This game was played at Skene Primary School – a pitch with the second biggest slope imaginable, but with a magnificent view over the Loch of Skene and Deeside on this beautiful sunny day.

 

 

Dyce started the game playing down the hill and from the start they pressed for the opener.  Glenn Murison and Bruce Anderson combined to force a corner, and Matty Dick crossed to Fraser Wyness but his header was held by the Culter keeper.  Bruce took a quick free-kick and found Glenn but his shot went just past.  However Culter’s very first foray into the Dyce half brought a goal – Cameron Shore was caught in possession on the halfway line and two attackers were able to get clear of Liam Strachan to race forward and beat Thomas Flewker-Barker in goals.

 

Dyce refused to panic and continued to play their passing game.  Cameron found Matty but his effort struck the crossbar, and from a corner on the right Bruce fired a low ball that somehow went through the cluster of players without getting a touch.  Culter were still dangerous on the break and Thomas was alert on two occasions where he had to race out to clear with his feet, and he also did well to intercept a cross that was heading towards an unmarked attacker at the back post.

 

Cameron played the ball up the left wing to Matty who crossed into the middle to Bradley Neish – he was foiled with his first attempt but latched onto the rebound to fire home the equaliser.  On the right wing Fraser performed a couple of tricks to engineer a little space and was then able to pick out Cameron at the edge of the box with his cross but his shot went over the bar.  At the other end Culter had chances to regain the lead – a cross found one of their players unmarked at the back post but the ball squirmed away as he was about to shoot and team-mates then struck the post and bar as the Dyce goal led a charmed life.  Dyce capitalised on that let-off by taking the lead just before half-time – Liam played the ball out of defence to Bruce who in turn fed Bradley and he fired home a left foot drive.

 

Half-time  2-1

 

Now attacking up the hill in the second half, Glenn won the ball and fed Bruce but his shot went narrowly wide.  Bradley and Matty had chances before Culter had a break but Glenn covered back to help out the defence.  Dyce extended their lead with a fine goal when Bruce lifted the ball over the head of a defender and then lobbed it over the keeper and into the net.

 

The game started to open up and both teams had chances that came to nothing.  Thomas launched a huge kick up-field that Bradley headed goalwards and it looked to be going over the keeper but he managed to stretch and get his fingertips to the ball.  Culter were starting to commit more players forward and were caught out with no fewer than four Dyce players  bearing in on one defender – Fraser cut the ball back to Bruce who took his time and placed the ball into the net.

 

At this point Jake made a Jimmy Calderwood style substitution where four players changed positions, but what an inspired change it was, as immediately a corner on the right from Matty found striker Fraser unmarked in the centre of the goals where he headed the ball into the net.  Culter soon reduced the deficit when a low driven corner was was steered into the goals from close range.

 

There was time for one more goal – Cameron released Matty on the left and his high cross found Bruce who retained possession under pressure before firing a screamer into the top corner from the edge of the box to claim his hat-trick.

 

Full-time  6-2

 

This was a competitive game where Dyce had to work really hard to get on top against very well organised opponents.  The only slight criticism would be that this is the type of tight game where the boys lack of shouting becomes more noticeable.

 

Coach: Jake Petrie

 

Goals:

 

Bradley Neish                2

Bruce Anderson             3

Fraser Wyness              1