Aberdeen U18s 4- 1 Hamilton Academical CAS U18 Elite League Friday 14 February Cormack Park
Aberdeen U18s were feeling the love on Valentine’s Day when they defeated Hamilton 4-1 at Cormack Park as they resumed their league campaign.
The young Dons played with heart throughout on the 14th, Rodrigo Vitols saving a first half penalty to keep the encounter goalless at the break, before a double from Joseph Teasdale in the second half and strikes from Tristan Stephen and Victor Enem ensured it was Scott Anderson’s side who swept Accies off their feet.
A Dons corner forced the first Aberdeen chance of the afternoon, the ball sitting up nicely for Tristan Stephen to strike a half volley from close range, his rising effort always destined to clear the crossbar.
Another chance for Aberdeen soon followed with Masson racing onto Sam Paynes ball, he flashed an effort goal bound that was turned behind for another Dons corner.
Victor Enem was unlucky not to have an assist to his name when he whipped a brilliant cross into the path of Joseph Teasdale, he was in the right spot at the back post but the No.11 was unable to make proper contact, and the chance went abegging.
After a flurry of chances for the Dons, the game quickly became quite a cagey affair with both sides struggling to carve out anything meaningful. It looked like the Aberdeen defence had been done by a ball over the top, with Herd racing through on goal for Accies, but the linesman’s flag on the far side was raised.
Just before the 40 minute mark Hamilton were awarded a penalty but any Accies hope of taking the lead were dismissed by an excellent stop from Rodrigo Vitols who got down fast to his right to make a super save when it was needed.
In the blink of an eye the Dons were then unfortunate not to take the lead. Teasdale got ont be end of a short back pass and raced around Reynolds in the Hamilton goal, from the tightest of tight angles he could only find the side netting.
Half-time. Aberdeen 0-0 Hamilton.
The Dons defence was called in action early on in the second half to make a series of blocks and saves in quick succession as the visitors looked for the opening goal.
The opening goal did come just before the hour mark – and it was the Dons who grabbed it through Teasdale, he curled an effort beyond Reynolds after a sudden barrage of Aberdeen pressure brought on a few chances, one of them enough to break the deadlock.
Teasdale almost had a second not long after. Payne slipped the forward in on goal, he was to be denied only be a big hand from Reynolds.
The second goal arrived soon however and it was Tristan Stephen who got it. He raced onto Masson’s through ball and slotted under the ‘keeper to double his side’s advantage.
Suddenly it was raining goals at Cormack Park and Teasdale got his second and his sides third of the day, the forward done well to get on the receiving end of Massons long ball and smash beyond Reynolds in a flash. 3-0.
Hamilton were given another penalty after 73 minutes, for what looked like a fairly innocent collision, and this time it was Rundell who stepped up – he managed to do what his teammate could not earlier in the contest, sending Vitols the wrong way.
There was time for one more Dons goal and it was Enem who grabbed it with a half volley from the edge of the box to wrap up the scoring. His hopeful effort took a series of deflections on its way to wards goal that helped wrong foot Reynolds, but it counted all the same.
Andrew Fasanya replaced Payne towards the end of play, and with a few minutes on the clock, Aaron Cummings and Bradley Chikomo were also introduced, they replaced Searle and Payne.
Full-time, Aberdeen 4-1 Hamilton.
STATS
Aberdeen: Vitols, Enem, Ross, Payne (Fasanya 75’), Masson, Stephen (Cummings 86’), Teasdale, Green, Searle (Chikomo 86’), Henderson, McDonnell
Subs not used: Douglas
GOALS: Teasdale 57’ 66’ Stephen 63’ Enem 80’
BOOKED: Payne 52’ Henderson 71’ Ross 93’
Hamilton: Reynolds, Eadie, Lyon’s, Daly, Reilly, Aitken, Herd, Bennett, Cameron, Rundell, Carson
Substitutes: Marks, Eguagie, Bell, Crum, Quinn
