Stonehaven 4                       Formartine United 2

Saturday’s result leaves Formartine’s grip on a place in next season’s Rainbow Superleague in enough jeopardy for the betting man to wager against it. Defeat by Stonehaven leaves them needing 4 points in the remaining two games, a task that may seem attainable but when the opposition of defending champions Culter and title chasing Sunnybank is factored in, the enormity of it is clear.

The Formartine curse of conceding a soft early goal was evident when Hive went ahead in the 14th minute following a corner on the left. With defenders ball watching the gargantuan “Bambi” BARBOUR simply trotted in from the inside left channel to the front stick, extended his long neck and nodded the ball past Horne and into the net. This was against the run of play as Formartine, as they had done for most of the preceding period, kept the home side pretty well confined to their own half of the pitch. Again they tried manfully to wear down the opposition with effort and will power but as has been their custom, they lacked composure and a killer instinct.

Sadly when a team is struggling, Lady Luck is unlikely to bless them and on a fiery pitch the break of the ball seemed to go with the opposition. A well worked move in the 21st minute saw Maitland breaking in from the left to swing a superbly judged ball to meet the astutely judged run of “Muggsy” Brown coming from the right. Receiving the ball, back to goal beyond the far post, he turned and launched the ball dipping and bending beyond the reach of home ‘keeper Smith to rebound from his right upright to safety.  Lady luck was not favouring those who most needed her. Formartine maintained their pressure.

Another well weighted diagonal cross from the other flank, played by  Forsyth, was right on the head of Maitland running the opposite diagonal but the finish drifted just too high and a tad wide. At this stage Formartine had the home side well on the back foot but there was growing anxiety about where a goal would come from.

Half time arrived and the pattern persisted. The second half began surprisingly with Stonehaven pressing forward and Formartine on the back foot. This was sustained long enough for Stoney to increase their lead – a long ball from the centre circle from Steven Robertson reached the edge of the box. It looked comfortably covered by Stewart Craib until Lady Luck decreed that it should bounce spectacularly high over his head and into the path of the advancing STEWART who clipped it beyond Horne into the net. With 58 minutes played, Formartine needed three goals to achieve their 3 points. That was dependent on their not losing any more goals, but sadly for their vociferous supporters, they did this not only once but twice. 5 minutes later another long and apparently aimless ball was picked up wide left by GLASS. With Formartine preparing to cover for the cross, he simply and rather spectacularly launched a swerving half-volley that left the distraught Horne rooted to the spot. The game was clearly beyond Formartine but they persisted, with superb commitment, to chase the lost cause. A lob by Steven Craib wasn’t far off he mark – a trundler from Forsyth almost deceived the keeper. In the 73rd minute another freakish bounce of the ball wrong footed Stewart Craib and left space for ROBB to draw Horne before sliding the ball home.

In a strange way, the recognition of inevitable defeat seemed to take the pressure off Formartine and they played with more composure. Maintaing the pressure they had sustained throughout, they had the hosts chasing shadows. The guile of veteran sub Bremner was instrumental in this and in the 80th minute, he played a one two with  Forsyth before jinking past Strachan and slipping the ball on to BROWN who cleverly clipped it home between keeper and post.

Still Formartine chased their cause and aul Ally BREMNER showed the route to goal again. The hard work was done by Steven Craib who resisted four tackles on his passage across the 18 yard line before dinking the ball inside the defence for evergreen Ally to poke it home from close range.

This result almost, but not quite, seals Formartine’s Superleague fate. Their endeavours were beyond criticism: they have a ghost of a chance and their luck has eventually to change.

Teams:

Stonehaven: Smith, Sinclair, Strachan, Clark, Barbour, Stuart Robertson, Stewart,   Carmichael, Keith, Steven Robertson, Glass.

Subs: Craig, Robb, Pirrie, Campbell, Foy

Formartine United:

Horne, Cheyne, McGuinnes, Steven Craib, Seiverwright, Stuart Craib, Young, Forsyth,  Maitland,  Shinnie, Brown.

Subs: Burrows, Bremner, Graffin, MacLeod, Fraser.

Formartine United 0   Banks O’ Dee 3

Saturday’s match in the Rainbow Superleague strongly suggests that Bank’s are well on their way to being this season’s Rainbow Superleague Champions. For Formartine the end of the Rainbow is beckoning. Sadly it is unlikely to be marked, as in fable, with a pot of gold and it is to be fervently hoped that a crock of the proverbial is not to be their reward for a season that started so well. To avoid the drop their task is clear: to take a minimum of 4 points from the 3 remaining fixtures against Stonehaven, Culter and Sunybank. Anything less and they are relegated; 4 points without serious detriment to goal difference and they are safe.

On Saturday they played like they were well aware of their perilous position. They could not be faulted in anyway for grit, application and endeavour and despite the score line, they gave the visitors a torrid time of it. Under the cosh from the outset when a slick flick by Levi Stephen in central midfield found Fyffe on the right flank. A one two with Taylor saw him back in possession cutting in from the corner to play the ball low and deep across the area to the slippery BROWNHILL  nipping in towards the far post to slip the ball home.  A goal down after 70 seconds, Formartine had a mountain to climb. They set about their task willingly and started to probe for weaknesses in the visitors’ array. The sad fact was that there were few if any to be found in a well drilled outfit that had class in all departments.

Playing Marc Young as a lone striker, it was imperative that when Formartine got the ball into Dee territory they could bring support to him and retain possession in that neck of the woods. They had some success in this but the guile of Stephen in midfield allowed the visitors to turn defence suddenly and tellingly to attack. In the 14th minute a well taken free by Shinnie let Brown in on Pennet but the ball was capably and comfortably taken by the keeper. Formartine pressure was sustained and yielded a series of fruitless corners over the first half hour. Although the pressure failed to find expression in goals,  a header by McGuiness from one of them was only marginally wide and another was knocked back into the hole at the edge of the box for Brown to thump one over from 20 yards.

In 35 minutes  a lightning breakaway by Dee after a period of Formartine pressure saw Brownhill and Stainer linking on the left before the former slipped the ball diagonally infield for TAYLOR to finish with lethal efficiency. Formartine plugged away until half time but Dee were moving the ball about well and using the wide areas to advantage and anxiety was rising about how Formartine could get back into it against a team playing with style and confidence.  A swirling cross from Graffin almost caught out Pennet at the back post but that was as near as the home side could get against an impressive side with the championship in their sights.

The second half started with Formartine piling forward with a huge investment of effort and attempting to overwhelm their composed visitors by a phenomenal work rate. Oh how they battled and this was nearly, but not quite enough to rattle the patient visitors who showed that they knew how to defend a two goal advantage. Maitland did well to dispossess Scaiffe in midfield and work the ball forward to Forsyth who blasted the ball high from 20 yards. Persistence by  Graffin got the ball off and past Turnbull to Young who snatched his shot wide. Another break by Dee saw Fyffe and Milne overlapping on the right for the former to cut the ball behind McGuinness to Stephen whose header rebounded from the bar to safety. The pace and accuracy with which this was executed was definitely the work of champions to be and it is to Formartine’s credit that they hung on in the face of such ruthless efficiency. Again they mounted and sustained pressure in the vistors' half and after a hopeful trundler by Maitland was gathered by Pennet the keeper launched a huge punt down the middle. Stephen was onto it in a flash, slipping in between centre half Seivewright and keeper Horne to chip the ball over the latter and into the unguarded net.

At 3 goals down and 20 minutes remaining the match was well beyond Formartine but still they gave it their all. They still fought for and chased every ball and kept the visitors confined to breakaways.  A free kick by Stewart Craib grazed the bar with Pennet looking beaten and dangerous balls across the face of goal by Maitland and Graffin that found no takers were as close as they came to taking anything from this match.

Dee are a class act but Formartine played with enough commitment to suggest that despite the result, their cause is not as yet an entirely lost one.

Teams:

Formartine United: Horne, Lawson, McGuinness, Stewart Craib, Seivewright, Graffin, Maitland, Forsyth, Young, Shinnie, Brown.

