Hazlehead, Friendly, 22/7/26
West End Football Club
Fine night and a chance to see the old boy while taking in our first Thistle game of the season at a venue you dont get many chances to view a game these days. A venue that back when I was kid was visited pretty much every second Saturday morning playing Primary fitba. These days the council have given up on it and allowed West End FC to call it home. Clearly there has been a good bit of work and money burned on it which is great to see. There is also a 3G to be built imminently. Things are looking up for the old municipal and good luck to West End and their plans. However, not all the parks have had the TLC yet and Thistle were on one of the throwback pitches. The square posts, the random holes(fell in one while having a kick about with the Wee Man pre game), the wonky goals, the goals that are far too small . Basically if you know Hazlehead fitba of yesteryear you know of the quirks.
The pitch was really poor though and the piles of spent grass lying about was never going to help this pre-season friendly be any sort of spectacle. The ball was sticking, the through balls were holding up, control of the ball was being hampered . I wont polish a turd, the first half was awful. But that wasnt all the fault of the pitch. Thistle were lacking urgency and resorted to aimless passing and punts. While the West End loons tried to play football despite conditions. As it looked like the game was heading to the half blank, Connor Mcleod broke into the box finding Stu Martin who pulled a great reflex save out of the keeper leaving Kyle Davidson a tap in.
HT 0 v 1
Thistle were better in the second half but to be honest that wasnt much of an achievement. The tried to play a bit more on the deck but again the frustration of the ball sticking on the pitch was evident. This also led to over cooked passes galore as players were trying to counteract the conditions. They hit the post twice and had a couple of close calls just wide and over. They probably should have had a pen for handball but referee, a blast from the past from watching Formartine back in the day, Willie Jack said no. Despite Ellon being the better team, West End nabbed an equaliser. A long ball was sent down the left, it wasnt dangerous in any way but Thistle’s keeper for the night, Jamie Milne inexplicably came flying out ended up rounded leaving his goal open to be rolled into . A needless goal. Ellon were soon in the lead again when co-manager Neil Law was played in on the right hand side of the box, to be honest he looked like he had wasted the opportunity as he narrowed his own angle, however this added to the brilliant finish and he struck it with incredible precision across goal into the bottom corner. A superb goal from the recently installed gaffer. A third came via an unfortunate error from the West End keeper who came to collect a routine ball at waist height but spilled leaving the ball to drop at the feet of Davidson who rounded the goalie to thump into the empty net. On Davidson, the new boy looks a player . From here Thistle dominated and West End visibly tired at the back but the score stayed at three not for the want of trying. Ellon have been better in pre-season but are still unbeaten. This was one of those get in and get out with the win type affairs. No matter how it comes.
Interestingly, with the ref being a blast from the past, so was the coach of the West End team. A guy who was a team mate back in the day for Thistle and a pal in general, but also I would have shared a pitch with at Hazlehead playing for Meiklemill back in the school days, Neil Mitchell. Good to get a blether after the game with him.
I have to say, I am glad thats it for pre-season as there hasnt been a good game seen yet.
Entrance – Both Free
Attendance – 47
Pie – N/A
Pint – £4.60, Tennent’s, Palm Court Hotel
Score Predictions – Me 0 v 3, Wee Man 0 v 2
Season Score Predictions Totals – Me 0 v 0 Wee Man
FITBAWBAG 