Westhill Academy guaranteed themselves at least a play-off with a 3-0 CNR International Under-13 League A win at St Machar Academy.
The visitors were sitting top of the division ahead of Saturday’s clash and knew they’d at least cement an end-of-season clash with rivals Bucksburn by overcoming St Machar.
St Machar’s results had been mixed going into the game, but they are capable of making things difficult for any team on their day, and they had the boost of being able to field their strongest line up so far this season.
On a bright morning, they kicked off in positive fashion, with Jamie Walosek nearly cutting through the visiting defence in the opening seconds.
Westhill retaliated quickly, though, and a 25-yard free-kick from Calum Bell went narrowly wide.
The visitors proceeded to take a grip on proceedings and took the lead in the 10th minute. Matthew Grassick gathered a cross from the left just inside the box and sent a strong drive goalwards. St Machar keeper Isaac Volpi managed to get an outstretched hand to it, but could not stop it hitting the roof of the net.
It looked like the homesters would get a quick equaliser when Tyler Dixon sent Walosek clear down the middle, but he was crowded out as he was in the process of shooting.
A great double save by Volpi kept Westhill to one soon after. First, he brought off a fine parry from a fierce drive from the edge of the box, and was up quickly to knock away the rebound, before stopping a good try by Grassick, who was sent clear again seconds later.
On the half-time whistle, Westhill keeper Joe Huntington had to race out of his box to clear. The long ball forward found Grassick, who crashed a strike off the post before it ended up behind for a corner.
Westhill almost made it 2-0 two minutes into the second half. Bell ran down the right leaving a number of defenders in his wake before crossing the ball to the back post. It appeared to fall perfectly for substitute Hussein Hassan, but he couldn’t force the ball past Volpi.
At the other end, another terrific Dixon run on the right saw him lose out to Huntington. The keeper’s punt up field left Grassick with a clear run on goal, but Volpi was able to parry the shot – with the striker not quite able to collect the rebound.
There was then a big chance for St Machar to equalise. Walosek was alert when Huntington dropped the ball after a challenge. It seemed like he would surely score, but somehow the ball went past the post.
And Westhill finally doubled their advantage on 63 minutes. A cross from the right came to Hassan lurking at the far post. He turned a defender outside in, before sending a low eight-yard drive under Volpi and into the net.
It was a long way back for St Machar now, and multiple substitutions preceded a stramash in the home box before the ball was eventually cleared for an unproductive throw in.
A third Westhill goal with five minutes left to play finished the game as a contest. A lobbed cross from the left went over Volpi’s hands and reached Seif Fahmy Mahmoud standing all on his own at the far post. The midfielder gleefully tapped the ball over the line.
Westhill finished the game on the attack, but Volpi kept out another strong shot at the expense of a corner.
St Machar Academy First Year
Isaac Volpi, Cole Simpson, Matthew Campbell, Archie Morris, Kenzie Innes, Max Wetherly, Tyler Gordon, Tyler Dixon, Cohen Leiper, Liam Green and Jamie Walosek. Subs: Cameron Reid, Nathan McIntyre, Lucas Bergeron, Wicktor Mischuda and Dean Roney.
Westhill Academy First Year
Joe Huntington, Owen Forbes, Ben McLaren, Alex Ferrier, Robbie Mitchell, Samuel Dennis, Matthew Rangel, Calum Bell, Keir Robson, Callum Cowie and Matthew Grassick. Subs: Gerald Ekiyor, Javi Da Piconne, Hussein Hassan and Seif Fahmy Mahmoud.
Referee A. Senior