Subs: Cheyne, McKeitch,  Steven Craib, MacLeod, Burrows.

Banks O’ Dee:

Pennet, Milne, Turnbull, Corser, Long, Stephen, Fyfe, Scaife, Taylor, Stainer, Brownhill.

Subs:Glashan, Smith, McKimmie, Whyte, Forbes

Next Match is v Stonehaven at Glenury Park on Sat 10/5/08 at 2-30 p.m.

Formartine United 1           Ellon United 1

After a rather sad capitulation to Turriff in mid-week this local derby yielded a gossamer thin lifeline to Formartine in their desperate struggle for Superleague survival. For the neutral it provided all the end to end excitement associated with previous derby encounters between these local rivals; for the Formartine diehards, it was the stuff of ulcers, hypertension and nightmares. It was never pretty and although the honours were even for the first 48 minutes, the home performance was until that point, less than inspiring.

 Ellon were the first to threaten, forcing a corner on the right within 90 seconds. Played deep to the back of the box, it reached Whyte who had time to steady himself before firing the ball high and wide. What should have served as a wake up call to Formartine didn’t and Ellon continued to press and at least in the opening stages looked the sharper outfit. Formartine’s first glimpse of goal came in the 12th minute when  Shinnie played in Steven Craib with a rather cutely judged through ball but the midfielder’s hurried shot was wide of target. Territorial advantage was with the visitors and Craigie’s lumbering presence was enough to keep the home central defenders, enthusiastically and for the most part capably marshalled by Seivewright, well occupied. Despite such territorial advantage chances were few. Craigie had one in the 34th minute but he thumped it wide. 

A break from centre to right by Formartine in 36 minutes found full back Lawson on the overlap. His cross was good enough to elude the defenders but equally so, anyone from Formartine. A  foray down the other side by Darren McGuinness also yielded a good cross into the area, which was just taken by Bowman as Maitland was about to head home.  A rather picky referee awarded a number of frees for venial indiscretions and neither side established anything approaching a rhythm as the game drifted scrappily to its goal less break.

The second half began with Ellon again looking the hungrier and more direct side and consistent with the balance of play, they got their noses in front within 3 minutes of the resumption when CRAIGIE got onto the end of a long through ball by King that got over the head of Stewart Craib and between Seivewright and Lawson to leave the big striker clear in on Horne. He hit the ball classically across the line of the advancing keeper and into the net.

For all Formartine needed to restore the balance, they looked for the next 15 minutes or so like a beaten side. Body language was shilpit and they looked unable to get a grip of the game. Whyte almost added to the visitor’s lead with a twenty yard drive before on the hour mark, Horne did well to block Fletcher close to his near post with a good diving save. For all Formartine looked to be on the back foot, Ellon were having little success in breaking through a crowded midfield and bit by bit a Formartine fight back began to develop. Mark Young remained lively up front and as time went on found increasing support through midfield from Forsyth and Maitland whose work rate was superb. The balance of play started to turn Formartine’s way and eventually they gained the momentum to pin Ellon back into their own territory. In the 70th minute Young, twisting and turning at pace, split King and Chalmers before leathering a fierce drive that Bowman somehow managed to tip past for a corner. This was hit deep by Brebner to Forsyth whose header across goal rebounded from the far upright and ran tantalising along the goal line before being hoofed away. It went only as far as Steven Craib, lurking in the hole at the back of the box. He slipped the ball forward right to Captain SEIVEWRIGHT who banged it into the net from about 8 yards out.

Pride and confidence returned to Formartine whose play showed a sense of urgency and belief that they could go on to win the game.  By now they had the bulk of the pressure and Ellon were reduced to breakaways. The trend was completely reversed and it was Ellon who were clinging to equality by their finger nails. A slick ne-two between Young and Brown played in sub MacLeod with a half chance. The quickly taken shot looked net bound before being deflected for a troublesome but ultimately unrewarded corner. Brebner threaded one through the gap to Shinnie whose 85th minute trundler wasn’t far off target. The ball was humped up the park by the keeper to Batty who fed it forward to McNamara who set off goalwards with McGuinnes in hot pursuit. Arriving at the box he could see his angle being narrowed by the approach of Seivewright.  Applying full emergency stop procedure he induced McGuinness to collide with his rear end to draw the penalty he clearly sought. Craigie took it hard, low and central. Horne, diving, got a boot to it and the ball rebounded fully thirty yards into touch.

Danger thus averted Formartine resumed their onslaught for the remaining minutes, mounting wave after wave of attack. Ellon held out for a draw that overall they probably deserved. The frustration for Formartine was that by this stage they were so well on top that a another minute or two of play would probably have been enough for them to win it.

Teams::

Formartine United: Horne, Lawson, McGuiness, Stewart Craib, Seiverwright, Steven Craib,, Forsyth, Maitland, Young, Shinnie, Brown. Subs: Fraser, Cheyne, McLeod, Brebner.

Ellon United: Bowman, MacDonald, Batty, King, Chalmers, Tritton, MacNamara, Ellis, Whyte, Craigie, Chapman. Subs: Gunn, Fletcher, Brooks, Ord.

Turriff United 3      Formartine United 1

This was awful, depressing and, to use the dreaded words, had relegation written all over it.  There was a mixture of panic, [understandable in the circumstances] and what looked to many of the loyal fans, pretty much like avoidance on the part of some players. Of the games left in hand, two have now been played without a point being put on the board. The remaining games, including, those against Banks O’ Dee and Culter will need a totally different level of performance if survival is to be ensured.

The panic side of things showed with a midfield that had left their defence exposed against Maud on Saturday attempting to sit further back and support them. They may well have offered a degree of support to them in the final third but they did little in the way of breaking forward to support their lone striker. The result was a big hole either side of the half way line. Long balls forward were easily gobbled up by Turra defenders who simply plonked them forward again and resumed the pressure. Formartine midfielders were far too slow in breaking and rather than working the ball from back to front, simply chose to chase it. That’s where the avoidance comes in: these guys knew what to do – they’ve done it often enough in the past, but they didn’t.

The game started with Turriff pressure when they forced a corner on the right in under a minute. Played short, it reached King who got in a rather sclaffed shot before the ball was eventually cleared. Formartine showed some appetite for goal in the 4th minute when Brown latched on to a free kick a good 35 yards out and launched a fierce wind assisted wallop at the ball that wasn’t too far over the bar. So far so good: Formartine looked like they were up for it but it was also clear that despite being comfortably clear of both relegation and title possibilities, the home side were a very determined and well drilled outfit. This led initially to a high tempo but scrappy affair where Turra slowly but surely got the upper hand.  Formartine mustered one attempt on the home goal in the 24th when a long range effort from Forsyth went high and wide before Turra got their noses in front with a well worked move started at the back by the immaculate Ralton. The ball was played to the left for Massie who worked a one-two with LOBBAN, who broke unmarked through the centre, drew Horne to the edge of his area and smacked the ball home. The Formartine response was desutory as they simply offered more of the same and Turriff increased their territorial advantage. To their credit, Formartine held the score line to that single goal until the interval albeit they looked well short of redressing the balance. Turriff were denied by a good blocking save by Horne from Harris although the latter looked distinctly off side as he broke through on the stroke of half time

The second half showed that Formartine were simply not good enough to win the tie. Lacking in both leadership and vision they had no answer to the pace and determination of the home side.  5 minutes in and Turrif had created 3 chances to Formartine’s one. Burrows who has struggled all season with injuries was set up by Maitland about 18 yards out but managed only to hoik the ball almost vertically skywards and was replaced by veteran Bremner. In the 51st minute Turriff worked a near replica of their first goal when a long ball from the back brought a one-two to set the pacy and predatory LOBBAN free through the middle. Again the keeper was left exposed but this time the forward elected to lob him from about 20 yards out . Formartine were now looking like a well busted flush as they struggled to keep Turriff at bay.  Sub MacLeod had a triple attempt on the Formartine goal. First he thumped one from 20 yards that was hacked back to him before he hoisted one to the top left that was fumbled but eventually pushed away by Horne. The ball broke back to him and he tried again and this time his low trundler was taken at he second attempt by the rather shell shocked keeper. Lobban was having a field day and completed his hat trick in the 74th when he poked the ball home inside the right hand post.

