Thursday 20th April 2023 Portlethen Seniors vs Cults Seniors President's Trophy Final Match Report

Report on Portlethen Academy Seniors v Cults Academy Seniors, Presidents Trophy Final, Thursday 20th April 2023, by Walter Craig

Portlethen Have the Edge on Cults as They Lift the Presidents Trophy

Portlethen Academy Seniors
Blair Thompson, Sean McNally, Freddie Kinghan, Thomas Paterson, Lewis Grant, Tom Chalmers, Jamie Cowell, Ben Brown, Callum More, Finlay Dyce and Glen Robertson. Subs Craig Jamieson, Ross Young and Jack Brown.

Cults Academy Seniors
Noah Blanksby, Innes Alexander, Matthew Young, Harris Clubb, Callum Beedie, Aidan Livingston, Carson Thomson, Damon Collins, James Whitson, Conrad Slessor and Connall Gove. Subs Finlay Mackintosh, Olisa Anyaegbunam, Ade Obawole and Martin Thomson.

Referee Bob Eden

Cults and Portlethen Academies Senior Teams locked horns in the final of the Presidents Trophy at Lochside Academy Astro on the last day before the examination break. There can be no favourites in a game like this despite Cults having defeated their opponents earlier in the campaign.

Cults kicked off but it was Portlethen who had the first attempt on goal with Tom Chalmers shooting narrowly over. A good crowd had gathered to watch the proceedings, but play was mainly confined to the middle of the park and was disappointingly more than a little scrappy.

Portlethen’s Jamie Cowell managed to bring out a good save from Cults keeper Noah Blanksby which resulted in an unproductive corner, after Cults Aidan Livingston had gone on a good run before losing control of the ball.

A fine run and cross from the right by Ben Brown saw the ball headed back across goal but the subsequent shot could not find the target.

Portlethen were beginning to get a hold on the game and Chalmers sent a fierce drive narrowly over and brought out a fine stop from the Cults keeper as the game moved into the second part of the first half.

Cults had their chances too, and a mazy run by Conrad Slessor was disappointingly finished with an attempt that lacked accuracy.

They came even closer on the half hour as a fine pass from Innes Alexander found Finlay Mackintosh whose shot beat Blair Thompson then hit the left-hand post and rolled along the goal line before being hacked clear to safety.

Cults appeared to be gaining a grip on things especially when a header from Matthew Young caused more problems for the Portlethen defenders, but they managed to stand firm.

Seven minutes from the break, Portlethen broke the deadlock. Jack Brown played the ball from the right across to Chalmers whose drive was spilled by Blanksby. Chalmers was alert enough to be first to the rebound and he gleefully smashed the ball into the now vacant net.

The half time whistle blew, and it was felt that Portlethen were worthy of their interval advantage, but Cults were by no means out of things and had been unlucky not to have scored a goal of their own.

Half Time: Portlethen Academy Seniors 1 - 0 Cults Academy Seniors

Portlethen were first out of the blocks in the second period and came very close to doubling their advantage in one hundred and twenty seconds. A ball in from the left found Ben Brown who turned and sent in a twenty-yard drive which smashed off Blanksby’s left hand post. The keeper could only stand motionless and was grateful that the rebound was too fast for the onrushing attackers and the danger was cleared.

Ten minutes were played when Connall Gove was brought down just outside the Portlethen box but Slessor’s try went just over the bar.

Back came Portlethen and a tormenting run from Ben Brown saw his fine cross narrowly evade the attackers and the ball was cleared.

Even this early it was evident that the next goal would have a major bearing on the result. After a close call at their end from a header which again went just over, Gove intercepted a pass in midfield and drove on towards goal. Thompson saved his shot but both players clashed as they made for the rebound. The referee decided it was a fifty/fifty incident and play restarted with a drop ball after the players received treatment.

Gove then turned provider setting up Martin Thomson on the right whose fierce shot was well beaten down by goalkeeper Thompson.

Entering the last five minutes, Cults would have to throw everything at Portlethen but there was always the danger they would be punished on the counterattack. Such a breakaway with three minutes left saw Chalmers burst through on goal, drive the ball past the keeper but, as at the start of the half, watched in dismay as it struck the left hand upright and stayed out.

Portlethen did notch a second with the clock showing two additional minutes having been played. Callum More sped down the right, held off a defender and sent the ball into the net wide of Blanksby’s outstretched hand. That was a body blow for Cults and when the final whistle sounded seconds later, Portlethen had deservedly won the Trophy.

It had undoubtedly been a close game and Cults certainly had opportunities to get on the scoresheet, but Portlethen looked just that bit more organised.

The Trophy was presented to them, and the players could enjoy the occasion before reminding themselves of the business of the SQA examinations lying in wait on Monday.

Final Score: Portlethen Academy Seniors 2 - 0 Cults Academy Seniors