Moray & District Welfare F.A.

Premier Division

Tuesday 22nd July 2025

Kick Off 19.30 On Time!

Buckie Rovers 2 Fochabers 1, attendance 86

42’ 1-0

66’ 2-0

84’ 2-1

@ Merson Park

Barhill Road

Buckpool

AB56 1DS

No Admission or Programme.

Last week I’d seen these two meet in a cup match at Fochabers, that the home side won 2-1, but tonight was a league match, with 3rd hosting 2nd in the table, both needing a win to close the gap on leaders Aberlour Villa. The added attraction, as far as I was concerned, was that Buckie play their home games at Merson Park, which has hosted Scottish Junior football in the past. The pitch is railed on all bar about a third of one touchline, with a pair of brick dugouts on the far side (only Buckie used theirs). Car parking is at the goal end nearest the entrance, with the changing rooms in the near right corner, where there was also a tea bar serving hot food and drinks. Great scenic views too, with hills and the town in one direction and glimpses of the North Sea in the other. The only thing that lets it down is the ridiculous distance the rail is set back from the pitch. It is at least ten yards, no matter where you stand and it’s like watching a game at those awful grounds that have a running track around the pitch.

The distance from the pitch probably contributed to how the game was nowhere near as enjoyable as last week’s meeting. The opening goal didn’t come until three minutes before halftime, going the way of the hosts, when a long clearance saw the ball cut in from the right, before finishing left footed from the edge of the box, going in off a defender. Midway through the second half Buckie made it 2-0, when a corner from the right was headed down into the bottom corner from six yards. An angled shot into the far corner saw Fochabers pull it back to 2-1 with six minutes left and despite playing six additional minutes of stoppage time, they were unable to grab an equaliser.

The win leaves Buckie just two points behind Fochabers now, whilst Aberlour retain their four point lead at the top, with all three now having played the same number of games.

Strathspey & Badenoch Welfare F.A.

Monday 21st July 2025

Kick Off 19.30 Actual 19.29

Cromdale 0 Badenoch United 3, attendance 21

15’ 0-1

28’ 0-2

34’ 0-3

@ Cromdale Park

A95 North

Cromdale

PH26 3LN

No Admission or Programme.

The Strathspey & Badenoch Welfare F.A. is down to just five teams these days, although they also compete for five different cup competitions. The other three clubs are Aviemore Thistle, F.C. Abernethy and Grantown Rovers, with tonight’s game being 3rd versus 1st in the league table. The club play at Cromdale Park, which is on the left hand side of the A95 when heading north towards Charlestown of Aberlour. The pitch is set down below the car park, fully enclosed with mesh fencing and a couple of dugouts on the near side, with the changing room building behind the near goal end.

It had been a wet start to the day, but had dried up by lunchtime, but it started spitting with rain again just under an hour before kick off. It got very heavy as the teams did their warm ups and there were rumbles of thunder and one flash of lightning in the opening five minutes of the game, but thankfully nothing more, although it did rain for the entire match. It only took Badenoch fifteen minutes to open the scoring, when a cross from the right was headed in from 6 yards. Just before the half hour mark they doubled their lead, when having cut inside, a shot was well saved by the ‘keeper, but followed in from close range with a stooping header. Six minutes later, a cross from the right was turned in at the far post to make it 0-3 and there would be no way back for Cromdale. The second half was more even, with chances at both ends, with both ‘keepers pulling off decent saves. Both teams had a man sent off in the last minute, with punches thrown following a challenge just past the halfway line, but too late to have any bearing on the outcome of the game.

The win sees Badenoch retain top spot in the table, having now won all five of their games played so far. The two teams meet here again on Friday, in the semi-final of the Capaldi Cup.