The game as a contest was well over when Seivewright charged through the middle to meet a cross from Bremner and with a firm downward header gave the visitors just the slightest of consolation in the last 5 minutes of a patently one sided contest.

Teams: Turriff United: Buchanan, Ralton, Craib, Davidson, Robertson, Massie, Henderson, King, Harris, Allan, Lobban. Subs: Barrack, MacInnes, Chalmers, MacLeod, MacSween

Formartine United: Horne, Lawson, McGuinness, Craib, Seiverwright, Brown, Burrows, Maitland, Young, Shinnie, Forsyth. Subs Haddaway, Cheyne, Forbes, Watson, Brebner.

Formartine United 4       Maud 5

When any team manages to lose at home after scoring four goals, a serious finger of blame must be pointed at the defence. In this case the defence has now conceded 46 goals in 20 league starts. The absence through suspension of Stewart Craib was clearly a contributory factor and the enforced substitution after a head knock of the hitherto reliable Darren McGuinnes meant that a defence that started with a makeshift look about it suffered a blow from which it never recovered. The problems were not really the result of absent personnel but simply due to lack of attention to such basics as picking up runners and covering for each other when under pressure by those whose job it was to do so. To concede three times to simply executed set pieces shows a level of auto destruction that should be confined to Overton.

Formartine made a bright and positive start to the game and wasted no time in testing out the visiting rearguard. Before 5 minutes had elapsed Marc Young was set up by a crafty through ball from Steven Craib and closed in quickly on veteran keeper Kerr who did well to stand his ground and block the ball away. Home pressure persisted and Formartine were bossing the midfield and pressurising the visitors with pace and high tempo passing. Their opening goal in the 8th minute, was achieved by more basic means.  A thumping clearance by Horne was headed on by Forsyth to Bobby MAITLAND who broke clear of Powell and Usher and coolly slid the ball past Kerr. Formartine pressure continued: they were able to hold a high defensive line and more or less confined play to the visitors’ half. Shinnie, Maitland, Forsyth and Craib were linking well and imposing themselves in Midfield. A Shinnie free swerved and dipped before Kerr was able to deflect it away for an unrewarded corner. Young was dragging defenders in all directions and there were regular openings for the midfielders who followed up. In the 20th minute the pressure brought its reward as Formartine increased their lead when YOUNG, sharp as a tack, seized on hesitancy between Kerr and Arthur, jinked between them and plopped the ball into the unprotected net.

Two up after 20 minutes, Formartine looked to be in comfortable command. They should have been but the visitors had different ideas. They increased their work rate and began to show some fluency as they clawed their way back into it. They were breaking with pace and well planned runs to add width to their moves and beginning to work the home defence harder than hitherto. They showed their teeth as a Wllox cross was unconvincingly scrambled away at the last minute by Horne. Another cross by Willox was met, unchallenged, by the head of

A Davidson who was only slightly off target. Middleton floated a rather hopeful ball into the box. With defenders ball watching, STEPHEN was given a free header that struck the keeper’s left up right, ran along the goal line and entered the net via the opposite upright in the 30th minute. The warning signs were clear and Formartine composure began to evaporate. Maud took only another 4 minutes to resume level terms. A corner on the right by Middleton was played to the near post. FORSYTH diving to head the ball out for another corner succeeded in putting it into his own net.  Formartine had it all do over again and raised their game but, with the exception of a cunning Ally Brebner ball across the goalmouth that was eventually scrambled clear, showed much less penetration.

The second half began fast and furious but with less composure and fluency than earlier. It was exciting end to end stuff. Maitland chipped one to the head of Shinnie whose header was cleared with difficulty. The ball was swept up field and floated to the area just forward of the Formartine box. In the aerial duel that ensued McGuinnes took a head knock and had to be replaced by Haddaway. This needed a re-shuffle that saw Maitland retreating to left back and Haddaway joining Young up front. The game was re-started with a free for Maud about 25 yards out. The ball was floated in by MacDonald to WHYTE for another free header. He simply glanced it past Horne and just before the hour was up, Maud had restored their fortunes.

Formartine were chasing the game now but to their credit did so determinedly. Forsyth atoned for his earlier mistake by levelling the match in the 62nd.  Crisp interplay by Shinnie and Craib ended as the latter threaded the ball between defenders and perfectly into the path of FORSYTH who drew the keeper before sliding the ball past him into the net.

Hopes of a home victory were raised as a one two between Young and Haddaway saw the former in on Kerr. His hastily struck shot sneaked past the keeper’s left upright.  A shot by Haddaway was capably taken by Kerr before Maud got their noses in front again.  Again it was the result of an ill defended cross into the box. This time it was Rae who floated a diagonal ball to near the penalty spot. STEPHEN rose, barely challenged, and nodded the ball home in the 70th minute. Formartine huffed and puffed but their composure was gone and in the 86th minute they resumed their Kamikaze approach to defence when yet again a free kick out on the left flank about 35 yards out was played towards the penalty spot. Up rose Milne for his turn for a free header and plonked the ball into the net.

Formartine broke back desperately trying to salvage something from the match. The ball was humped up the park to Young, who slipped his marker and chipped the ball diagonally forward to Maitland to make it 5-4 with little more than a minute of standard time remaining. It was too little too late.

Teams. Formartine United: Horne, Lawson, McGuinnes, Steven Craib, Seivewright, Brown, Bremner, Maitland, Young, Shinnie, Forsyth. subs: Haddaway,Burrows, J.Fraser, Graffin, L. MacDonald.

Maud: Kerr, Usher, Powell, B. Davidson, Arthur, MacDonald, Middleton,, S.Whyte, Stephen, Willox, A. Davidson. Subs: Milne, Rae, A Whyte,, Pirie, McGruther.

Next home match is v Ellon in the Superleague on 26/4 at 2-30

Formartine United 2                  Hillhead 1

Over the last few seasons, Formartine’s encounters with Hillhead have tended to result in a sore head after the super league lower end “Toonsers” have managed to punch above their weight against the Formartine outfit. This encounter found them in what could only be described as a relegation derby with the home side, second from bottom, but with a game in hand, desperate for all three points against the team a single point and one position in the League above them. It turned out to be a nervy encounter where Formartine failed, in the main, to match recent form and were either drawn down to the level of the visitors or were again subject to the peculiar ability of this side to raise their game against a side from whom they have recruited several of their current personnel. It wasn’t pretty stuff. Never dirty and played on a slippy surface, Formartine shaded it without really displaying their recent strengths. They got their three points on the back of steady defending and a pair of goals from the old head of “Muggsy” Brown  who persisted with basic disciplines and a cool head to follow through from start to finish any move in which he was involved.

Formartine started strongly enough, first pressing the visitors into the left hand corner and keeping them pretty well there for the first 5 minutes. Forsyth got the ball to the left corner flag and floated one over to the back stick but the ball was desperately “Willie Nelsoned” [On the Road Again] by Cruickshank out of the park and it looked that Formartine were going to impose themselves. Over the next five minutes they were probing for weaknesses down the right and MacLeod looked like giving Morrice a torrid time. He skinned the defender and hit a teasing cross that, out swinging, deceived the defenders but saw no takers from the home attackers. Steve Craib hit a well judged ball to Shinnie but the shot was snatched and went high and wide. Until the mid point of the half Formartine looked to be in comfortable control. Shinnie was pulling a few midfield strings, Steve Craib and Forsyth were making telling runs and they were creating chances. They should have been a couple of goals to the good by then: a drive by Forsyth from a Shinnie feed was firmly struck, but off target. A Steve Craib pop was high and wide and they dominated the proceedings but failed to score. Then Formartine started to show some of the failings that supporters thought they had left behind.

