The Meadows, Friendly, 19/7/25
Me still 352, Wee Man 212
Ellon Thistle Football Club
Founded – 1968
Nickname – The Jags
Honours – AAFA Division 1 (East) – 2024/25. AAFA Division 4 –1974/75. AAFA Division 6 – 1972/73. Barclay Cook Cup – 1972/73 and 2022/23. Castle Rovers Cup – 2011/12. Dickie Trophy – 2015/16. Stephen Shield – 1992/93. Norman McAvoy Memorial Trophy -1986/87. White Cup – 1973/74
Back on the 19th of May FC Polska travelled to Rubislaw to face Rattrays XI. If they prevented a home win they would hand the title to already fixture complete league leaders Ellon Thistle. They did a huge favour and held Rattrays to a 2 v 2 draw leaving Thistle to win the league by a point infront of the jubilant Ellon men who were in attendance. Two months later the two met up for a match and a bit of hospitality after at club sponsor the New Inn which was as good as promised at the final whistle that night at Rubislaw.
During the Thistle league run in I was in attendance for a ridiculous almost stroke inducing topsy turvy game at Sheddocksley between Polska and Thistle that was decided by a 90th minute winner from Michael Moffat in a 5 v 6 win. We turned up at the Meadows today expecting goals , surely not as high scoring as the last time but they gave it a bloody good go in what was a tale of two halves and with my Ellon loon tinted spectacles on one brilliant half and one , well not so.
After hearing of about the new signings from my dad, manager Les and Mr Ellon Thistle himself Tichie Birnie I was looking forward to this. It seems the youthful motley crew have fitted in well and hit the ground running. To be noted this latest influx of players is one of the most youthful in aeons at the club with almost all in their teens. After the hype, I got to see for myself and I tell you what they look the part and the eleven that started the game were excellent for 44 minutes. They took the game to Polska from the first whistle and it was a very satisfying watch. Fast paced, pinpoint passing, immediate pressing and just what seemed a totally different to what I saw in the 12 matches I watched them last season. It was almost totally fresh and I was, along with all the sideline loving it. David Coutts went close early doors when he struck a 25 yard free kick at goal, it was creeping in at the left hand post but Michal Glogowski got across to tip it on to the upright. The big keeper wasn’t as sharp couple of minutes later when a through ball was won by the sheer tenacity of Euan Watson who beat the keeper to ball by a toe sending it toward an empty goal, Jakub Detner saved his keeper as he got back to clear on the line. Thistle kept at Polska pinning them back somewhat and finally took the lead through Callum Donald who lost his man in the box to prod home a Watson cross.A fine worked goal and deserved too. Thistle continued in the same attacking vein and inclusive of striking the bar through Zach Boon , Wee Man piped up saying “Thistle are really good” to which photo mannie Russell, my dad and myself were all in agreement. A second goal came when Coutts hit an identical freekick as his earlier effort which this time Glogowski could not keep out. It wasnt all Thistle’s way as new keeper Kieren Johnson was called into action to close down and pull off a superb save to stop Rezemyslaw Nawrocki. The same two players were involved in a tangle which I think was called wrong as Nawrocki was on to a through ball and got his foot to it before being clobbered by Johnson. It was a stonewaller and I suspect the keeper knew this given his body language but the ref waved it away before Thistle made their way up the park to score a third. A corner was sent into the box which in truth was not dealt with well by either team, the ball eventually squirmed to returning striker (maybe 6 years away) Stuart Martin who showed great striker instinct to poke the ball into the net. Thistle were cruising here and in a very impressive manner. What I really liked was the fact they didn’t settle for the three and were still going hell for leather to add to their tally. They almost blotted their copy book a simple ball over the top was ran on to by Dawid Gwizdek who went for a heroes finish and swung for power getting it all wrong and sticking the ball closer to the passing Bluebird bus than Johnson’s goal. With a minute to go Thistle did blot said copy book when a switch off at the back saw Nawrocki turn two defenders and with a shot on switched feet and smashed home into the bottom right hand corner. Despite the late goal, a very enjoyable half of fitba.
HT 3 v 1
I think it was Sheryl Crow that said ” A change will do you good”. Hmmmmm well what about nine changes. Well it is pre-season after all. The second half started with sub keeper Steven “Mo” Morris having to make an early save when Nawrocki was in on him. It was a sign of things to come. Nawrocki was the man to cut the arrears when an through ball saw the Polska man wide open and as he saw the whites of Mo’s eyes he side stepped him beautifully and slid the ball into an empty net. On the Polska man, make no mistake about it, this guy is a magic player, he was impressive last season and looks to be as sharp this season. (He also scored the goal that won Thistle the title). One thing that was noticeable about Thistle, there were no voices on the pitch at all, it was dead quiet while Polska were blabbering non stop inclusive of a constant barage of “kurwas”. This game was only going one way and that was not in a good direction. Thistle were clearly rattled. There were still bursts of good slick fitba but not anything sustained at any point, just a move here and there. One thing of note in the half was the gap between the Thistle defence and midfield was like a chasm and it was causing numerous issues. Despite the shouts from the sideline the issue remained. The inevitable third came for the visitors when the defending was just not good enough allowing someone in, I was so perturbed by what transpired in the build up I never even noticed who scored. It was not a hat trick for Nawrocki though, that much I do know. Then it was four for the Poles when more suspect defending saw a ball being allowed to find Kacper Donarski ghosting in to knock the ball across Mo and into the far corner. A capitulation and a half occurring before our eyes. It got even worse when Polska’s number 8, Radoslaw Ludhisiak was allowed to run clean through to finish with little resistance. What the hell had I just witnessed. The game had gone from one of the best performances I had ever seen Ellon put in to I don’t know what. Ellon were given a lifeline when Polska were penalised for a handball in the box. Last seasons top scorer Callum Donald made no mistake from 12 yards. Could the home side nick a draw or more in the last 5 minutes. Glen Sangster tried his luck from 25 yards but his effort struck the crossbar leaving the FC Polska to take the bragging rights on the day. The old cliche “a game of two halves” could not be more appropriate than at the overcast Meadows today. Pre-season is for many things, one is learning and I am sure manager Les has learned a good few things watching that today. Fair play to Polska, who are a good team, one that never give up, that’s for sure.
Entrance – Both Free
Attendance – 39
Pie – N/A
Pint – £4.90 Tennent’s, New Inn
Score Predictions – Me 3 v 1, Wee Man 3 v 2
Season Score Predictions Totals – Me 0 v 0 Wee Man
FITBAWBAG 