Aberdeen win 4 v 2 on Penalties
Harlaw Park, Aberdeenshire Cup Final, 3/10/25
Me still 358,Wee Man still 216
Who wants to win the Europa Conference anyway, a shitey modern looking monstrosity of a trophy that resembles some sort of strainer from an industrial fluid system. This especially when the bonniest trophy in world fitba is up for grabs and a chance to win said beautiful pot for the first time in 21 years too. September 9th 2004, Bellslea Park, Fraserburgh, Aberdeen travelled to play the Broch in their own back yard. A team filled with familiar names such as Considine, Hart, Dick Foster, Mackie and Stewart were taken to extra time by the HFL outfit after a disgraceful, joke late penalty decision to allow Aberdeen to equalise.(This an eye witness account from Broch player on the night and pal Ian “Molby” Murray). Jon Stewart went on to complete his hat trick with a Scott Muirhead goal chucked in to see the Dons take the famous old trophy back down the A90 to Pittodrie with a 4 v 1 win. Since then, Aberdeen have failed to add to their 35 engravings or even reach the final. Tonight’s opponents Formartine have fared better over time since their maiden entry in 2009/10 when they made the step up to the Highland League. The Pitmedden side have reached the final on seven occasions seeing them claim the trophy in 2013/14 (v Inverurie Loco Works) and 2017/18 (v Cove rangers). A definite sense of mostly the bridesmaid for United. Coming into this I had a feeling they would make it a hat trick of wins against the youthful Dons team. But then again, how would the Dons line up after fielding first team players in two of the three previous rounds (Fraserburgh and Buckie Thistle). This left the score predictions until we had a team lines to hand.
All week the Met Office and weather reports have been telling us of yellow warnings and continuing the trend of naming the incoming storm. A newish thing that does nothing but spread fear which is probably the point. Yes we have had storms which have been 70+ mph winds but these yellow weather warnings more often than not turn out to be a false alarm and on that I must doth my cap to the Aberdeenshire and District FA for not falling into the trap of fear. With the Juniors, amateurs and a portion of the Highland League off tomorrow already, the ADFA could have easily called this off but they held out and it turned out to be the correct call. The only down side was the crowd was clearly smaller than it would be on a fine night and without the fear mongering. Many would have seen the news and though “fuck that”. The Harlaw Park stand was maybe 3/4 full and the shed was not exactly rammed at kick off, not even 100 in it. This a tell tale of people being wrapped up at home watching Corrie. The weather was a bit blowly but not the 65+ mph winds at KO and the 95% chance of rain which was bollocks too. This was more than apparent when we walked down the drive to the car at 19.15 before setting off.
With time for a swifty in the social club we were handed a team lines by the barmaid, this changing my view of a Formartine win after seeing Peter Ambrose and Kjartan Kjartansson in the Dons line up. I opted for the 2 v 2 draw where Wee Man was fully behind the Dons win. We both had the thought of Ambrose scoring in common though. The first half was exactly how Wee Man was wanting it to go. The Dons were very good and were playing some really bonnie fitba at times. The attacking from out wide was good and the energy levels were high. I was impressed. Formartine had the first chance of the game when Aaron Norris fired a low drive from 18 yards which Vitols in the Dons goal had to get down to his right sharply to stop. But it was a Dons half from there but it took almost 20 minutes for them to take the lead, this when Ambrose was the man in the right place to calmly knock the out of Stuart McKenzies reach from just inside the box. The striker had judged the touch down well and found himself in enough space to finish. The Dons kept at United and ten minutes later Kjartansson helped himself to the second. It looked so simple from the Icelander. Receiving the ball a couple of yards outside the box dead centre, he set himself up to bend an unstoppable effort into McKenzie’s top left hand corner. A great strike which we had the best view of in the house from our perch at the bottom of the hill. Formartine had a couple of half chances but overall the Dons were cruising here with some cracking performances in the mix, Kjartansson looked a class above but youngsters such as Zak To and Dylan Lobban were both also excellent and Wee Man loved the work rate of Joseph Teasdale who does cover a lot of grass up top. The break came and I have to say I was liking what I was seeing. With Me and junior making a habit of watching the “Aberdeen babies” (Wee Man’s name for the youth team) over the years, this was the best I had seen them stand up to men and the physicality of playing against men. Easily the most impressed I have been seeing them v HFL opposition.
HT 2 v 0
The old game of two halves. Formartine came out a far better team. But the first point of note is, as stated above we have watched the youth side a lot and in the last couple of seasons we have seen keeper Rodrigo Vitols a good few times. With Wee Man’s habit of a half close to each keeper so he can get a look at both, the second half saw Vitols in front of us. He hasn’t half filled out, a big solid loon now is the Latvian Brocher. Anyway it wasn’t long before he was picking the ball out of the net when Scott Adams nodded in a Rory McAllister flick off a Mykyta ball, this after the McAllister had attempted to wrap himself around the post ribs first less than a minute earlier which looked like a bloody sore one. Game on and a good test of the young teams metal, this also with out Kjartannson who left the game at half time which was a notable absence. The game had well and truly swung in Formartine’s favour and the physicality was there to be seen as if they had been told to up it. This is not saying the young Dons could not handle it but it had become a bigger aspect of the match. Formartine were knocking on the door while at the same time nullifying Aberdeen as an attacking threat and did eventually grab the equaliser when ex-Don Aaron Norris headed a Hamish Ritchie cross with pinpoint accuracy across Vitols. Slack defending, a point which could absolutely be argued but Formartine were not to care and in my eyes this game was going one way with the guts of twenty minutes remaining. But to be fair to Aberdeen they held on well, something which I doubt teams seen in the past would have managed to pull off. They were let off in the 90th minute when Hamish Ritchie went down at the apex of the box under a challenge, it looked rash and looked like a penalty to me with Wee Man in agreement. However, the important man in this situation, the ref, told the Formartine playmaker to get up. A big let off one which had a hand in taking the game to penalties once the 90 minutes expired.
FT 2 v 2
Like a true captain Dylan Lobban set the ball rolling by stepping up first putting the Dons up 1 v 0. Formartine captain Graeme Rodger followed suit but he missed when Vitols saved, but the keeper was almost in the social club when Rodger struck the kick as he was so far off his line. Rodger went the same way again as did Vitols who again saved, this time within the laws of the game. Teasdale was second for Aberdeen but McKenzie saved it. Mykyta scored for Formartine, as did Dons defender Carrol. Hamish Ritchie made a mess of his kick as it was too close to Vitols. The cup was one foot on the Dons team bus. Dylan Ross scored for Aberdeen as did his opposite number Matthew McLean. This leaving the it on the shoulders of substitute Tristan Stephen who made no mistake taking the Aberdeenshire Cup back to Pittodrie to sit nicely next to the Scottish Cup.
An enjoyable game under the lights in Inverurie. Many positives to be taken from the youthful Dons just a bit shite the crowd was so low. Dinna believe the Met Office folks, trust the ADFA they were right all along. Even though Zak To had to re-spot the ball twice before a ball was even kicked in this final as it comically blew off the centre spot, the weather wasnt that bad. ” ‘mon the babies” as Wee Man said as the team lifted the trophy. Indeed.
Entrance – Me £12, Wee Man £6
Attendance -361 (rough head count)
Pie – £5.50 pie and coffee
Pint – £4.30, Tennent’s, Locos Social Club
Score Predictions – Me 2 v 2, Wee Man 2 v 0
Season Score Prediction Totals – Me 3 v 1 Wee Man
FITBAWBAG 