They seemed to assume their earlier season attitude of unmerited superiority that the immature call “cool” and sat back. The visitors were allowed to get back in it but there still wasn’t a goal on the sheet. Keith managed to gather a ball on the edge of his own 18 yard line and reach the opposite one , turn right and travel most of its extent before being given the courtesy of a tackle. Stewart Craib’s tackle was effective but should never have been needed and the game took a different, nervy, aspect. This persisted for long enough and it was clear that the visitors had as much ambition to retain their Superleague status as the home side. They played the ball wide to the flanks and Keith and Stephen showed the work rate that some of the Formartine midfield including Burroughs [on for the injured MacLeod] lacked in the equivalent role. Furious management exhortation slowly shifted the pattern and in the last 15 minutes, Formartine steadied.  A sweet clip from Shinnie from a Marc Young feed in the 36th minute found Forsyth clear and on-side down the left. The ball was whipped in, vicious and curling. Young was onto it and got in a wicked shot but it was parried by keeper Farquhar onto and off the bar.  Following in from the blind side, BROWN was there in a flash and forced the ball home for a narrow lead that just about summed up the relative merits of the sides for the first 45.

The second started at a very brisk pace and play swung from end to end. Formartine were more readily sucked into the wider areas than they would have wanted and it was clear that they were struggling to handle the skills of Keith who was allowed and supported in a free role on the centre right. Burroughs was no match for him and he began to impose. The Formartine defence held fairly solid but again there were flashes of players being more casual than their skills allowed them and the workmanlike visitors were still in it. The consequences of Formartine’s intermittent casualness were revealed in the 65th minute when Keith and Stephen combined in the central area to set the former free down the left flank to whip in a vicious waist high cross that found Stewart. Formartine defenders were onto him and the ball rebounded to Keith who tried to clip it in. Stewart CRAIB, at the left post, tried to block and in the process diverted the ball into his own net.

All square with less than half an hour to go in a genuine 6 pointer and there was everything to play for. Formartine were the better organised and by then, just possibly, the more determined side and began to impose.  In the 65th they got their reward. A classically simple but perfectly timed through ball by Steve Craib split Allan and Morrice to find BROWN scampering through the inside left channel. “Muggsy took it with his left, moved right to draw the keeper and slid it past him before he could do anything about it.

Formartine needed to win this. They did. They are not yet out of the mire but these three points against Hillhead are likely to be the most valuable they have gained this season to date.

Teams:

 Formartine United: Horne, Lawson, McGuinnes, Steven Craib, Seivewright, Stuart Craib, MacLeod, Brown, Young, Shinnie, Forsyth.

Subs: Brebner, Burrows, Maitland, Cheyne, Graffin

Hillhead: Farquhar, Cruikshank, Morrice, Keith, Adams, Allan, Pyper, Strachan, Stewart, Morrison, Stephen. Subs: Hendry, Murray, Forbes, Lornie, Tough

Formartine United 1                                Sunnybank 1

Sunnybank won 3-1 on penalties

Formartine again showed to any remaining doubting Thomas’s that they can now hold their own with the best. After overcoming Maud the previous week they faced the might of the expensively assembled, high flying Heathryfold outfit in the first round of the ATR cup. That they failed to progress to the next round was more a result of refereeing perversity and the inequity of a system that moves drawing teams straight to penalties without recourse to extra time than any deficiency [apart from tamely struck penalties] on their part. Given that Bank were reduced to 10 men by the end it is likely that Formartine would have gained more advantage from extra time than the lottery of a shootout.

The game started at a tempo that was nearer furious than brisk and in the first minute the visitors almost went ahead when Greig made ground down the right at lightning pace before clipping the ball inside to Bartlett who managed to get it past ‘keeper Horne before  Stewart Craib, in exactly the position he should have been in was able to clear  from the  goal line. This was a slick Sunnybank move that showed blistering pace and crisp passing.  Formartine did not stand off and admire it, they went after them and showed that they could give as good as they got. MacLeod seems to be back on song and posed in his own tricky way, as much a threat down Formartine’s right flank as  Greig did on the distaff side for the visitors. In the 5th minute  a clearance from Seivewright was taken by Young who played it on wide to the silky midfielder who worked his way to the corner before jinking past Henry and Johnston to unleash a shot that McIntosh could only parry back towards him. Following up he got the ball over to the back stick for Forsyth to bundle it into the net from under 5 yards out.

This was a good start ,but it was also clear that Sunnybank were far too good an outfit to come out of the match goalless. They pressed for the equaliser and showed how they could build from the back. The distribution from defence, particularly from Johnston and Thomson was impressive and they provided good supply for Greig, Steele and Bartlett who were all fast and direct. This kept the Formartine back 4 well occupied. But again the home youngsters, well marshalled by Seivewright whose aerial command was impressive, made life tough for them.

They held out until the 16th minute when after a fruitless foray up the park by Formartine, Thomson dispossessed Young and played a long through ball to Bartlett who was in on Horne in an instant and slipped the ball past him for the equaliser.

The relentless pace continued MacLeod set off down the right again and found Steve Craib whose looping shot wasn’t far off target.  The cultured left peg of Shinnie flighted a ball straight to the head of the advancing Seivewright but MacIntosh just managed to punch it off his napper before he could despatch the ball netwards. Horne had a good save from Reid and honours remained even until the interval.

Formartine resumed with two enforced substitutions in critical positions: Stewart Craib was sidelined by an injury that completely closed his left eye and McGuinness was hirpling badly by half time. On came Burrows and Maitland and the absorbing encounter continued with the sides balanced on a knife edge. After 15 minutes of doughty and mostly midfield struggle it was clear that despite the enforced changes Formartine were beginning to shade it.

They had just a bit more midfield presence than the visitors and were beginning to sustain pressure. Forsyth. McLeod, Shinnie Brown and Craib worked hard for each other although there were lapses in concentration as the odd slack ball was seized upon by the pacy visitors. Young was getting little change out of the experienced Thompson who was able to prevent him holding the ball and could harry him into premature and inaccurate attempts at distribution. The youngster tried hard but was very closely marked. He got clear of such close attention in the 64th to reach a well judged and beautifully timed through ball from Burrows but his shot was parried away for a corner.

In the 71st minute Forsyth was late with a tackle on Greig and booked for his efforts. Spectators thought little of it until the far side linesman summoned the referee who summarily dismissed the visitor. The dismissal was reportedly for spitting, which is clearly reprehensible, and had that been the case, thoroughly deserved. However, Forsyth helped the player to his feet and is certainly not the person to extend such courtesy to someone who had spat at him, so there is more than a touch of mystery surrounding the intervention of the ambitious young assistant. A case of great expectorations perhaps?

7 minutes later further controversy surrounded the other assistant and the referee as Formartine were denied a second goal.  Young had broken clear of his markers in pursuit of a through ball and slipped it into the net. There was never a hint of offside about it as Bank had a player on the line at the time. Without taking any advice from the assistant, the referee who had failed to spot the presence of the defender disallowed the goal. The timorous linesman who was well placed to notice the defender chose not to draw this to the ref’s attention.

The ninety minutes concluded even and the shoot out followed. Lawson scored with the first to put Formartine ahead. The rest were all on target but timidly struck efforts, easily saved by McIntosh. Bank scored all theirs and progressed to round two.

Teams:

Formartine United:

Horne, Lawson, McGuiness, Stuart Craib, Seivewright, Steven Craib, MacLeod ,Brown. Young, Shinnie, Forsyth. Subs: Maitland, Burrows, Haddaway, Cheyne, Bremner,.

Sunnybank:

McIntosh, Thomson, Henry,  Watson, A. Reid,, Shand, Devine, Fettes

Maud 0         Formartine United 2

Although Formartine’s opening 20 minutes or so of this quarter final tie in the NORSCO Regional Cup lacked the level of application that has come to characterise their resurrection under the reign of manager Gardiner, they gradually clawed their way into the game and emerged comfortable winners. The two most obvious areas of improvement were to be seen in a defence that now gets much closer to their opponents and who performed capably enough to afford keeper Horne the kind of afternoon where his shot stopping talents were required with less frequency than earlier in the season and in a midfield that realises that in the absence of a striking pair in front of them. they have more responsibility to shoulder.

