The Meadows, North of Scotland Cup 2nd Round, 15/11/25
Me still 359,Wee Man still 216
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
77 days have elapsed since the Jags have played in the league with another cup tie coming their way today. (This will increase to 91 days as there is another cup tie next week). Quite astonishing figures. If cup ties are taking priority, Thistle will be playing no games shortly if they keep going the way they are going. A third cup exit in three Saturdays it was after today
Looking at the team warming up on the once again cracking Meadows surface it was clear the team was missing a few boys. Keeper Kieran Johnson was the obvious, the number one still out with a knee injury from the plastic pitch in the Scottish Cup down the road(one of the three who had been injured on that park). Liam Kerr you could say the same for but there was also the lack of Harvey McIntyre, Craig Simpson, Brad Whyte and Shawn Bruce. But this cannot be used as an excuse for what unfolded at the Meadows today. This in a nutshell was just plain shite. It was game which almost didn’t go ahead due to referee issues and to be honest many will wish it didnt. The original ref pulled out injured but with Kemnay Amateurs scratching v Cowie Thistle the referee from Kemnay was instead sent to Ellon to oversee this shambles.
Simply, Thistle were defeated by three identical balls over the top to find pacey Murdo Reid up top, who while notching the first two himself, set up team mate Cammy Mann for the third. These all coming in the first half hour. They all came from a lack of desire to stop the balls whether not winning the ball of goal kicks or just allowing acres of space . It was all just far too easy.
Ellon must have been in the 80%+ range of possession throughout but it came to absolutely nothing. The only talking points Ellon wise were a stonewall penalty denied when Stu Martin was bundled to the deck with a two handed push to the back. I am sure the crow perched on the adjacent rugby goals knew it was a pen. However the ref didn’t bother. The next talking point was when the same player was hooked after the third goal to allow a four at the back to be installed after the shambles that had unfolded with the three. This the striker took great umbrage too. But the real story of the half, Huntly had taken advantage of Ellon’s failings and fair play to them.
HT 0 v 3
Second half, again Thistle were easily in the 80%+ possession and again like the first period, when on the ball looked good and were sweeping the ball up the park well on the deck and at pace but again,when it came to a final ball there was nothing. Absolutely nothing. To be fair they were a lot better second half and did not allow Huntly to offer anything,but more importantly, simultaneously offering next to nothing themselves. Nothing of note was happening which in turn led to numerous ambitious pot shots from distance, none of which troubled Liam Goodall in the Hams goal. On a similar note. Barring a save in the second minute of the match, Ellon’s stand in keeper Danny Smith genuinely did not touch the ball with his hands for the next 88 minutes given the amount of the ball the home side saw. Thistle thought they had scored with 15 to go when Callum Donald was on hand to leather an effort off the bar, it looked well in when it bounced down but the spin took it out of the goal. The referee 40 yards away waved it away. Quite possibly a goal but in truth they didn’t deserve anything from this game and they went crashing out of the NOS Cup with a whimper. Possession stats count for nothing if you dont know what to do with it. The only stat that ever matters is the score. Very poor stuff.
I blame this on Kemnay Amateurs for scratching. Do I get away with that?
Entrance – Both Free
Attendance – 51
Pie – Took my own coffee and Dairy Milks
Pint – £4.90, Tennent’s, New Inn
Score Predictions – Me 2 v 0, Wee Man 3 v 1
Season Score Predictions Total – Me 3 v 1 Wee Man
FITBAWBAG 