Aberdeen U18s 3– 2 Queen’s Park U18s Club Academy Scotland U18 Elite League Friday 7th March 2025 Cormack Park
Summary: The Dons hosted Queen’s Park in the final round of fixtures before the league split. The visitors sat 6th going into this one but did come with the confidence of knocking the Dons out of the Scottish FA Youth Cup back in December.
A Lewis Carroll suspension gave Oliver Green a start along with returns to the XI for Jack Searle and Tristan Stephen. Samuel Payne was handed a start after impressing against both Rangers and Celtic.
Aberdeen showed great resilience to come from behind and secure a dramatic 3-2 victory over Queen’s Park. Despite taking an early lead through Tristan Stephen’s opportunistic strike, the Dons found themselves trailing at the break after Maclachlan’s equaliser and a Falls’ penalty.
A second-half fightback saw Chikomo level the score before Teasdale completed the turnaround with a composed finish in the closing stages. Vitols then produced a vital stoppage-time save to ensure Aberdeen claimed all three points in an entertaining contest.
Report:
The home side opened the scoring early doors and in strange fashion. Rory Campbell was the recipient of a back pass with time to pick an option. The Spider’s keeper opted to clear the ball up field, but by the time he would attempt his decision, a hungry Tristan Stephen smartly closed down the angle, leaving Campbell no choice but to quickly boot the ball away. In doing so, Stephen stuck a leg out hoping for the best and would be rewarded for his efforts as Campbell’s clearance deflected off the striker’s foot and into the back of the net.
Stephen’s smart flick would nearly lead to the Dons’ second as Payne ran onto the pass and squared the ball across into Teasdale who was bursting into the penalty area. The ball would just be in front of the in-form forward who threw himself into the thick of things.
A corner would give The Spiders their leveller after 20 minutes. The ball was floated into the box before shouts of handball from Aberdeen’s defence echoed across Cormack Park, however, the referee would let the play run on. Sam Maclachlan was the most aware of the situation at hand to stab home whilst the Dons protested.
An equaliser seemed to be beckoning for Aberdeen as they began to grow in confidence. Payne would latch onto a Dylan Ross cross, heading towards the back post where Teasdale was lurking, but once again the pass was just in front of him.
A long ball from Campbell would set Murray-Smith on his way. The winger did well to beat Green before driving into the box where he was met with strong pressure from McDonnell. The defender and attacker both tussled in what looked like a 50/50 battle, but the referee deemed otherwise blowing his whistle to award Queen’s Park a penalty.
Connor Falls would make no mistake as he expertly dispatched his spot kick down the middle as Vitols dove to his left on 35 minutes.
Recovering well from the penalty, Vitols provided an unbelievable save just minutes later. Following a quick throw, Falls would tee the ball up for himself before turning on a sixpence to volley at the near post. The Dons captain saved the ball onto the post before diving low to recover the ball that seemed destined to trickle past the goal line.
From then on, the Young Dons would struggle to break down the organised Queen’s Park backline leaving Scott Anderson with a lot to consider at half time.
Half-Time Aberdeen 1-2 Queen’s Park
The Young Dons began the second half much better than the first, not allowing the visitors as much time on the ball. For their efforts, however, Aberdeen struggled to create any real chances before the hour mark.
A stoppage in play to nurse an injury to Payne would allow both benches to call their players in to re-group. This would be the turning point for the home side as from then on, the momentum would fully shift in their favour.
Ross would come close to equalising the score as his header forced a save out of Campbell giving the Spiders their first warning sign of the second half.
Aberdeen would pile on the pressure after this. A surge of Jack Searle-inspired attacks would force the Queens Park line deeper than they would have liked.
Bradley Chikomo would capitalise on a loose pass back from Queens Park to tie the game after 72 minutes. The substitute would show real composure in his finish as he would poke the ball through the legs of Campbell to a real roar from his teammates as they sensed a winner in sight.
Searle nearly provided such a minute later as he would cut in on his right foot to force a save and recovery collection out of Campbell.
Chikomo would be involved yet again as he teed up Teasdale on the penalty spot but his attempt would fly over the bar.
The comeback was complete on 83 minutes, and it was Teasdale who made no mistake with his finish this time. Cooper Masson’s quick feet on the edge of the box would open up space for the forward to run into. A perfectly weighted through ball from Masson found Teasdale on the last line who then curled the ball into the bottom left corner for his 5th goal in three matches.
The party was nearly spoiled for the Dons as Lees was found free at the back post by Clark in the 92nd minute. The substitute headed down and into the ground, but Vitols read the situation perfectly and sprawled to make the crucial save, winning his side the match.
Full Time: Aberdeen 3-2 Queen’s Park
STATS:
Aberdeen: Vitols, Green, Ross, Henderson, Payne, Masson, Stephen (Chikomo 62’), Teasdale, Searle, To (Cummings 76’), McDonnell
Unused subs: Simpson, Duncan, Fasanya
Goals: Stephen 13’, Chikomo 72’, Teasdale 83’
Bookings: To, Searle
Queen’s Park: Campbell, Clark, Riddell, Reid, Fisher, Matheson, Thomson, Murray (Lees 74’), Falls, Maclachlan (Goldie 74’), Murray-Smith (Morrow 45’)
Unused subs: Oguama, Williamson, Gibson
Goals: Maclachlan 20’, Falls 35’ (pen)
Bookings: Thomson