Marnoch Shield 4 Team Tournament

3rd/4th Place Play Off

Sunday 20th July 2025

Kick Off 12.00 Actual 12.01

Meldrum United 10 Kemnay Amateurs 0, attendance 40

19’ 1-0

23’ 2-0

31’ 3-0 (pen)

51’ 4-0

64’ 5-0

65’ 6-0

74’ 7-0

76’ 8-0

84’ 9-0

89’ 10-0

@ McRobert Park (St. Marnans F.C.)

Park View

Aberchirder

AB54 7AA

No Admission or Programme.

Today was the culmination of the inaugural Marnoch Shield 4 Team Tournament, hosted by St.Marnans, at their McRobert Park ground in Aberchirder. It’s just a pitch, but is fully enclosed and has three park benches on each touchline, with a car park behind the goal end, which also had the changing rooms/toilets, with a tea bar set up under a canopy, serving hot and cold food and drinks.

The four teams involved play in the Aberdeenshire Amateur F.A. Yesterday’s games saw hosts St.Marnans beat Kemnay Amateurs 2-0 and Insch A.F.C. beat Meldrum United 5-2, with the final and 3rd/4th placed play off held today. I would have preferred to see the hosts play, especially as they’d made the final, but it made more sense to do the earlier noon kick off, rather than wait until 15.30 for the second game. Kemnay Amateurs are in Division 1 of the league, whilst Meldrum United are two divisions lower, but it soon became obvious that Meldrum had a team of players who are well capable of playing at a higher level than they’re currently at.

It started off quite even and Kemnay created the better of the early chances. Meldrum broke the deadlock after nineteen minutes, quickly followed by a second goal. Just after the half hour mark a penalty made it 3-0 and surprisingly that was the end of the first half scoring. The second half was pretty much one way traffic, with Kemnay struggling with having fewer substitutes available and looked visibly more tired as the game wore on. Goal number four came just six minutes into the half and the goals kept coming. It was just a case of how many they’d get in the end as they ruthlessly cut through the Kemnay defence. When they hit their ninth with six minutes left, it was a case of when, rather than if, they’d reach double figures and sure enough, they scored again in the last minute, with a left footed shot into the bottom corner of the net from the edge of the box.

Above photos : Meldrum United in Navy, Kemnay Amateurs in Orange/Black.

Friendly

Saturday 19th July 2025

Kick Off 14.00 Actual 14.01

Fraserburgh United 1 Lossiemouth 0, attendance 83

76’ 1-0

@ College Park

Henderson Road

Fraserburgh

AB43 9GA

£5 Admission

No Programme.

It was back to friendly action this afternoon, where North of Scotland Championship Division were hosting Highland League. The College Park ground of Fraserburgh United has a fully railed pitch and a stand with five rows of bench seating, painted in the club colours of orange and black, with the dugouts situated on the opposite side.The ground is enclosed by mesh fencing, with the changing rooms/tea bar/toilets all situated on the outside, which seemed rather odd. With nothing to block the view, at least six cars parked in the road at one goal end, choosing to watch from there, rather than pay the fiver admission.

As I’ve found with all the friendlies I’ve watched up in Scotland, it was played with full commitment throughout. There was even a bout of handbags just before halftime, which resulted in quite a bit of pushing and shoving between at least half a dozen players involved, but the halftime whistle soon followed, giving them a chance to calm down. Both teams created plenty of chances, but none that were really clear cut. Having seen a thirteen goal thriller last night, it looked a certainty that this would end goalless, but with fourteen minutes left, we finally got the breakthrough and it went the way of the hosts. A cross was fumbled by the ‘keeper, with the ball spinning towards the goal, where a defender trying to clear never made a proper connection and the ball was forced in at the far post. Six minutes later, Lossiemouth were denied a penalty, when a Fraserburgh defender clearly committed a handball during a scramble to block a shot, but the Referee thought otherwise and waved away the appeals.

North East Scotland F.A.

