27/5/25
Me still 344, Wee Man still 206
Glenugie United Football Club
Founded – 2013
Nickname – Ugie
Honours – Brucklay Cup – 2019. Ardallie Cup – 2021 and 2022
The Summer League started for us this season with a visit up to the Blue Toon to watch home side Glenugie United against rivals Haven in the Bruce Lawson Memorial. The Summer League as it is known yet as we headed over to Peterhead we passed through a mental hail stone storm between Oldmeldrum and Methlick. You couldnt hear yourself think in the machine gun like rattle of ice striking the body work of the motor. It was also noticed there was a distinct drop in temperature between home and fitba, 17 in Meldrum and 10 in Peterhead.
As we turned up we both got a surprise as we noticed the Barclay Park pitch had been swung round 90 degrees since our last visit. This including the installation of stray shot protecting fences along the wall to stop the houses along Ugie Street getting twatted. Once nearer the park you could see why as the old goal mouths could still be seen and looked like they had never regenerated. The shift begs the question….is what was already the furthest east on the mainland amateur pitch even more easterly now? And is it now more easterly than Raemoss next door, the home of newly crowned McLeman Cup champions Buchanhaven Hearts?
On the pitch the game was not pretty in the beginning truth be told. It was also clear that photos would be a nightmare due to the low lying sun. But fitba wise anything that was happening was being created by the home team. They really should have been in the lead early too when Jordan Durie met a corner five yards from goal only to incredibly head wide(something that was caught on camera). It should have been the opener. Then Ugie went on to spurn a bigger chance not so long after when Euan Colquhoun burst through as good as one on one with Dodson in the Haven goal. From the position surely low and hard was the option, but he went for power sending the ball at an easy height to be tipped over. The solid chances dried up and Glenugie resorted to a few pops from range but nothing troublesome. What could have been troublesome would have been a penalty. Both Wee Man and me thought it was a stonewall penalty when Ugie’s Mark Thompson was bulldozed to the ground by Macauley Rae towards the edge of the box. I can categorically state if that was anywhere out of the penalty area it would be given. But it wasnt and the game was a stalemate at the break.
HT 0 v 0
Short kick about at HT to test out Wee Man’s new goalie gloves. He doesnt like them. Once the game started again Haven were a different team and went close with a bazooka like effort from Kevin Cameron who fired his effort just wide from 25 yards. Stand in Ugie keeper Ethan Geary(a full back in real life) was left watching it fly past his post. Ugie then went close when a Thompson effort was tipped onto the bar by Dodson creating a delightful ping of the metal frame as it connected. Haven were next up when perpetual pain in the ass for the home defence Ryan Strachan broke past a couple of defenders, but was shut down well by Geary at the last minute and took a sore one in the process. The game was definitely a much better watch in the second half and became a decent end to end cup tie as the teams took turns creating chances. Ugie then missed a sitter when Thompson had the whole goal to aim at while 15 yards out but his effort was straight at Dodson Then up the other end Strachan was in the box ten yards out, Geary was down early and it looked a cert for 0 v 1 but the strikers effort incredibly went wide. I was starting to believe the ball was never going to go in. Then when Alfie Mossop sent an effort over the bar from a couple of yards out I was positive of a dreaded nil-nil incoming. The referee didnt help when he called Strachan who was bearing down on goal offside soon after. I know the striker is pretty rapid, but this was clearly on by at least two yards. A poor and possible outcome deciding error from the ref. Then came the moment of the night. Alfie Mossop. Take a bow loon. After his incredible miss he made up for it with a thunder strike from easily 30 yards out. This thing was incredible, arrowed and nestled in the postage stamp. No keeper was saving this such was its accuracy and given it was in the 93rd minute it was well worthy of winning any game. Such a perfect hit of a ball. Funnily the last Summer League game we were at was between Boddam United v Peterhead United last season where the very same man skelped a 30 yarder into the top corner that night too(he was a Boddam player then). Ugie could have doubled their lead when Thompson was clean through with only Dodson to beat but he tried to chip the ball in, over the keeper it went but past the post also. That was that, a good start to our Summer League travels for the year, a howitzer winner and I got the score correct leaving me leading Wee Man by two late on in the season. Nice one.
Entrance – Both Free
Attendance – 69 (Rough head count)
Pie – N/A
Pint– N/A
Score Predictions – Me 1 v 0, Wee Man 2 v 1
Season Score Predictions Total – Me 6 v 4 Wee Man
FITBAWBAG 