11/08/2024
ABERDEEN 5 - Bristol City 4
(Pre-season friendly)
Back in 1982, as Urqs celebrated his 7th birthday, across the Atlantic a wholesome, clean- living young chap by the name of Nikki Sixx wrote a song for his newly formed band Motley Crue. Unfortunately for his liver, as he ventured forth to seek a celebratory apple juice, he encountered one Adam "Maverick" Reid (no known relation to Chopper), and said apple juice evolved into something rather more robust.
Consequently, his song "Goals, Goals, Goals" was refashioned into "Girls, Girls, Girls", but his Maverick mentor never forgot the injunction of the former song (originally written for corporate retreats).
Consequently, as the Aberdeen Rob Roy Reds lined up for their first preseason game of the 2024/25 season, the emphasis was on attack.
Clearly there is a space for corporate jargon in football, as what lined up as a bare 11 on a pitch with goals in different postcodes defied the sun, distance, time, and (almost incidentally) the opposition's best efforts to race into a 3-0 first half lead.
With blistering sun beating down, both teams nonetheless looked to start the match and their season swiftly. One succeeded more than the other, as the Dons forward line of Urqs and Maverick (combined age of 93) brought their teammates (to say "younger teammates" seems tautological here) into the game deep in the Bristol half. Pressure told, and c. 20mins into the game the Dons won a free kick in a promising position.
Centre mid, and todays Captain Brad stepped up, to the deep consternation of the Bristol wall. Nonetheless, the wall stood firm- but the ball deflected down to a waiting Alfie, advanced from his left back position.
Mindful of the need to build fitness and flexibility, Alfie turned the increasingly desperate Bristol defender inside and out, advancing towards the byline before delicately picking out Dons' centre back Henry to head past the Bristol keeper.
With their tails up, the Dons pushed forward again, and it wasn't long before centre mid Felix saw a gap and expertly picked out the arcing run of left mid Liam, who raced in behind the Bristol defence and slotted past the keeper to make it 2-0.
Bristol seemed shell shocked, but worse was to come almost instantly as Felix and Liam brought the band back together for a goal which differed only from the 2nd in Liam's decision to round the keeper before scoring.
Bristol, however, rolled the dice and rolled their bench. The introduction of new players changed the timbre of their game, and suddenly they started to pose a threat. Centre backs Kieran and Henry and full backs Alfie and Louis expertly managed their shape and restricted the Bristol attack to hopeful Hollywood balls, but from one such ball Bristol won a corner. The expertly swung in ball evaded the massive of players at the front of the box, and the well-timed run of the forward to the back post saw him represented with an easy head home.
With half-time looming and the Dons 3-1 up, the match nevertheless seemed in a good place. But circumstances deteriorated suddenly, as a ricocheting ball in midfield dropped kindly for the Bristol winger. Racing forward, he pulled back and the waiting midfielder slotted expertly into the far top corner.
Half time arrived, with the score at 3-2 but the presence of a Bristol bench looking ominous in punishing conditions.
Yet the 2nd half started in a pattern following that of the first, with the Dons fashioning chances and looking dangerous. Wingers James and Liam were keeping the Bristol full backs on their toes and winning turnover balls, whilst Urqs and Maverick linked up play and brought the passing games of Brad and Felix into the Don's offence to complement their own.
But Bristol showed the benefit of substitutes in blistering heat, and broke forward on a rapid counterattack. Men committed to the flank, drawing in the defence for necessary cover, before finding a free man at the back post who finished past stand-in keeper Callum.
Having hauled back a 3 goal deficit, Bristol's spirits were up, and they nearly made it 4-3 soon after as they broke through, but in Buzz Lightyear “To Infinity and beyond” fashion, Callum managed to jump and push the shot around the post.
Having expended immense energy, the depleted Dons might have reasonably been expected to have sagged at this stage. But utilising the well-known ability of Aberdonians to extract energy, somehow they rallied. Chances came, but kept coming frustratingly far from completion. Brad set up Liam, only for shot to skim the outside of the far post. James set up Felix, but the Bristol keeper got down well.
Yet, when it seemed the game might play out to a draw, all of a sudden a glut of goals arrived. With the moving swiftly between Dons players in a series of one-twos through defence and midfield, manager Maverick spun and played in Liam, who calmly advanced on the opposition goal and applied the finishing touch.
The Dons could've been forgiven for sitting back at this stage, but within a matter of minutes found themselves 5-3 up: Louis won a throw-in, James kept the ball alive, the ball came back to Kieran who fed Maverick to again put through Liam to apply the coup de grace.
Bristol pushed forward, in desperate hope of a draw or, at least, some consolation. The former proved not to be in the offing as the Dons defence stood firm, but the latter did materialise to provide some ephemeral joy for Bristol, as their striker reacted fastest to poke the ball home with the last kick of the day.
Goals - Henry, Liam x4
Motm - Liam
Match report - Callum
If you want to play for the Dandies, please reach out to Player/Manager Maverick on:
07791730588
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