League 2

Friday 18th July 2025

Kick Off 19.00 Actual 19.01

New Deer 7 Ardallie 6, attendance 22

1’ 1-0

7’ 2-0

10’ 2-1

14’ 2-2

34’ 3-2

38’ 3-3

48’ 3-4

50’ 4-4 (pen)

58’ 4-5

62’ 5-5

67’ 6-5

77’ 6-6

90’ + 1, 7-6

@ Fordyce Road

New Deer

AB53 6SB

No Admission or Programme.

This was the first game I’ve ever watched in this league and where better to start than with a game between the bottom two in the league (lowest division of two), who had managed just one win each all season. The ground is in Fordyce Road, with the set up also hosting tennis and bowls. There are two parallel pitches here, the main one being adjacent to the driveway leading to the car park at the rear of the changing room building. It has wooden fencing acting as a pitch barrier along one side and behind the goal end nearest the entrance, as well as a pair of wooden dugouts and there’s also a small bit of cover set back in the corner, which would be useful in wet weather, but has a blind spot in one corner, so far from ideal. It certainly wasn’t needed tonight, on yet another glorious evening.

As for the match. It was absolutely bonkers. New Deer were ahead inside ten seconds and two up after seven minutes. Ardallie replied quickly and were level at 2-2 before we’d even played quarter of an hour. New Deer went back in front after the ‘keeper was beaten from a tight angle, but a quick breakaway and low shot past the ‘keeper saw Ardallie level it up at 3-3 seven minutes before halftime.

The second half continued in the same vein as the first. New Deer had a goal ruled out for offside within a minute of the restart, before going 3-4 behind when an Ardallie player cut in from the right and finished low into the far corner. By the fifth minute of the half it was 4-4, courtesy of a New Deer penalty that went in off the underside of the crossbar. Just before the hour mark the visitors made it 4-5, after a ball across the face of the goal was put in at the far post. The lead lasted just four minutes though, when a cross was half blocked and poked past the ‘keeper from close range. With twenty three minutes left New Deer were back in front, after a defender diverted a cross into his own net, but the inevitable equaliser followed ten minutes later, when a cracking 25 yarder made it 6-6. Minutes later New Deer hit the post and just as it looked like we’d end all square, a long ball over the top was poked past the ‘keeper, from just inside the box, to win it for New Deer a minute into stoppage time.

An absolutely superb game to watch as a neutral. My highest ever draw I’ve witnessed is 6-6. I really thought the 7-7 might have been achieved tonight, as there were still a couple of chances for Ardallie in the dying seconds and to be honest, a draw would have been a fair result overall

Friendly

Thursday 17th July 2025

Kick Off 19.00 Actual 18.59

Huntly U20 1 Stoneywood Parkvale 7, attendance 40

26’ 0-1

31’ 0-2

38’ 0-3

56’ 0-4

76’ 0-5

83’ 0-6

84’ 1-6

85’ 1-7

@ Alford Community Campus, 3G Pitch

Greystone Road

Alford

AB33 8TY

No Admission or Programme.

This was played at the neutral venue of Alford Community Campus, around twenty miles west of Aberdeen bypass. It’s a caged pitch with no designated spectator area, but there was no problem watching from inside the fence, although this was limited to just one side of the pitch, but a handful chose to watch from the grass bank alongside, which gave a relatively unobstructed view.

In the end, the Huntly youngsters were totally overran by their North of Scotland League Championship Division opposition, having been well in the game for the first twenty minutes or so. Stoneywood Parkvale opened the scoring with a far post header after twenty six minutes. Five minutes later they added a second, volleying in off the far post, before making it 0-3 before halftime. Huntly hit the post early in the second half, but minutes later conceded a fourth, when a long throw was headed in from six yards. The visitors totally overran them in the late stages, adding two more goals, either side of a curling shot from the angle of the box that hit the post. Huntly did get a consolation with six minutes left, with a 25 yarder that dipped over the ‘keeper, but within a minute the visitors broke away down the right and finished through the ‘keeper’s legs into the far corner to make it 1-7.

