Saturday 19th March 2022 S1 vs Westhill S1 Match Report

Report on Bucksburn Academy First Year v Westhill Academy First Year, CNR International League - Saturday 19th March 2022, by Walter Craig

Bucksburn and Westhill Share The Points In The Top Of The Table Clash.

Bucksburn Academy First Year
Sebastian Castillo, Jack Fordyce, Logan Taylor, Noah Sahar, Milan George, Ethan Bain, Clark Whyte, Dahen Vixamar, Lewis Mair, Alex McMurray and Ethan Reid. Subs: Miller Giles and Fraser Bruce.

Westhill Academy First Year
Joe Huntington, Owen Forbes, Gabe White, Alex Ferrier, Robbie Mitchell, Samuel Dennis, Seif Fahmy Mahmoud, Calum Bell, Keir Robson, Matthew Rangel and Jack Taylor. Subs: Hussein Hassan, Ewan McLeish and Matthew Grassick.

Referee A. Cunningham

And then there were three. The wet midweek weather caused a number of postponements in the Aberdeen Secondary Schools Football Leagues and nowhere more so than in the Under 13 League A. This did not prevent the possibility of Saturday’s game between Bucksburn and Westhill having a major say in which team will be top of the tree at the end, although Hazlehead might just have something to say about that.

Westhill kicked the match off under the novelty strong sunlight kicking towards the school end and the early stages were played mainly in midfield. Bucksburn were starting to gain control of things and an early free kick from the right when Clark Whyte was brought down tested the visiting defence.

It was Lewis Mair who created the next chance after a good run down the left but no one was able to force his fine cross home.

Mair and Ethan Reid both had chances when the ball was squared across goal but it eventually reached Joe Huntington. The keeper was being kept pretty busy as the game reached the midway point of the half saving a snap shot from Dahen Vixamar and then racing well out of his box to clear a long ball which went beyond his defenders.

He looked likely to be beaten in the eighteenth minute following a good Bucksburn move involving Reid and Whyte saw the ball eventually reach Mair on the left but he did well to keep the shot out.

Westhill eventually broke into the home box ten minutes from the interval when Matthew Rangel was crowded out after a smart run down the right. Jack Taylor tried his luck from a similar position and gained a corner which was well blocked by Vixamar.

In the twenty fifth minute the away team came close to opening the scoring. Bucksburn thought they had cleared a corner but the ball was picked up by Robbie Mitchell whose strong shot fairly whistled past Seb Castillo’s right hand post.

Bucksburn were finishing the half strongly. A lobbed shot from Mair saw Mitchell help his keeper by sending the ball behind and, from the corner, a flashing header flew inches past.

No goals to show at the interval after what had been a cagey half with both teams having spells when they were on top.

Half Time: Bucksburn Academy First Year 0 - 0 Westhill Academy First Year

It was in each team’s best interest to go all out for a winner and it looked as if that had been the main message delivered at the respective half time talks.

Bucksburn began the second period purposefully, with Milan George coming close with a try from just outside the box which went just wide.

They were stunned in three minutes, however, when the visitors took the lead. A long pass out of defence bounced awkwardly for Castillo before falling to Seif Fahmy Mahmoud. The midfielder was able to gather and then slot the ball into the vacant net.

Bucksburn reacted well to this set back and the play was to range from one end to the other for the remainder of the match. Joe Huntington would race from his goal once more at one end and then Westhill would gain yet another corner by placing the home defence under pressure.

Something had to give, and the home team equalised with nine minutes left to play. Whyte had the ball wide on the right and tried his luck with a high shot from twenty five yards. His attempt sailed over Huntington’s head and dropped into his net at the far post.

The fat was in the fire now and the levels ramped up as the game entered the final stages providing great excitement for those watching. A passage of play summed up the end to end nature of the contest as both team searched for another goal. The ball came through the middle of the visitors’ defence causing Huntington to race out to clear yet another time. His kick found substitute Matthew Grassick twenty yards from goal with only Castillo to beat. The forward lobbed the ball over the keeper but, unfortunately for him, the ball went over the bar and the chance was lost.

The final whistle went seconds later and with neither side deserving to lose, the general feeling was that a share of the spoils was appropriate.

The same three teams remain in with a chance of finishing top of the league so it remains all to play for with just a few games left.

Final Score: Bucksburn Academy First Year 1 - 1 Westhill Academy First Year