Balmoral Stadium, Ian Napier Memorial Trophy, 26/5/26
Finally the belated ‘challenge match’ between last seasons Division 1 (North) and Division 1 (East) champions, a super cup as it is. A trophy which is surely redundant now with the league reconstructions last summer. Originally scheduled at Rothie Rovers earlier in the season this game was waterlogged off. One which I would have missed due to work, so even though the rescheduling put it down to Cove Rangers, a ground I really am not a big fan of I cant complain as at least I get to see it.
After watching Ellon Thistle at the weekend get done in by a far better St Laurence I was not too sure what to expect here. It surely couldnt be worse could it? I had a feeling the mighty Jags would up their game for this to the levels that have seen them unlucky against some of the big hitters in the league this season.
Going into this the Jags were unbeaten versus their fellow teuchters. 1 v 1 was the score on Donside and 3 v 1 it was at the Meadows in Ellon. But with Ellon’s recent form I am sure the bookies would have had Alford as favourites. The bookies would also have shortened the odds going by the patched up Thistle team that started the match, which again saw veteran Steven “Mo” Morris in goal as Saturday did. Once again team selection was hampered with no shows and players carrying knocks this along with attitudes of some . They would have shortened further going by the first half goings on too. Put simply Alford were the better team at Balmoral and by quite a bit. They had plenty space and looked the more dangerous going forward while Ellon couldn’t hold on to the ball for more than five seconds. The first big threat for Alford came via a well worked move which culminated in Zac Scott rattling Mo’s left hand post. There was a then a penalty shout, I cannot comment too much as it was at the far end and if you know Balmoral, from one end to the other is a huge distance. The ref waved it away immediately which was noticed. Morris was then forced into a superb reaction save with his right foot. Some reactions for a 50 odd year old. He then pulled off another fine save to his right at full stretch but this time Alford had the rebound in the net. Very reminiscent of a goal conceded on Saturday against St Laurence, but on this occasion it was ruled offside. But Morris was picking the ball out of the net soon after and this time it counted. A strange goal it was too. A cross from the right dropped in the box and again the distance between one end and the causes havoc with your view but it seemed to hit an Alford mans back and sneak into the net. Myself and the nights company of Milinkovic Stevic and ex-Thistle man Ally Rirey tried to work out how that possibly went in. Wee Man even let out a “what happened there”. Who knows but we knew the score.
HT 1 v 0
As stated I am not a fan of Balmoral Stadium in general but two things I will say, the pies are quality and so is the kick about. There are training goals which make for an ace crossbar challenge opportunity. Two things we partook in during the break.
It goes without saying, Thistle needed to up their game for second half but one positive to take from the first half, the balls into the corners looked like they would pay off at some point. Alfords right side of their defence didn’t look too comfortable on the turn. Had this been picked up by Thistle? I was interested to see if Thistle would have a real go in the second half. They did and if Alford were the better team in the first Thistle were in the second. To get all cliche on you, they needed a ‘reaction’ and that’s what happened. The Ellon men were very much more on the front foot than at any point of the first half but the were wasteful if not lacking in creation at times too. In amongst this there was an epically contentious moment when Alford were given a penalty for handball against Coutts. Yes it hit his arm but good god, how can this be even remotely a penalty. One, Deej was barged towards the ball, to add to this his arm was hard against his body and not in an unnatural position nor making his body bigger. A mad decision, Alford claimed and rightfully so and I wouldn’t expect anything else it surely aided the decision. True to form I was off on a fucking rage adding my tuppence worth towards the officials and their ideas. So much so I didn’t even see who stepped up and took the pen, I saw the kick struck off the bar at which point I retuned to venting my spleen at the ref. Justice prevailed but still, I thought seeing the Como penalty v Cremonese on Monday would be the worst I would see this season but I was wrong. This takes the biscuit. But as these thing sometimes do, this was to be a shot in the arm for Thistle and they levelled things. A free kick on half way was sent into the box by Coutts, this was knocked on by Webster with the ball dropping to Lewis McLauchlin who finished past Burnett in the Alford goal. Game on and I genuinely believed this was it for Thistle, they would crack on and win it, but it didn’t materialize and just as penalties looked on the cards Alford scored in the 94th minute when a cross in to the box evaded Morris, Bisset, Stewart and whoever else was in the box to see Alford man Fraser Booth unmarked at the back post to head past Morris. A hammer blow late in the game. But the action wasn’t over and Thistle had an effort from Michael Moffat cleared off the line in what must have been the 96th minute after which which the final whistle was controversially blown while Thistle were clearly still on the attack. By this I mean the clearance had landed at Glen Sangster crossed only to see the ball back at his feet and as he was clearly away to cross from the edge of the box the whistle sounded. Maybe my Jags tinted specs are playing a part here but surely you cant blow then? Anyway Alford were the winners and fair play and congratulations to them. This is actually the second time we have seen them win this trophy (22/23 at Glenury Park v Nicolls XI the other occasion) and its the third time in their history as they won the inaugural shield in 1984/85. What happens with the Ian Napier Memorial Trophy now then? Quite fitting if Alford may have won the first and last.
Entrance – Both Free
Attendance – 136
Pie – £9.50 Pie, coffee, Juice, Aero
Pint -N/A
Score Predictions – Me 1 v 2 , Wee Man 1 v 1
Seasons Score Prediction Totals – Me 3 v 3 Wee Man
FITBAWBAG 