Huntly v Aberdeen Development Aberdeenshire Shield (Round 1) Tuesday 21st October, 8pm. Christie Park
Huntly 2 | Grant 45′ 46′
Aberdeen 3 | Teasdale 15′ 53′, Ambrose 22′
Summary:
An Aberdeen Development Side travelled to Christie Park on Tuesday night to face Huntly FC in the Aberdeenshire Shield. Hot off the heels of their Aberdeenshire Cup win, Stuart Duff’s side were looking to bring more silverware back to Cormack Park, especially in this competition, one Aberdeen have never won before.
Aberdeen booked their place into the 2nd round of the Aberdeenshire Shield after beating Highland League opponents Huntly FC in a five goal thriller. Joseph Teasdale and Peter Ambrose gave the Dons the lead early on before Angus Grant gave Huntly a lifeline with the last kick of the first half. Grant would come alive again to level the score under a minute into the 2nd half. However, Teasdale sealed the victory with a 53rd minute strike.
Report:
The hosts nearly took the lead in the opening three minutes as Kai Watson lined one up from 30 yards. The strike looked destined for the top right corner, not for the fingertips of Rodrigo Vitols.
Stewart’s corner gave the Dons their opportunity of the night after 12 minutes. The Black and Gold’s backline dealt could only head clear to the edge of the box, where Noah McDonnell connected first time to force a save from Wilson.
The deadlock was broken right on the quarter-hour mark in the way of the visitors. Lewis Carrol showed off his passing range, clipping a ball for Dylan Lobban down the right channel. The skipper raced past Watson and drove into the box unchallenged, doing well to pick his head up and tee up Teasdale for a routine tap-in.
Aberdeen thought they had their 2nd a minute later in a goalmouth scramble for the ages. Lobban received the ball in an identical position on the right wing. Instead of squaring, this time the captain struck, forcing an awkward save for Wilson, who did enough to touch the ball unto the post. Teasdale looked destined to score the rebound as he pounced on the loose ball just to have his shot blocked on the goal line. Ambrose thought he added the final touch as it popped up to him after the striker’s header was also cleared off the line by Wilson and Connelly.
The Dons weren’t made to rue that triple opportunity as in the 22nd minute, Aberdeen doubled their lead in an eerily similar fashion to their first, just on the opposite side. Dylan Ross’s lobbed through ball found Mitchell Frame flying down the left-hand side. Frame brought the ball down in his stride, beating Connelly for pace before teeing up Ambrose to finish past Wilson with ease.
From then on it was all Aberdeen. The Dons settled into the game and created chances at will. Mitchell Frame and Dylan Lobban particularly impressed getting up and down the touchline to support Bavidge and Teasdale. Strikes from Dylan Ross, Teasdale, and Ambrose all called Wilson into action, making it look a certain that Aberdeen would score again.
Ross’s deep cross into Ambrose was the closest the Dons came to the third goal as the Nigerian’s header just bounced wide of the post on the 27th minute.
Ryan Sewell cleared the ball on the line after Ambrose would get again test his luck. Lewis Carrol picked out Teasdale with a through ball down the right channel with the forward unselfishly squaring across to Bavidge. His shot was blocked but fell to Ambrose whose rebounded effort was miraculously hoofed away from goal by the Huntly midfielder late into the first period.
In virtually the last kick of the half, Huntly gave themselves a lifeline. Lewis Crosbie’s delivery saw Angus Grant sneak in front of his marker to finish past Vitols on the swivel. The Latvian did get a hand a fingertip to it, but not enough to keep his clean sheet.
Half Time: Huntly 1-2 Aberdeen
Huntly began the 2nd period with intent. Connelly won his duel against Stewart and Frame, then laid it across to Callum Youngson, who was free on the edge of the box. The midfielder expertly picked out Grant with a defence splitting ball through the multiple bodies in the box. Grant slid the ball past Vitols to complete his brace seconds into the half.
Not long after Teasdale put Aberdeen 3-2 ahead. Ross won possession from Morris on the halfway line before quickly playing through Alfie Bavidge, catching the Black and Golds out. Bavidge looked destined to cut in on his right and have a pop, but the forward slipped through Teasdale making a run past him. Teasdale made no mistake slotting past Wilson with his left foot in the 53rd’.
Aberdeen grew better as the half went on however Huntly still had their opportunities. Connelly’s deep cross was flicked on by Grant which Robertson just headed over – giving the Dons a scare just after the hour mark.
Noah McDonnell pulled up early into the 2nd half and was forced off. Sam McLean came on and into midfield meaning Alfie Stewart deputised as a makeshift centre back for the remainder of the evening.
The visitors prodded throughout the 2nd half but were finding real chances difficult to come by.
Huntly remained in the game and nearly found the leveller late into the half. Lewis Crosbie burst past Searle to cross into the box matching the late run by substitute Matthew Wallace who headed into the crossbar. Grant was denied by an excellent reaction save by Vitols.
Crosbie again shows his quality delivering again for Wallace. The midfielder’s diving header this time was fired down the throat of Vitols – a chance that surely would’ve taken thee game to penalties.
Stuart Duff changed up his forward line in the final few moments of the game bringing on Tristan Stephen and Bradley Chikomo for Teasdale and Bavidge. The former combined for the final chance of the evening as Stephen pass was just too far for Chikomo to tap home at the far post however the job was already done.
Huntly: Wilson, Connelly, McNaughton, Sewell, Robertson (Allen 70’), Grant (C) ( Logan 80’) Youngston, Crosbie, Watson, Morris, Robb (Wallace 46’).
Subs: Ritchie (GK), Heslop, Logan, Allen, Wallace, Matczak, Michie
Bookings: Grant 10’
Goals: Grant 45’, 46’
Aberdeen: Vitols, Lobban (C) (Searle 62’), Ross, Carrol, Stewart, Bavidge (Stephen 86’), Teasdale (Chikomo 86’) McDonnell (McLean 66’), Frame, Kjartansson, Ambrose (To’ 46’)
Subs: Douglas (GK), To, Searle, Green, McLean, Stephen, Chikomo
Bookings: Frame 48’
Goals: Teasdale 15’ 53’, Ambrose 22’