Maud started the game at a blistering pace with well drilled and crisp passing movements where Middleton, S.Whyte and Willox linked to telling effect. Underfoot conditions were slippery but the home side seemed initially to adapt the better. Rae played a slinky through ball to A Whyte who closed in on Horne who had advanced near to the edge of his area.. The forward attempted to chip the keeper who did well to beat the ball down. He was denied a second bite at the cherry as Horne went down at his feet and clutched the ball.

Formartine were dangerous on the break and Marc Young got through an absolute power of work chasing, harrying and tormenting the big central defenders. Although he did his best to hold up the ball, midfield support was not arriving as quickly as needed. With 20 minutes played and a midfield adjustment that moved Forsyth further left Formartine began to exert more pressure. Brown and MacLeod linked well to feed Young whose clipped shot brought the best from Leask as he tipped the ball away for an unrewarded corner.

Although Maud still maintained slight territorial advantage at this stage it was noticeable that the new-found discipline in the Formartine back four was increasingly successful in denying them entry to the box. Stuart Craib was tenacious, McGuiness timed tackles perfectly, Seivewright commanded in the air and in the middle while Lawson not only gathered well on the right but made regular forward breaks on the flank. This pattern of building from the back and breaking through midfield gave Formartine growing dominance as half time approached. Increasingly they showed the capacity to defend in midfield and push on from there and in the process impose their own pattern on the homesters. Half time arrived goal less but showed that Formartine who had started rather sluggishly , were not only back in the game but just beginning to impose.

The second half started in a flurry of snow and end to end activity. Straight from the kick off the ball was fed to Z. Davidson who thumped a dipper goal wards but it went wide and Formartine went back on the offensive.  A cross into the home area was headed out by Arthur. The astute FORSYTH drifted off Rae into space forward of the left hand corner of the box. He edged a step or two to the right and skelped a ferocious but superbly accurate drive past the keeper’s left hand and into the net in the48th minute. Maud roared back and mounted weave upon wave of attack on the Formartine goal.

 A month ago you would expect Formartine to succumb to such pressure. Now there was optimism if not outright confidence that they could soak it up and even perhaps breakaway and add to their lead. Maud exerted enough pressure to move the high defensive line of Formartine back a few notches but the midfielders did well to get behind the ball and weather the storm to the increasing frustration of the home side that picked up booking after petty booking as discipline began to crumble.

 A Ligertwood cross over the goal face was pulled down under the bar by Horne. A chance, twenty five yards out, fell to A Whyte but his shot was too high. And beyond that, for all their pressure, Maud offered little to occupy keeper Horne simply because well organised, disciplined defending denied the opportunity. Bobby Maitland replaced Burrows and his fresher legs saw Formartine break with greater frequency. Mark Young harried keeper Leask into a sclaffed clearance that fell to Forsyth who had made ground on the left, to have a pop at goal but this was hacked away to safety by Usher and Maud went back on the attack. Within a minute Usher again was in the thick of things with a shot from 20 yards that flew over the bar. A long kick out by Horne found veteran sub Ally Bremner out on the right. With superb precision and consummate judgement he threaded a very canny ball between the two central defenders for MacLeod. The midfielder jinked into space behind them before crossing over the box to FORSYTH who calmly doubled his goal total with another perfectly placed shot in the 79th minute.

Two minutes later, Forsyth almost completed his hat-trick when MacLeod again got the ball across the box to him but this time the shot was blocked. Formartine were in comfortable control until the final whistle. Knocking the ball into wide areas and pressing forward from the back they ran down the clock to emerge convincing winners.

Necessity is the mother of invention and Formartine, without any out and out strikers have learned to play accordingly. They rely on robust and disciplined defending from a back four and a midfield five who have to defend as well as create. They are looking fitter and sharper with every game and for more than an hour were able to impose their approach on an otherwise capable and well drilled outfit.

Teams:

Maud: Leask, Rae, Usher, B.Davidson, Arthur, Middleton, Ligertwood, S.Whyte, A Whyte, Willox, Z.Davidson. Subs: Weir, Pirie, MacDonald, Cowie, McGruther.

Formartine United: Horne,  Lawson , McGuinnes, Stewart Craib, Seivewright, Steven Craib, Burrows, Forsyth, Young, MacLeod, Brown. Subs: Maitland, Bremner,  Cheyne, Haddaway.

Next game: ATR Group Cup round 1 v Sunnybank at North Lodge Park, Sat 29th March, kick off 2-15 pm and played to a finish.

Culter 2                     Formartine United 1

In terms of Junior football in the north, multi title holders and reigning super-league champions Culter are the equivalent of royalty [even their pies are of superior quality]. Formartine are by comparison, the rural peasantry who had the temerity to challenge the might of King Bob’s grey army on their own battleground and threaten them so severely that their dynastic right to supremacy was called clearly into question.  The problem with challenging royalty is that it’s not only their army that has to be overcome but also the power of their toadying courtiers. On Saturday, it was the influence of the men in black that ensured the preservation of the realm.

Formartine, although by no means the fully finished article, are definitely on their way back and played with grit, determination and at times, some considerable flair and took the match to Culter from the kick off, playing up the Crombie Park slope and into a slight breeze. Seivewright slipped the ball cross field to McGuinnes who carried it forward before releasing Shinnie who slipped his marker to play in Brown. The shot was firm and accurate but cleanly taken by Ritches. Culter know how to play to the advantage given by wind and slope and used route one methods for most of the first period. Prodigious punts down the park by Ritches, were aimed either to the area forward of the visitors box or out towards the slippery Farmer on the left flank. Formartine, now looking quite settled with their 4 at the back and a solo striker mopped up such attempts. Seivewright, Lawson, McGuinnes and young Stuart Craib kept shape and maintained concentration to provide a platform for the midfield to support Young up front. Shinnie was prominent in several moves and in the 18th minute played an astute diagonal through ball to Young whose shot was deflected for a fruitless corner.

5 minutes later another long clearance by Ritches bounced awkwardly about 30 yards out from the Formartine goal and Lawson's attempt at dispossessing farmer was judged illegal. Shand hit a screaming free kick that Horne did well to parry. RATTRAY was onto the rebound in a flash and stuck the ball into the unprotected net. Formartine continued their literally uphill task with impressive application and threatened once or twice. A header from MacLeod from a young cross was on target but lacked the power to stretch Ritches and a cross cum shot by Steven Craib drifted over.

A minute before the interval, Forsyth broke into the box before having his heels clipped by Rattray. The penalty was given. The wily and experienced defender then engaged the ref in a protracted debate the, purpose of which was clearly to delay the taking of the kick for as long as possible and increase the pressure on young Steve CRAIB who was waiting to take it. The ref may have been suckered, but not the young midfielder who buried it with aplomb to the embarrassment of Ritches who went one way as the ball went the other.

Culter always seem to start the second period with a bit of a push, but it looked that Formartine were wise to it as they piled down the brae. Shinnie and Craib combined to set up MacLeod with a shot that wasn’t that far wide of the target before the home side stormed back up the park and gained a 48th minute corner on the right. The ball was played deep to the back stick where MOUNTFORD, back to the goal, executed a perfect bicycle kick to get the ball past both Craib and Horne and into the net. From that point on, Formartine dominated, throwing everything at the homesters. Perhaps they might have borrowed from the home side’s first half performance and invested more heavily in the route 1 approach but they played some good, crisp passing football and established territorial advantage. If they lacked the guile to breakdown the home defence enough to score, they certainly caused them no end of problems. Ritches was unable to hold a vicious free kick by Craib but managed to scramble the ball away at the second attempt.  Lawson made a superb run down the right to get behind the defence but his 58th minute cross was marginally too deep and fell behind McLeod.  Craib and Shinnie are developing a good understanding and almost succeeded in passing their way through the defence before Wilson hacked clear.

Culter are always a threat on the break and threatened when Shand broke through on the hour mark but his shot from near the edge of the box was blocked by a phalanx of defenders.  At the other end a long through ball from Seivewright found Young whose shot on the turn went wide. Formartine pressure continued and sub Maitland found the side netting with an angled drive.

