Wednesday 17th May 2023 S3 Gerrard Trophy Final Grammar S3 vs Bucksburn S3

Report on Aberdeen Grammar School Third Year v Bucksburn Academy Third Year, Gerrard Trophy Final, Wednesday 17th May 2023, by Walter Craig

Penalties Required to Earn Grammar the Trophy

Aberdeen Grammar School Third Year
Finlay Balfour, Gregor Senff, Lewis Timms, Sam Enaburekhan, Mitchell Collinson, Dylan Bunney, Keiran Cormack, Finlay Williams, Matthew Reaper, Joshua Davidson and Toby Nesbitt. Subs Nurain Shehu, Rory Taylor and Joe Arthur.

Bucksburn Academy Third Year
Jayden Stewart, Arran Midler, Ryan Conner, Shay McLenna, Aiden Stevenson, Samuel Forbes, Callum Johnson, Alan Lucaszewicz, Hodi Aghyaev, Ryan Stevenson, Josh Kindom, Ferguson Guyan, Owen Fraser, Ben McDonald, James Gribben, Lewis Lawson and Sherriff Jobarteh.

Referee G. Jopp

The Gerrard Trophy Final was contested by Third Year teams of Aberdeen Grammar and Bucksburn and took place at the Balmoral Stadium. A good crowd gathered, made up of family, friends, classmates, and teachers of the players for this eagerly awaited clash.

The early exchanges were played out cautiously with the pitch appearing to be on the heavy side. Toby Nesbitt had the first chance for Grammar intercepting a Bucksburn clearance, but the ball ran out of play.

Ryan Stevenson then chased a Ryan Connor pass into the Grammar box but again the ball went out of play. Connor, himself, then sent a free kick just over the bar in six minutes as Bucksburn started well.

Two minutes later it was Grammar who almost took the lead. A long ball from the left went over the Bucksburn defence to Matthew Reaper on the right. He moved past Jayden Stewart but shot wide of the upright.

Bucksburn’s Connor was linking well with his forwards and came close to having his name on the scoresheet on a couple of occasions.

On the quarter hour a timely interception by Aaron Midler prevented Nesbitt shooting home after more good work by Reaper.

The twenty fifth minute saw Joshua Davidson win the ball in midfield before sending it through the lines to Nesbitt for the latter to shoot just wide.

Josh Kindom had a chance for Bucksburn before Grammar took the lead in thirty-one minutes. A long pass upfield found Davidson just outside the penalty area. He flicked the ball over the head of Connor and moved into the box before shooting beyond the outstretched left hand of Stewart.

Davidson almost turned provider moments later with a run and cross from the left which found Nesbitt. He turned and shot, and the keeper had to be at his best to turn the ball round the post.

The half ended with more goals expected to come after the break. Bucksburn’s midfield duo of Sam Forbes and Alan Lucaszewicz, and Grammar’s up-front pairing of Toby Nesbitt and Josh Davidson looking likely to be the main contributors to a second half where there was all to play for.

Half Time: Aberdeen Grammar Third Year 1 - 0 Bucksburn Academy Third Year

The second half began with a free kick to Bucksburn on the right taken by Lucaszewicz. It was partially cleared before a foul gave Grammar some respite.

A cross from the left saw Bucksburn substitute Sherriff Jobarteh clear of his marker but he was just crowded out. Lucaszewicz and Jaborteh were at it again minutes later but again they were foiled by fine Grammar defending.

Another foul on Davidson twenty-five yards out gave Grammar an opportunity to score but the Bucksburn wall did its job.

A close call for Grammar from the breakaway. A corner on the left resulted in a stramash in from of the Grammar goal but Callum Johnson’s attempt went narrowly wide. The game moved from end to end with both sides after that crucial second goal.

Finlay Williams then sent a fine shot narrowly over the bar after good combination work from Nesbitt and Davidson as the quarter hour approached.

It looked like an equaliser was on the cards midway through the half when Connor took a free kick on the right, but the ball went over the heads of his forwards.

He had another chance when Forbes was fouled by Sam Enaburekhan. He smashed the free kick off the crossbar from where it rebounded into the path of Josh Kindom. The striker quickly headed the ball wide of the keeper and into the empty net for a well-deserved equaliser.

In twenty-eight minutes, Nesbitt made progress down the right beating three defenders before crossing to the far post from where it was cleared.

Then it was Finlay Balfour’s turn to bring off a fine save from Jaborteh who was once again attacking down the right flank.

Could one of the teams find the decisive goal?

It looked like Jaborteh had done so with five minutes left to play, but he hit the front of the bar and the ball was cleared.

The full-time whistle blew with Stewart gathering well from a Grammar corner. The teams were unable to find a winner, thus the tie would have to be decided by kicks from the penalty mark.

An early Bucksburn kick was saved well by the Grammar keeper and, as they scored with all five of their penalties, they were successful by a score of five goals to three.

The Grammar team were overjoyed by their success, but credit must go to their opponents for showing a touch of class in not only accepting their disappointment with grace but taking time to thank those who had attended to watch them play. It had been a well contested fixture with a contrast of styles. Grammar moved the ball quickly up to the strikers with Bucksburn favouring an approach which involved playing through the midfield. Both reflected the strength of each team and made for good viewing for the spectators.

Final Score: Aberdeen Grammar Third Year 1 - 1 Bucksburn Academy Third Year
Aberdeen Grammar School win 5 – 3 on penalties