Elgin City 2 Aberdeen Development 2
Borough Briggs
KDM Evolution Trophy
Saturday 11th October 2025
Attendance: 678
An Aberdeen Development Side travelled to Borough Briggs to take on Scottish League Two side Elgin City in the KDM Evolution Trophy.
The Young Dons were forced to settle for a draw after a lively 2–2 encounter with Elgin City at Borough Briggs. Despite a quickfire double from Joseph Teasdale turning the game around in the first half, the young Dons couldn’t hold on as Kane Hester’s late strike earned the hosts a share of the spoils.
Report:
Aberdeen kicked off proceedings and immediately pinned Elgin City back in the opening minutes. Jack Searle cut inside onto his right foot and fired at McHale, who spilled the shot before recovering well to deny Teasdale on the follow-up.
Despite the early pressure, it was Elgin City who struck first with their first real sight of goal. A throw in deep into the Dons’ half found Lyall Booth, who slipped a clever ball through for Ryan Sargent’s run in behind Lobban and To. With defenders closing him down, Sargent struck across his body into the bottom-right corner to give the hosts a 1–0 lead after just ten minutes.
Aberdeen’s response was emphatic and spectacular. A flowing move from back to front ended with Teasdale curling home an equaliser after a brilliant passing sequence. Lewis Carrol received a switch from Masson and drove forward from defence to the edge of the Elgin box. He fed To, who rolled the ball back to Stephen, and with one touch, Stephen slipped in Teasdale to finish coolly past McHale 13 minutes in.
Moments later, Teasdale doubled his tally. Captain Dylan Lobban produced a trademark driving run down the right, beating Booth with ease before cutting into the box and squaring for Teasdale to tap in from close range. Aberdeen had turned the game on its head inside 20 minutes.
The next chance fell the way of the Dons, and it looked a guarantee that Teasdale would get his third of the afternoon. Alfie Stewart won possession in midfield before playing the ball to Stephen who with his first touch, cushioned it to Teasdale who was in the clear. Perhaps taking too long to pick his spot, the striker fired low and hard to McHale’s right, but the keeper managed to extend his foot to make the stop after 21 minutes.
It was all Aberdeen following their second. Another golden chance fell to Stephen, after Stewart split the defence with a perfectly weighted through ball for Lobban. The skipper squared across goal, but Stephen blazed over the bar.
Continuing their attacking onslaught and looking for their all-important third, Aaron Cumming’s drive past O’Connor and Dingwall saw him have the choosing of Stewart and Teasdale who were both breaking a neck to get into the box. Cummings chose to slide in Stewart, whose attempt forced a save again from the Elgin City keeper.
Lobban then went close himself, nicking the ball off O’Connor before unleashing a speculative effort from range on 40 minutes.
Half-Time: Elgin City 1-2 Aberdeen
Elgin came out for the second half with renewed energy. Jack Maciver’s early free-kick from the edge of the box tested Douglas, looping over the Dons’ wall and forcing the keeper into action.
Another Maciver set piece caused problems moments later, his delivery to the back post met by Matthew Cooper, but Carrol stood strong, battling to clear the danger.
Substitute Josh Walker tried his luck next, unleashing an audacious strike that looked destined for the top corner, only for Douglas to claw his way to the ball. The Aberdeen keeper was far busier in the opening stages of the second half than he’d been throughout the first.
Aberdeen struggled to regain their rhythm after the interval, forced to pick their moments carefully. Aaron Cummings won a free-kick in a promising position, and Stewart’s curling effort seemed destined for the net before McHale stretched to palm it away.
Elgin’s pressure grew as the half wore on. Just a minute later, Booth’s whipped cross found Maciver, whose volley was straight at Douglas when an equaliser looked certain.
With 20 minutes remaining, Elgin thought they had drawn level when Connall Ewan nodded in from a corner, but the referee halted the celebrations, blowing for a foul in the build-up.
The hosts finished the match as the stronger side, piling the pressure on Aberdeen much as the Dons had done in the first half. Walker, Sargent, and Maciver all threatened, forcing the young visitors into mistakes deep in their own half.
That pressure finally told late on. A hopeful lob into the box was brought down superbly by substitute Kane Hester, who poked home the equaliser despite Carrol’s desperate goal-line clearance.
Full-time: Elgin City 2-2 Aberdeen Development Side.
STATS:
Aberdeen: Douglas (GK), Lobban (C), Carrol, Masson, Stewart, Teasdale (Hulse 93’), Stephen, To, Cummings (McLean 66’), Searle (Chikomo 72’), Nilsen
Substitutes: Waldron (GK), McLean, Green, Hulse, Chikomo
Bookings: Stewart 48’, Cummings 51’, Nilsen 73’, Carrol 90’
Goals: Teasdale 13′, 20′
Elgin City: McHale (GK), Cooper (C), Booth, Virtanen (Walker 46’), Murray, Dingwall (Hester 72’), Cameron (Macdonald 73’), Sargent, O’Connor (Spalding 46’), Ewan, Maciver
Substitutes: Ritchie (GK), Hester, Spalding, Draper, Walker, Obasoto, Macdonald
Bookings: Ewan 28’, Cameron 81’, Walker 90’
Goals: Sargent 10′, Hester 89′