There are protocols to be observed when presented at court and it is clear that while you may be allowed one penalty, you certainly won’t be allowed two. In the 84th minute Adam managed to overcome the threat of sub Bremner by hauling him back, climbing first over his shoulders then his head, and forcing him to the ground before getting ball side of him to hack the ball away. Court etiquette apparently decrees that in such circumstances since a penalty had been given earlier in the game, a corner kickmust suffice.

In the last minute another arcane piece of the royal perogative emerged. The road side linesman signalled the referee, who red carded Stewart Craib for uttering a profanity [not at the official himself but at one of the royal army]. Given that the game would not have lasted 10 minutes if every inter player profanity was to be punished in this manner, it can only be concluded that the teenager was deemed to be under the required age to be allowed to utter that particular expletive. You live and learn.

Formartine gave a more than creditable account of themselves and can count themselves unfortunate not to have added to their points tally. They should have nothing to fear in the run in to the end of the season if they continue to play with this sort of spirit and discipline. Manager Gardiner’s influence is apparent and the team are playing with a bit of belief about them as well.

Teams:

Culter: Ritches, Wilson, Adam, Rattray Cooper, Craig, Stewart, Mountford, Cadger, Shand, Farmer. Subs: McBain, reslie, Sim, Ord, Thow.

Formartine United:

Horne, Lawson, McGuinnes, Forsyth, Seivewright, Stuart Craib, MacLeod, Steven Craib, Young, Shinnie, Brown. Subs: Maitland, Cheyne, Burrows, Bremner

FORMARTINE UTD  1     DYCE JUNIORS 0

As winter gave way to spring, the question was whether the tender shoots of Formartine’s recent recovery would continue to flourish or would they suffer a setback. Formartine’s form has resembled a roller-coaster ride on the stock market, where investors know all too well that shares can rise, fall or indeed plummet. Share prices can of course bounce back and the hardy faithful who turned out at North Lodge Park on a wet, breezy and chilly afternoon were unsure what to expect. Would there be a last minute collapse as the previous week at Longside, or would steady progress be in evidence?

 Dyce, with two former Formartine defenders, Craig Cunningham and Steven Jeffrey, in their team, kicked off with a strong breeze behind them. However with only 5 minutes gone, referee McKenzie stamped his authority on the game and booked Dillon of Dyce for an overly strong challenge on Lawson. The whistler went on to have a good game.

  Pressure and territorial advantage favoured Formartine in the opening quarter. Keeper Horne was troubled only once, when he had to divert a low, bouncing shot for a corner. Formartine had a few chances, the best being when Brown set up Forsyth, who opted to go directly for goal, only to find the side-netting. Formartine were playing well against the wind. Confident again with their passing game, they were beginning to look like the team which had started the season so well.

 They stepped up the pressure in the second quarter with Shinnie, Young and Forsyth combining well to set up McLeod ,who was eventually crowded out. Shinnie and McLeod were often working well together and Dyce were often finding it difficult to cope with balls played over their defence. In 40 minutes Brown headed over a Shinnie free kick and shortly afterwards Young was denied by a point blank save from Buckley. Only 3 minutes later , however, the energetic striker had his moment of glory. Jeffrey clipped McLeod. From the resultant free kick the Dyce goalkeeper failed to hold the ball  and a delighted Young chipped the ball into the net. In a rare counter attack Dyce hit back immediately with their Dillon heading wide.

 The first 15 minutes of the second half belonged almost entirely to Formartine. The impressive Steven Craib had a shot deflected over and several and other chances went unconverted. Would the inability to convert half chances eventually come back to haunt the home side? Self doubt did indeed seem to pervade United and their opponents gradually came more and more into the game. In 65 minutes Dyce forced two corners in quick succession, only an incisive Stewart Craib header eventually clearing the danger.

  Try as they might  Dyce were  unable to break down a resolute Formartine defence, well marshalled by Seivwright. The away team did hold the advantage in the closing stages but they were unable to convert their superiority into goals and left as pointless as Chelsea without Abramovich.

Formartine – Horne, Lawson, McGinness, Forsyth, Seivwright, Stewart Craib, McLeod, Steven Craib, Young, Shinnie, Brown. Subs- Maitland, Graffin, Haddaway

Dyce Juniors – Buckley, Cook, Cunningham, Lewis, Murray, Jeffrey, Webster, McHattie, Dillon, Keith, Milne. Subs- Lyon, Davidson, Skinner, Henderson

Longside 3                 Formartine United 3

It is said that if March comes in like a lion it will go out like a lamb. Much the same could be said of Formartine in this 1st of March encounter where they roared into a two goal lead within 12 minutes and meekly capitulated on a 3-2 advantage in the second minute of stoppage time, forfeiting 2 desperately needed points in the process.

This was pretty much a must win for Formartine as Longside are one of the precious few teams in the lower reaches of the league that they had still to play in the run in to the end of the season. That is not to say that they are incapable of handling the likes of Banks of Dee and Culter; simply an acknowledgement that points are more likely to be extracted from teams with indifferent records than from serious title contenders.

The game started in bright and breezy conditions with Formartine playing against a strong raw, blast blowing from the clubhouse end. They looked the part early on with Marc Young again ploughing the lonely furrow of the sole striker but doing so to excellent effect. He was able to keep Wheeler, Robertson and Baigrie well occupied. Clearly the visitors were getting more familiar with the 4-1-4-1 set up and the quality of supply to Young, from Shinnie, Brown and MacLeod displayed the signs of effective training ground input.

Within 3 minutes of the kick off the transformed Formartine imposed themselves. Young, fed by MacLeod had Murray turned inside out before the homester conceded a corner on the right. The ball was played deep and a bit outswinging. Wisely got a grazing touch with his head and the ball deflected to the left hand side of the box. The astute BROWN had stolen into that area on the off chance and, cool as a cucumber, whipped the ball into the net from 5 yards. This was the confidence boost Formartine needed and it showed as they mounted successive waves of attack, working the ball crisply from back to front and showing an array of movement that Longside, despite wind advantage, struggled to contain.  Geddes won and took a corner on the left that seemed to swerve in the wind before drifting over the Horne’s crossbar. That and a 25 yard wind assisted thump from Biscup was about as much threat as Longside could muster before Formartine extended their lead. In the 12 minute, Brown revelling in his further forward role, carried the ball down the inside left channel before slipping a perfectly weighted through ball to the ubiquitous Young. MacLEOD was haring through the inside right route for Young’s cross. He killed the ball, looked up and judged his firm strike to perfection and clipped the ball beyond the grasp of Simpson.

At this stage it looked as if there would be little hope for Longside. Formartine were bossing the game and, despite the wind, sustaining significant territorial advantage. Patience and endeavour bring their own rewards and the elements were definitely in the home side’s favour. A huge punt down the park by Simpson got behind the Formartine defence to the left of goal. Geddes managed somehow to drag it back from the line and over to the near post. Horne was down for it and looked to have it covered but the wind seemed to move it away from him and into the range of Murray who bundled it into the net in the 30th minute. Formartine, perplexed by this somewhat bizarre and unfortunate reverse seemed stunned and committed the cardinal sin of lapsing concentration. A minute later they paid the penalty: Baigrie played a speculative ball from deep diagonally across the box. It hung like a kestrel in the wind above the heads of Seiverwright and Lawson. As they watched, WOOD acted and simply headed the ball looping over Horne and into the net for the equaliser. The rest of the half was much more even as the rejuvenated Longside grew in confidence and began to match a more deflated looking Formartine. It was becoming more of a midfield struggle and the tackles got fiercer.  Shinnie caught a sore, late one from Murray before Maitland went off with a groin injury but neither side could gain enough on the other to break the deadlock before the interval.

With wind advantage in the second half, it was almost entirely one way traffic as the visitors set about restoring their lead. Wind advantage can be a mixed blessing and despite sustained pressure Formartine struggled to occupy the home keeper. He was ably assisted by a side that could sustain defence in numbers and contain most of the threat to fairly safe areas. Formartine lacked guile and composure and to be blunt, the services of an out and out striker. Longside were lively enough in their few breakaways.  A long throw by Lawson gave Graffin [replacing Maitland] a half chance on the edge of the box but the shot was wide. The move was repeated a few minutes later and this time the shot was off target. A Shinnie corner just before the hour was up, bamboozled defenders and was eventually hacked away as far as the lurking presence of MacLeod who got off a well struck shot that Simpson did well to save at his right upright.