Moray & District Welfare F.A.

Mike Simpson Memorial Trophy Quarter Final

Tuesday 15th July 2025

Kick Off 19.30 On Time!

Fochabers 2 Buckie Rovers 1, attendance 97

14’ 0-1

45’ + 1, 1-1 (pen)

75’ 2-1

@ Fochabers Playing Field

Ordiquish Road

Fochabers

IV32 7EX

No Admission or Programme.

Tonight’s game was a quarter final in the Mike Simpson Memorial Trophy, between two teams in the Premier Division of the league, with 2nd hosting 3rd in the table as far as league positions go. It was no problem finding out information regarding the game, as the league website was bang up to date, as were the Facebook pages of both clubs.

Fochabers is a small town just off the A96 Aberdeen-Inverness road, roughly midway between Elgin and Keith. The football club play at Fochabers Playing Field, which is just a basic pitch, which still has the old style square goal posts and has raised grass banking along one side, with mesh fencing lining the path leading to the primary school, which offers a good vantage point. The changing rooms are part of a building that also houses the public toilets, with overhang on the rear, which faces the pitch, but is a good 40-50 yards behind the goal, so not really of use. You’re certainly in luck if churches are your thing though, as there are four visible from pitch side.

It was a cracking game, that could have gone either way. Buckie were ahead after fourteen minutes, when a corner from the right was headed in at the near post. Late in the half they also saw a skewed cross come back off the crossbar, before conceding an equaliser in stoppage time, scored from a really softly awarded penalty, for a nudge in the back that was nowhere near enough to send the home player sprawling theatrically to the ground. Fochabers saw a header, from a free kick wide on the right, come back off the crossbar with seventeen minutes left, before grabbing what turned out to be the winner just two minutes later, when a corner from the left was cleared to the angle of the eighteen yard box, where it was met with a first time shot, that somehow managed to find a gap between defender and crossbar, on its way into the top far corner.

Inverness & District F.A.

Premier Division

Monday 14th July 2025

Kick Off 19.00 On Time!

Black Rock Rovers 3 Loch Ness Thistle 1, attendance 38

18’ 1-0

54’ 2-0

58’ 2-1

85’ 3-1

@ Black Rock Recreation Park (Culcairn Park)

Glenglass Road

Evanton

IV16 9YT

No Admission or Programme.

As I’ve found out on previous trips to Inverness, the fixtures for this league only appear on the league’s Facebook page at very short notice. I knew of one game tonight, thanks to the social media accounts of Maryburgh, who had an away game on the multi pitch set up at Bught Park in Inverness, but at 10 o’clock this morning the league page had all four games shown for tonight and the game at Black Rock Rovers looked more appealing. They play in the village of Evanton, just north of Dingwall. It’s just a pitch in a recreation ground, with a changing room building that had a small overhang on the front and a small car park, but there was plenty of roadside parking too, with a few of the crowd choosing to watch from their cars, rather than brave the elements. Heavy rain was forecast from 5 o’clock through to midnight and sure enough, an hour later than predicted, it arrived. The pitch certainly looked like it could do with a watering, so it was never going to be a problem of whether or not the game would go ahead okay.

The match was 3rd versus 6th (out of 8) in the league table and was an excellent contest from start to finish, with an end to end flow for the full ninety minutes. Black Rock opened the scoring after eighteen minutes, when a cross from the right was fired back across the six yard box and went in off a defender attempting to clear the ball. They almost doubled their lead in the last minute of the half, but the shot came back off the crossbar. They wasted another great chance to increase their lead seven minutes into the second half, but blazed a shot high over the crossbar, when it looked easier to score, but two minutes later they did add a second goal, when a through ball was finished one on one against the ‘keeper, despite the scorer looking to be well offside. Loch Ness were back in it four minutes later, when a quick break down the left saw a shot saved by the ‘keeper, but the follow up squeezed in at the near post. Black Rock saw a mishit cross come back off the crossbar as they looked to make the game safe, finally getting their third goal with five minutes left, when a ball cut back from the left was smashed in at the far post.

