CROWDS TURN OUT FOR FINALS DAY AS 29^TH AIFF DRAWS TO A CLOSE

The combined efforts of Aberdeen Football Club and AIFF ground-staff to ensure the main pitch at Seaton Park was playable paid dividends with all four of Saturday's finals going ahead as planned in front of excellent crowds.

The opening final of the day was the girls clash between Aberdeen FC Girls United and East End, who started as favourites, having won 3-1 when the sides met earlier in the week. However, it was Aberdeen who started the stronger, and after Lauren Beaton's shot had been palmed away for a corner by Rhiannah Law, they took the lead after four minutes, Dani McALLISTER driving a low shot into the net past Law.

It was end to end action and after McAllister almost scored again, Leonie Simpson saw her effort well saved by Sarah Thomson. Midway through the opening period, East End equalised when a Simpson shot was diverted past Thomson by defender Sam SOMERS.

Despite chances at both ends, with End's Chelsea Lownie and Aberdeen's Beaton particularly prominent, there was no further scoring before the interval but ten minutes after the restart Aberdeen restored the lead when Alex ACKERS scored with a fine angled drive from just inside the area.

Three minutes later, the Dons girls extended their advantage when Sarah Campbell failed to properly clear her lines and McALLISTER nipped in between the defender and keeper Law to prod the ball home.

Despite further opportunities that was the end of the scoring and Aberdeen FC Girls United held out to retain the trophy they won twelve months ago.

Aberdeen FC Girls Utd - Thomson, Brown, Reid (Grieve), Ridgeway, Ackers, Beaton, Robertson, Harper, McDonald (Center), Somers, McAllister (Bell).

East End - Law, Bruce, Campbell (Ferries), Coleman, Lownie, Milne (Work), Maver, Simpson, Watt, Westland, Webster.

With Aberdeen U14s facing rivals Dundee United, the Boys 14's final attracted a healthy attendance and both sides saw early opportunities come to nothing with United's Connor Flynn and Dons' Scott Ferries both missing the target.

Aberdeen's Cameron Smith was looking lively and his ball to Greg Mitchell ended with a shot that was inches wide before the same player danced past three United defenders before sending in an inviting low cross which had no takers.

United were coming more into it and after 21 minutes they took the lead when slack defending allowed Jordan ALLAN in to fire a low shot that gave Dean Easton no chance.

Four minutes later United almost made it two when Scott Fraser saw his well struck free kick come crashing back off the crossbar.

On the stroke of half-time Smith and David Piggott combined with the latter finishing well only for the assistant's flag to be raised for offside and then United's Flynn was yellow carded for persistent fouling.

The Dons showed a marked improvement after the break and only a last gasp block from Gerald Lunday prevented Piggott from levelling in 53 minutes and a minute later Oliver MacIntosh saw his thunderbolt of a shot cannon off the upright.

Shortly afterwards the other post came to United's rescue, this time from Ross Still, the Dons full back's disappointment compounded when he was booked for a foul on Allan.

Although Aberdeen were dominating, United were far from out of it and Easton had to be at his best to save from Fraser. However, with ten minutes remaining, the Dons equalised when United failed to clear their lines allowing SMITH to nip in between Jamie Fyffe and Lunday to prod the ball home.

And with extra-time looking a certainty, Aberdeen struck again in the final minute with a sensational winner. Jamie Hamilton's corner wasn't cleared properly and SMITH's clever header from twelve yards looped over Fyffe and into the net to seal a victory that was properly deserved on the second half showing.

Aberdeen - Easton, Craig (Henry), Still, Smith, Piggott, Hamilton, Ferries, Mullen (Fitzpatrick), Forbes, Mitchell, O. MacIntosh.

Dundee United - Fyffe, Hynes (Spark), Petrie, Davidson, Lunday, Soutar, Smith, Gauld, Allan (Montgomery), Flynn, Fraser.

*AIFF Festival Director Gordon Naismith paid tribute to the many volunteers who made sure that Saturday's Finals Day went ahead as planned despite Friday's deluge. "At one point it did look as though we were going to have to toss a coin to decide the winners but thankfully we managed to get the surface just about playable.

"A huge thanks to Aberdeen Football Club and Neil Kitchener in particular, for helping out and of course our own staff, under the supervision of George Davidson, also played their part.

"The atmosphere at Saturday evening's closing ceremony at the Beach Ballroom was absolutely tremendous and the boys and girls who took part clearly had a whale of a time which makes all the hard work worthwhile. We now of course start planning for next year's 30^th AIFF when we would hope to have something special to mark such a milestone."