At the other end, Horne produced a superb triple save: clawing a net bound angled drive by  Geddes from under the bar, diving to block as  Robertson pounced and eventually flopping on the ball as Biscup threatened to poke it home. Normal service was resumed and the Formartine onslaught continued. The odds turned in their favour as Murray was sent off after a high, two footed lunge at Graffin, his second bookable offence and a replica of what he had meted out to Shinnie in the first half. Eventually, with two minutes of normal time remaining, Formartine got the third they so desperately sought. It was a classic route 1 job. A massive wind assisted clearance by Horne landed in the home penalty area. Wheeler and Wisely were in reasonable position to cover but GRAFFIN was too quick for them. He nipped in like a wee ginger futtret and whacked the ball home. This should have been enough to ensure the points but Formartine either sat back or were forced back and Longside pressed forward in numbers. The Formartine defence looked frailer with every attack that was mounted.  A ball into the box was handled by Wood but referee Duncan was either unsighted or decided that the ball had played the man and allowed play to continue. Again Formartine concentration lapsed and sub Buchan  got past Lawson and Seivewright to sneak an equaliser in the second minute of stoppage time.

This was a cruel lesson in concentration for Formartine in general and their defenders in particular. They now face an uphill, but by no means impossible task to get out of relegation trouble. These two squandered points may well come back to haunt them by the end of the season.

Teams:

Longside: Simpson, Wheeler, G. Robertson, Baigrie, Wisely, Wood, Murray, Meek, Geddes. Subs: Beattie, Cardno, Forbes, Buchan, Brown.

Formartine United: Horne, Lawson, McGuinnes, MacLeod, Seivewright, Stewart Craib, Maitland,  Forsyth, Young, Shinnie, Brown. Subs: Graffin,  Haddaway, Steven Craib, Bremner, Majury

Formartine United 1   Buchanhaven Hearts 1

[Formartine won 5-4 on penalties]

This Norsco Cup 2nd Round tie offered each of the sides a glimpse of what their futures might hold. With Formartine in the relegation zone and Hearts right in the frame for promotion the encounter was effectively one between teams with the equivalent of 3 or 4 league places between them. The score line suggests a close enough match but the reality was that Formartine dominated the match throughout without being able to convert territorial supremacy into goals. They had the lion’s share of possession, particularly in the second half but once in sight of goal, displayed all the penetrative powers of recently wilted spinach. A wind that gusted and howled from the Oldmeldrum end did little to aid flowing football but a persistent unwillingness or inability to keep the ball down on the players’ part did even less to contribute towards what should otherwise have been an entertaining tie.

In the absence after a car crash of  regular captain Seivewright, captain for the day Mathew MacLeod, was the first to show making progress down the right before finding Sim with a well weighted cross. The dumpy wee striker pulled his shot wide and set up the first of many route 1 attempts by Hearts. Gatt simply punted the ball upwards and let the wind take it 80 yards forward to Ballard who drew and passed Horne. The keeper, without getting a touch to the ball, had however done just enough to narrow the striker’s angle and the shot found the side netting. The pattern of the half was already set: Formartine would work the ball patiently forward and once in the final third they lacked they guile or composure to trouble the keeper. A timorous attempt at finishing would allow Buchanhaven to regain possession and set off with the wind at their tails .The one exception to this came as early as the 4th minute when MacLeod again made good progress down the right to feed Marc Young who harried the lanky Cunningham into conceding a corner. The ball was played across the goal face and deflected by Keith to the unmarked LAWSON who leathered the ball home from about 6 yards out.

Sadly this was not to be the precursor of better to come and the game fell back into its predictable pattern. There were one or two flurries of excitement. Steven Craib and Sim combined to produce a couple of one-two’s that set up Young with a half chance on the edge of the box. Receiving he ball with his back to the goal, the young forward did well to spin round and fire off a crisp drive that had Gatt at full stretch to take at the base of his right hand upright.  A well judged through ball by Steven Craib offered McLeod a sight of goal in the 26th minute but his forward progress ended with a well timed tackle by Keith. Just before half time Formartine again found themselves with a chance to inflict damage at a crucial point. McGinnis had found McLeod via Forsyth and the ball was slipped onto Young, who, head back, skied the ball over with only the keeper to beat.

With wind advantage in the second half, Formartine were expected to dominate but instead of extending their lead, found themselves reduced to level terms within 5 minutes of the resumption.  A throw in on the left swirled about the near post leaving Maitland in apparent admiration of its peculiar flight. BALLARD nipped in and leathered the ball home.  Formartine set about restoring their lead and got themselves almost continuously encamped in the Buchanhaven half. The visitors defence was reasonably capable but should not have been able to withstand such sustained pressure. Formartine were almost the authors of their own destruction as they failed rather dismally to master the windy conditions. In one 15 minute period just after the hour mark, they gained 6 or 7 corners  and failed to record any shots on target. This was more about inept finishing than outstanding defending and as time progressed the fear of a breakaway goal increased. So too, the impending fear of the lottery of a penalty shoot out without the preliminary of extra time. A long throw down the line by McGinnis reached MacLeod whose shot went just over. A swerving corner from the cultured left peg of Shinnie dropped onto the roof of the net inches from the bar.  In the last minute the feared breakaway was on. Ballard was on the end of a long over the top ball by Bruce and bearing in at pace on Horne who did remarkably well to get out to near the edge of the box and avert disaster with a courageous dive at the striker’s feet.

At 1-1 after 90 minutes the game went straight and perhaps rather cruelly to a penalty shoot out. The visitors started and sunk their first 4 attempts before Gatt saved Formartine’s 4th leaving the home side on the brink of extinction from the cup.  Character showed as Horne saved the next two.  MacLeod converted his and the shoot out entered the sudden death phase. Shinnie coolly converted his effort and Formartine progressed to the 3rd round.

Teams: Formartine United: Horne, Maitland, McGuinness, Steven Craib, Lawson, Stuart Craib,  MacLeod, Shinnie, Sim, Young, Forsyth. Subs: Haddaway, Majury, Cheyne, Burrows.

 Buchanhaven Hearts: Gatt, Simpson, Bowden, Cunningham, Keith, Bruce, Webster, Walker, Ballard, Morgan, McKenzie. Subs: Donaldson, Gourlay, Campbell, McLean, Duncan. 

Next match is away to Longside at Davidson Park on 1st March with a 2-30 kick off.

Formartine v Sunnybank - Photos by John Lees

Formartine United 2           Sunnybank 3

This was manager Gardiner’s first home game at North Lodge Park and the test was always going to be a very stiff one: Sunnybank are one the league’s current form sides and arrived on the back of having put no fewer than 9 goals past Hermes the previous week while Formartine had huffed, puffed and stuttered their way to a single goal victory against bottom club Parkvale who, without even a draw to their credit, remain as pointless as a blunt instrument.

The influences of the new management were clear from the outset as Formartine lined up in 4-5-1 formation with Marc Young in the role of lone striker. It proved to be an inspired decision as not only did the youngster fulfil the role to perfection, chasing, harrying and holding up the ball but the whole team played with much better shape and discipline than for months past.

They started positively with the ball being worked by Brown through Maitland and on to Marc Young who, twisting and turning, won a corner off Murray that was cleared at the second attempt by Johnstone.  Sunnybank showed their credentials by breaking at pace from a well weighted through ball by Thomson that set up big Murray for a great skelp at the ball that flew high and wide to safety in the 3 rd minute.  Sunnybank were able to sustain pressure but with the advantage of the extra man in midfield, Formartine were looking menacing on the break. That menace produced the goods for them as early as the 6th minute. The ball was worked quickly from the back and on to Young who deftly killed a through ball from Steven Craib and bore in on the advancing keeper. The forward had drawn the custodian to the limits of his territory or even a bit beyond and kept him fully occupied. The midfield moved smartly up and as the ball broke to Steven CRAIB the midfielder measured his lob perfectly over the stranded keeper to the right of Murray and into the net.

