Corbie Park, Littlejohn Cup Final, 20/6/25
Me 347, Wee Man 207
The Mid-Deeside league is back after a hiatus last summer and we were back on the case, at a venue I have driven past many many times in life yet never played it or viewed a game there. This meaning tonight just down the road from Scarybook Glen, both Wee Man and I were both somewhere new. Its been a wee while since both of us have been in this position together.
In all honesty we didnt have a clue about what would transpire in Maryculter as we are not clued up on the ins and outs of the Mid-Deeside Summer League. So our predictions were just pure guesswork. We were both wrong in the end. But the night was a decent one. First off Corbie Park lives up to the name of the league set up. It is literally on the side of the Dee as are the training goals which gave us a decent kick about pre-game. Barring the mounds of left over cuttings of grass on the park the place is a decent set up for amateur/welfare fitba and goings on within the white lines were enjoyable too. Good football, bad tackles and some decent roughing up at times.
The game started and then it stopped not long after. This when the ref decided to move on the numerous Bank Bar sideline who were armed with Coop bags filled with tinnies getting foo on a Friday night. I bet you dont see this in the wanky Club World Cup. To be fair to the man in the middle he just removed them from the side line and ushered them to the far end where they could still see the game. I am pretty sure I have never seen this before. But is shows how utterly fucking ridiculous the booze ban is. 45 years ago two sets of wankers had a rammy and Summer Welfare fitba cant have a six pack in peace. Madness. I digress, as I do often . Anyway, fitba wise Bank Bar were the better team early and ensuring Dean Strachan in the Rovers goal was the busier of the two keeper. This inclusive of a smart finger tip save to stop a Conrad Slessor effort. It was during the follow up corner I realised how much of a monstrosity the AWPR is and tears through what would have been unspoiled beauty prior. Especially the portion adjacent Corbie Park which towers above everything nearby. Rovers were getting forward but their only real threat in the early stages was a long range fizzer off the boot of Jamie Coutts which was saved well by Innes in the Bank Bar goal. From here OBB found themselves up the park and they were to take the lead through Summers who was in the right place to slam home a cross in from the right. A fine team goal. The Culter side were to be dealt a low soon after their high on around quarter of an hour when their big number 4 Fowler looked to land funny while letting out a scream as he did so. After a long time on the deck recieving treatment he was lifted off the pitch. A couple of minutes later the first caution of the game came after a tangle of bodies between Alfie Summers(OBB) and Alfie Chalmers(CR) with the former going in the book. This was the opening of the floodgates as the game ended up in double figures with Charleston recieving seven ( i reckon anyway). Bank Bar kept at Charleston this leading to the Aboyne sides defence resorting to just lumping clear, more often than not into the nearby burn keeping the Bank Bar subs busy fishing them out. A second goal came for OBB when Max Reid hit a tidily dinked effort across goal into the far inner side netting. The man who we had just seen playing for Kincorth on Tuesday wheeled away celebrating only to curse the late flag that followed. Rovers should have equalised before half time when Brodie Ross received the ball inside of the box, it was teed up perfectly for his left foot but he adjusted to strike it with his right but the effort was powerless and straight down the throat of Robbie Innes.
HT 0 v 1
Half time saw a kick about with the ball Wee Man found. This was clearly was a dog’s ball at some point all the panels being torn to shreds but he was determined to use it. Whatever keeps him happy . It got a bit of warmth into me too as the temperature had dropped a good bit since kick off. Two more booking were handed out early in the half when Rovers men Nicoll and Chalmers were booked for equally late lunging challenges. These werent to be the last of the reckless flying tackles with Rovers adopting playing hard tactics to stop Bank Bar, but it wasnt to work and a second goal came when some great wing play from Zack Griffiths on the right saw him cross with pin point accuracy to Macauley Hill who slipped the ball home with ease. 2 v 0 and heading for the cup. Interestingly this fired up Rovers who then started to create.Chalmers hitting the bar with a freekick and Jamie Coutts firing an effort a ball hair wide stood out in amongst the chances. Bank Bar should have had a third when Cruikshank was fed in. With most of the goal gaping and keeper Strachan looking out of position, the big forward struck straight at the keeper who saved with his feet. A big chance squandered. More bookings came for both teams and were becoming more common than the fart sounding exhausts of motors going flying by the ground and trust me there were plenty of them throughout the night, it was like a Sunday at Crimond. As the sun started its descent the ref brought a halt to proceedings giving Bank Bar their first ever engraving on the Littlejohn Cup.
Two sunny cup finals in a week can never be a bad thing.It was decided in the car by Wee Man we will complete the Mid-Deeside like to add to his Highland League, NRJFA and NESFA accomplishments. Ok there are only five teams and we have been to two, but Lumphanan, Drumoak and Durris and tonights defeated finalists Charleston Rovers remain but it gives us something to look forward to. ‘mon the Summer fitba.
Entrance -Free
Attendance – 71
Pie – N/A
Pint -N/A
Score Predictions – Me 3 v 2, Wee Man 1 v 2
Season Score Prediction Total – Me 6 v 4 Wee Man
FITBAWBAG 