Scottish Football League Cup

Group F

Saturday 12th July 2025

Kick Off 15.00 Actual 14.59!

East Kilbride 1 St. Johnstone 3, attendance 620 (sold out)

7’ 1-0

52’ 1-1

60’ 1-2

81’ 1-3

@ K Park Training Academy

Calderglen Park Road

East Kilbride

G75 0QZ

£15 Admission, booked online

£3 Programme available, didn’t bother buying.

East Kilbride had won the Lowland League four times and finished second twice since 2017, but last season, following back to back championships, they defeated Bonnyrigg Rose in a two legged play off to finally reach the Scottish Football League. Today was their first game at their new level, where they were hosting Championship club St. Johnstone, who are two levels above them. Tickets became available on general sale earlier in the week and were easily booked online, once registering an account and the game was announced as a sell out a couple of days later. It’s hardly surprising though, as the ground only has a small capacity. It will certainly hinder them going much further up the pyramid in its current state. Spectators are limited to just two sides. The home fans occupy the seated stand that has just four rows of backless seats and runs not much more than half the pitch length, whilst the away supporters are behind the goal nearest the entrance, where there’s a four step kit stand, roughly the width of the 18 yard box. There’s plenty of parking available in a field off Calderglen Park Road, which is free, then you walk a couple of hundred yards through the woods down to the ground. Refreshments were available inside the ground, with prices you’d expect, now they’re in the league. The pitch is 3G, although there was never going to be any problem with water logging or frost today. It was absolutely roasting hot, but at least there was an occasional breeze blowing through the stand, which made it much more bearable.

John Robertson had the honour of getting East Kilbride’s first goal as a league club, scoring against one of his former clubs after just seven minutes, when he hit an unstoppable free kick from the angle of the 18 yard box into the top far corner of the net. Six minutes into the second half Gullan levelled the scores for the visitors, with a 20 yard free kick that went in off the underside of the crossbar. Eight minutes later Saints went in front, when Sidibeh intercepted the ball just inside the EK half and ran clear to beat the ‘keeper one on one. Ten minutes from the end they made the game safe, when the ball was given away on the edge of the box and a pass was squared for Kirk to finish with a first time shot.

Having completed level five of the Scottish football pyramid with last night’s game at Civil Service Strollers, today’s game once again re-completed the Scottish Football League, 30 years after a game at Forfar Athletic marked the first time I’d done it.

Friendly

Friday 11th July 2025

Kick Off 19.30 Actual 19.31

Civil Service Strollers 2 Montrose 2, attendance 112

24’ 0-1

26’ 0-2

32’ 1-2

65’ 2-2

@ Christie Gillies Park

25 Marine Drive

Muirhouse

Edinburgh

EH4 5EJ

£8 Admission

No Programme.

Tonight was an opportunity to visit the only ground in the Lowland League I hadn’t yet seen a game on, with the added attraction that it was against Scottish League 1 opposition. Christie Gillies Park is in Muirhouse, to the west of Edinburgh. It is fully railed and floodlit and has two sections of two rows of seating, but being set so low, sight lines are poor. Both the clubhouse and tea bar, which was serving hot food and drinks, are behind the entrance end goal, whilst the far goal end is out of bounds to spectators.

A long throw in, misjudged by a defender, led to a volleyed finish which put Montrose ahead after twenty four minutes and they doubled their lead just two minutes later, when a through ball was lobbed over the advancing ‘keeper from just inside the box. Just after the half hour mark Strollers pulled a goal back, when a pull back from the right was side footed in via a deflection. Midway through the second half they levelled it up at 2-2, when a one two on the edge of the box was finished left footed into the bottom corner.