Bank were stung but not panicked as they resumed pressure on the Formartine rearguard where young Darren McGinnis showed strength and timing in the tackle and 17 year old Stuart Craib a capacity beyond his years for reading the game.  Formartine defending in general looks to have improved but doubts remain about communication within the back four.  N Reid was proving a bit of a handful and Thomson was a danger every time he ventured forward from defence, providing an array of balls for Fraser and both Reids. Despite some hairy moments and a couple of good saves from Horne the defence held firm and Formartine spurned the chance to go two ahead in the 17th when Mcleod fed Young who held the ball before playing his supplier back in again. MacLeod’s, shot was tamely struck or mis-hit.  A prodigious thump up the park from Sweeney reached Gordon who played it across to Greig who worked along the bye-line to tangle with Horne who was then left stranded. He floated it over the stranded keeper to N.Reid who nodded home the equaliser in 21 minutes.

Formartine on the basis of previous form might have been expected to crumble at this point. To their credit they didn’t and, gave in their own way, as good as they got for a further 15 minutes. A Reid drive and frees by Johnston and Murray raised the blood pressure but despite clear territorial advantage,`Bank were confined mostly to long range efforts and United were quick and well organised on the break. In the 38th minute they went behind for the first time when poor communication lead to poor defending and a Reid ball in was cleared only to the edge of the box to the unmarked FRASER who had a clear sight of goal from about 15 yards out and duly took full advantage.

Sunnybank started the second half with an intensity that rocked Formartine. They pressed their midfield some yards forward and set up their camp in the Formartine half.  The long range efforts of the first half were replaced by increased attempts to play through and round the home defence. This paid off almost immediately as Murray got the ball to the bye line and eventually gained a corner. The ball was scrambled away for a second corner that was played out-swinging deep to the back post. Horne tried to punch clear and missed. Sunnybank punish mistakes like that and the executioner’s role was taken by Gordon who popped the ball into the net in the 47th.

At 3-1 down Formartine had to chase the game and to the relief of their support that is exactly what they did. Sunnybank were leaving the odd gap behind midfield and Formartine were beginning to get the ball into this area and push on from there. Again the work rate of Young was phenomenal and the left peg of Shinnie, who eventually faded and was substituted by Sim, was immaculate.  By the hour mark, it was noticeable that Formartine were clawing themselves back into it. Grit and self-belief were returning in equal measure and they gradually started to ask the visitors some searching questions. Forsyth and Maitland were beginning to impose.  A Thumping drive from Steven Craib was parried over. MacLeod swung over a cross that deceived the defence but was too deep for either Sim or Young.  Formartine were playing with two up front now and looked like scoring again.  Marc YOUNG  obliged after being set up by MacLeod. The teasing cross was only partly cleared and  he was first to react and reduced the leeway in 75 minutes. It looked that a draw if not a victory, was on the cards. Steven Craib was cruelly denied in the 78th minute when his thunderous shot from 25 yards out crashed off the cross bar and rebounded past the penalty spot. The ball was hacked clear and Sunnybank had to dig even deeper into their reserves as Formartine dominated. On came veteran Ally Bremner who had the immediate effect of raising the average age of the team by 4 years a man. His guile almost produced the desired result with a fierce swinging corner that flummoxed defenders before being scrambled away.  It was all Formartine at the end but they were denied their due deserts by a combination of fate and some inspired defending by Thomson, Shand, and Johnston.

 Despite the result there are clear signs that the North Lodge lads are on their way back. Yes there were nervy moments, some crass errors at the back and these got the punishment they deserved, but the attitude and appetite are definitely returning.

The sponsor’s party from GAP Tool and Plant Hire paid tribute to the quality of fare on offer and the club enjoyed their company in equal measure. A splendid afternoon of football for all.

Teams:

Formartine United: Horne, Stuart Craib, McGinnis, Maitland, Sievewright, Brown, MacLeod, Steven Craib, Young, Forsyth.

Subs: Sim, Lawson, Bremner, Burrows, Haddaway.

Sunnybank: Sweeney, Shand, Thomson, Johnston, Murray,C. Steele, Greig, A. Rreid, Fraser, N. Reid, Gordon.

Subs: Bartlett, Henry, W.Steele, Fettes, Devine.

Ellon United 2           Formartine United 0

This match was initially scheduled for North Lodge Park but ground conditions meant that Formartine were prepared to forgo home advantage to play the fixture at Ellon Meadows. After a long run of defeats, home and away, the reign of Thain ended the week before Christmas, with the resignation of  management duo Ian Thain and Scott Taylor. Chairman Atholl Cadger was quick off the mark to secure the services of Former Huntly and Locos manager John Gardiner with Lenny Taylor stepping up to number two. This was now Gardiner’s world and the influences of the new management were immediately apparent as the team was set out in traditional 4-4-2 formation [rather than its more usual 3-5-2] with the front pairing of Sim and MacLeod replacing Haddaway and Beattie. In the absence of Beattie the captaincy went to young central defender Seivewright returning after a two month absence through injury. Holiday and work commitments meant a severely restricted range of personnel and only 3 subs were listed.

Management were clearly eager to assess the qualities of existing players in match conditions. Players too had points to prove to the new regime. Gardiner’s world was clearly starting with Gardiner’s question time. From the kick off Formartine took the game to Ellon and after a quick move down the left flank, when Craib fed Forsyth the latter did well with a crisp angled drive that was held by Bowman with McLeod in close attendance. Ellon quickly imposed themselves and had Formartine pretty well hemmed into their own half for the next ten minutes. A break down the left by Chapman set up the portly Craigie for a shot that tamely hit the side netting in the 6th minute. A  minute later,the big man was in again on the end of a Whyte cross which he headed over. Ellon, on the back of a an excellent run of recent results were more fluid and clearly the slicker outfit but it was also apparent that the born again back four of Formartine were containing the threat albeit a bit deeper than they might have. They were quick on the breakaway and in the 12th minute Young found Purves who played in MacLeod whose shot was on target but lacked the power to trouble Bowman. The pattern of the first half was now fairly well established with Ellon sustaining territorial advantage and Formartine making the occasional quick riposte without the finishing power to convert their menace to goals. 

Ellon did not look that impressive in the finishing department either. Noble cut in through the inside right channel before setting up Whyte about 12 yards out. With Horne advancing, he side footed the ball over the top. In the 30th minute Horne did well to tip an Ellis dipper over the bar. Lawson, on for the earlier injured Cheyne , cleared the resulting corner to Brown who travelled ten yards forward and released the ball to Young who played in Sim down the right flank. The dumpy wee forward did well to work the ball past King and Slater to play it diagonally back to the box for Forsyth who seemed to be impeded. A penalty was claimed but a corner cleared by King was all that was given before more home pressure was sustained.

Seiverwright prompted by voluble advice from the new management did a decent job of organising the back four who by and large kept the home side at bay. A 38TH minute drive by Ellis brought a good diving block from Horne and Formartine made another breakaway as a longish through ball by Young found MacLeod breaking into the box. He went down after a rather rearward tackle by Slater but again a corner was the sole reward.

The goalless first half flattered neither side and revealed a greater defensive solidity from Formartine than they had shown since early Autumn.

Ellon went for Formartine straight from the resumption. In 46th minute they were denied twice in immediate succession as Horne blocked a close range effort from Noble and somehow got himself up and down again to pluck the ball from the feet of Craigie who otherwise had the goal at his mercy. Ten minutes later a slick one-two between Young and MacLeod ended with an accurate header by the latter being taken at full stretch by Bowman.  Ellon were trying to create more space by playing from deeper positions but this in turn gave Formartine a shade more midfield possession than they had in the first half. Ellon still had superior possession and pressure but Formartine were at times able to do their defending a bit further forward than before.  It also looked that they were short of fire power up front and that if stalemate were to be broken that it would happen as a result of a mistake.

This duly came almost on the hour mark as Craib, in clear possession on the fringe of the centre circle, tamely surrendered possession with an under-struck pass that Wh