Countesswells (Robert Gordon’s College Sports Grounds), Friendly, 16/7/25
Me 352
Another hybrid friendly, another random venue and a cracking one too. I had never set foot at the Gordonians fields before but my old boy had bigged it up after visiting with Ellon Thistle last season to play BSFC. Quite rightly so too. It’s a tidy place for sure. Part of the egg chasing trifecta in the area with Wanderers at Hazelhead and Grammar at Rubislaw this place makes up one corner of the rugby triangle in the west end. The stand at the Gordonians pitch is a smart piece of architecture. But it was about the fitba and the pitch although having a slight slope was an immaculate surface and looking pristine for this match. One thing the place does not have going for it is boozers. Only the Palm Court is in the area(0.9 mile away). Something I would take advantage of as the three special folk were enjoying themselves on their holidays leaving me on my rare lonesome. This meaning a wee visit was on the cards so I could catch up with a pal in Carver who fancied the game too. I had not set foot in the juicer part of the hotel since the night Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored the incredible overhead effort v the Nigels in 2012. £4.40 a pint wasn’t sniffed at as I was expecting a kings ransom but I was pleasantly surprised. With Carver on the waters it was even better on the wallet too. After an all things fitba blether we carried it on a mile up the road on the radiant sun beams where I was positive of another junior scalp for the Black and Blue.(Or red as both teams were in change colours). The “Junior” side were worthy winners as expected. They started the better team with Paul Esselmont looking fired up to get one over his old team. But it wasn’t all their own way as Huntly took the lead when after seeing an decent effort saved moments before, Owen Morris send a cracking strike over everyone and into the top corner from the edge of the box. An ace hit. But Hermes were unperturbed and kept about their business. They got in behind a couple of times and Carver and myself were in agreement that if this was a competitive game would have taken advantage but in these instances the forwards pulled out of 50/50s with the keeper. It wasnt long until they did grab an equaliser when Dom Rae rose to head a cross over the face of goal into the far top corner . A neat finish from an angle which was running out as he connected with the ball. From here I couldn’t see anything but a Hermes win as they just looked the better outfit. Only three minutes later they took the lead when a ball over the top from Masson picked out Craig Mackie (Hermes have two, this was the striker version), the forward delicately lifted the ball up and over the Huntly keeper Brodie bouncing on the line and in. Route one but mightily effective.
HT 1 v 2
During the break it was hard not to hear the sound of silence. Countesswells is on the edge of a housing estate and is as good as free from noise, it was almost eerie, until an ironbird flew over the top after leaving ABZ. But in general it is tucked away into a peaceful corner of the city. The second half was not as action filled as the first but again it was an opportunity to watch how well drilled Hermes are. To put it simply, they are good at stopping stuff. They press, they chase and just generally bust a gut to win the ball, I commented on this after Saturdays win v Formartine. The are a great team who work extremely hard when not in possession. Huntly had one real chance in the half when Aleksander Matczak got on the ball, at this point I was behind the opposite goal and could see a huge gap in the Hermes defence, I was hoping he ran into it to which he did, what I didn’t expect was for him to hit the ball with the cannonball power he did though. What a strike of a fitba, but unfortunately for the forward it walloped the underside of the crossbar and came out. No sooner had this happened Hermes opened up a two goal lead when after the ball going loose during a visiting attack Esslemont sprinted like his life depended on it to regain possession, after trying to get the ball into the box Jake Buirds stepped onto a rolling layed off ball around 25 yards out mid-pitch and with shear venom stuck the thing with incredible outward bend into the top corner. I think I even let out an audible “fucking hell”. I am glad I went for a sneaky piss as I was still behind the goal in the aftermath to appreciate the bend and ferocity of the strike. Superb stuff. Hermes are a good team. Make no mistake. I think a lot of silverware could be heading to Lochside Park this season given what I have seen recently. People will say its only pre-season but that doesnt mean you can be a magic team then forget when it becomes competitive.
A cool random venue, home to Robert Gordon’s College which interestingly is coincidental as Hermes were originally founded by RGC students in 1968. A hybrid game. A catch up with a pal. A pint. The sun. Some tidy goals and a bag of Skittles. Good night if you ask me.
Entrance – Free
Attendance – 82 (rough head count)
Pie – N/A
Pint – Tennent’s £4.40, Palm Court
FITBAWBAG 