Aboyne Green, Mid-Deeside League, 4/7/25
Me 349, Wee Man 210
Charleston Rovers Football Club
Founded – 1952
Nickname – N/A
Honours – League – 1958, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1983, 1984, 1985 and 1990. Sandison Cup – 1957, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1982, 1984, 1985, 1990, 1992 and 2004. Kynoch Cup – 1960, 1977, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1987, 1988, 1993, 1994 and 2004. Littlejohn Cup – 1976, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1994 and 2022. Keith Memorial Shield – 1974, 1976, 1986, 2018 and 2023
Random Fact – The club may be called Charleston Rovers but they play at Aboyne Green(or Charlestown Green with a W) which is located off of Charlestown Road. This is like the Dumbarton/Dunbartonshire thing all over again.
A season 2024/25 closer for us as it looks like our next game will be a friendly(our first pre-season friendly being the turn of seasons for us). A fair trek from the house it was too with about one hour passing between leaving the house and reaching Aboyne. Totally worth it as the drive is very good on the eye heading from our abode in the Meldrum suburbs. Scotland’s beauty that has been mentioned in previous bits is there for all to see as you cross from the Garioch towards Mid-Deeside, Especially as you head down the hill towards Torphins on the B993. Hills, numerous shades of green and purple, wilderness and just what bonnie Scotland is to me.
With half an hour to spare after reaching Aboyne we took advantage of the nearby peanut hugging goals for a crossbar challenge which had so many efforts from me my legs were in bits after. I am definitely feeling my age these days. As I creaked about on the sidelines, the young sprightly teams(well compared to me) came flying out the traps. Not even a minute was on the clock before the first save of the match when Lumphanan’s Cammy Strachan let fly at Charleston keeper Doug Battle who stood up well. Then a similar passage of play culminated in the same two players but this time Battle had to put a bit more into the the save and dealt with it soundly and parried to safety. His opposite number Lyndain O’Brien was then called into action when a ball through landed between him and Charleston forward Scott Coull, the keeper committed to the chase immediately and to be honest looked like he was to be second best, but he showed great speed to cover the 25 yards and managed to turn it into a good old fashioned 50/50 which sent the ball up in the air and to safety. Great goalkeeping which Wee Man was impressed with. A legitimate goalkeeper’s union shout from junior. Charleston were getting somewhere when they attacked down the right, this aided by the wind that was howling straight up the park goal to goal. It felt like they would eventually come up trumps with this and they did, but with a massive helping hand from Lumphanan who with two errors at the back allowed Coull in behind and Jamie Coutts to smash home unmarked. The old “safety first” would have came in handy here. But to be fair the wind must have been a nightmare to defend into as when it was at full pelt it was going some and it was not conducive to an easy game of fitba. Especially with the Green being so wide open. The game was pretty even and became more so when Lumphanan equalised through a player I was well impressed with all night, the aforementioned Cammy Strachan. The tricky number 7 went on a mazy, a wild challenge came in to take him out, but Strachan stayed on his feet and continued, an almost carbon copy incident also didn’t stop him. It wasnt until the third attempt at a chop down the ref pulled things back. Strachan stepped up himself and bent the ball over the wall and into the left of Battle’s goal. An impressive strike given the factors involved. The range for starters and the howling wind he was kicking into.
HT 1 v 1
More crossbar challenge came at the break which was followed by swapping ends for the second half. One which opened with a guilt edge chance for the home side. A corner was inch perfect for Sam Nicoll’s head but incredibly he sent the header wide. We were no more than five yards away and both said “that’s in” out loud but instead Wee Man was acting as ball boy. Rovers were to rue this as Lumphanan took the lead when unlike Nicoll, Andrew Eccles nutted the ball with perfect placement past Battle. The whole goal was a greatly worked move. Charleston then had a big chance when Coutts broke through, with Charley Yeats hot on his tail giving him a bit of hassle, the forward shot over the bar. I would go more from the good defending/did enough as opposed to a bad miss. Lumphanan were then to add to their tally soon after and I bloody missed it. The reason, Wee Man was trying to nutmeg me with his yellow ball(as he does continuously during every game) and in a natural reaction I went on the defensive and in that split second I took my eyes off the park the ball ended up in the net. Answers on a post card to what happened(I have been informed it was Cammy Smith who scored). With Charleston looking a bit tired, a fourth came for Lumphanan, sealing the win when Paul Ross was picked out inside the box to finish from close range. With the game dead and buried the Cats are in pole position to take the title with a 100% record in the league. All roads lead to Lumphanan on Tuesday where Alford Wanderers are the visitors. A draw is all that is needed for Lumphanan who could gain their 22nd etching on the trophy and first in 15 years. It’s a shame the Mid-Deeside League is so short this season as we have taken a shine to it over the two games so far. A league game and a final to go hopefully though, so plenty minutes yet.
Entrance – Free
Attendance – 73
Pie – N/A
Pint – N/A
Score Predictions – Me 1 v 3, Wee Man 2 v 1
Season Score Prediction Totals – Me 6 v 4 Wee Man – Final result
FITBAWBAG 