Bucksburn Academy ensured they finished joint top of First Year CNR International League A with a 5-0 home triumph over Hazlehead.
Westhill’s earlier win at St Machar had left Bucksburn knowing what they needed to do, and they began the game on the front foot and found themselves two goals ahead within four minutes.
Alex McMurray scored the first goal on three minutes. A pass from the midfield reached him on the right of the penalty box. He cut inside before dispatching a low, left foot shot beyond the arms of keeper Harry Brudenell and into the corner of the Hazlehead net.
Sixty seconds later, after a fine run down the right, Lewis Mair sent in a cross which was met at the back post by Ethan Reid to smartly fire home from six yards to make it 2-0.
Bucksburn were well on top at this stage, with Mair and Clark Whyte both denied before the third goal arrived. The home side were awarded a free-kick on the right, with Logan Taylor sending the ball to the back post, before it was headed back across goal to the waiting Mair to send a low attempt hurtling into the net.
Hazlehead tried hard to get back into the game through Liam Young, but Toby Catto came out from his goal to block a shot. The resultant corner on the left was taken by Josh Napier, who was unlucky to see an inswinging cross strike the junction of post and bar and go behind.
It was 4-0 on 20 minutes. A long ball from Mair on the right on halfway found Reid, who moved in on goal and beat Brudenell.
Three minutes from the break, Whyte nipped in front of the Hazlehead defence and poked the ball into the net to see the homesters go nap.
After the break, Bucksburn attacked straight from the whistle and Brudenell had to be alert to bring off a great stop from Dahen Vixamar.
Hazlehead were beginning to come into things a bit more and won a free-kick wide on the right with eight minutes of the second period played. No one could get near the delivery, though, and the ball landed in Catto’s arms.
In their next attack, down the left, Napier was disappointed to see his parting shot fly narrowly wide.
Ten minutes from the end, a Bucksburn free-kick, taken by Taylor on the halfway line, was well-headed back to his keeper by Hazlehead’s Eiden Pinkerton.
Moments later, a Napier drive from the left found Catto well positioned to bring off another fine stop.
Hazlehead continued to push for a consolation, and Reuben McAllister and Napier both had tries with shots which went wide of the far post, before keeper Catto had to rush out of his goal to thwart Owen Thomson, who had been sent clean through.
Bucksburn Academy First Year
Toby Catto, Jack Fordyce, Logan Taylor, Tyler Cosgrove, Noah Sahar, Lewis Mair, Clark Whyte, Dahen Vixamar, Fraser Bruce, Alex McMurray and Ethan Reid. Subs: Milan George and Ashley Monjamu.
Hazlehead Academy First Year
Harry Brudenell, Lewis Pirie, Eiden Pinkerton, Callum Burnett, Owen Campbell, Rueben MacAllister, Ethan Mackie, Aiden Forrest, Liam Cochrane, Liam Young and Josh Napier. Subs: Mac Czlapski, John MacLeod, Owen Thomson and Lewis Cowie.
Referee T. Senior
Seniors put four past Bridge of Don
Bucksburn Seniors beat Bridge Of Don Seniors 4-0 in a President’s Trophy clash at Northfield Astro.
The game got off to a rip-roaring start.
Bridge of Don kicked off and Dylan Shaw made good progress down the right, but Ethan Barkham just managed to clear his fine cross.
Ryan Brand came even closer at the other end. Good Bucksburn play saw the ball fall kindly for him just outside the box, but his well-struck shot beat Archie Mackay before hitting the top of the crossbar and going behind.
Two minutes later, the ‘home’ side took the lead. Clark Sharp picked up the ball in midfield and sent a low pass through the visitors’ defence to Kurtis Williams just outside the box. The striker collected well and moved in to beat Bridge of Don keeper Mackay with a low drive which entered the net at the far post.
There was nothing much in the game in the opening period, but Bucksburn were looking like they were after what would be a telling second, and it was no surprise when the advantage was doubled on 38 minutes. Ethan Barkham sent a long ball from halfway which found Williams clear and just onside at the edge of the box. He moved towards goal before chipping the ball over Mackay and into the net.
A free-kick to Bucksburn which went narrowly wide of the far post brought the half to an end.
After just 90 seconds of the second period, Bucksburn were three goals in front, with Lewis Dalgarno sending a fine curling shot over Mackay’s head and into the corner of the net after some confusion in the area.
Bridge of Don did manage to fashion a chance on 57 minutes. A long cross from the right from Jake Cocker evaded everyone except Dylan Boyce at the back post. Try as he might, he could not force the ball home and the chance was lost.
Clark Sharp then made it 4-0 with less than half an hour to go. Gathering the ball on the edge of the box, he sent a low drive into the corner of the net.
Bucksburn Academy Seniors
Lewis Lindsay, Matthew Phillips, Kyle Wood, Dagan Rait, Ethan Barkham, Jake Buirds, Ryan Brand, Clark Sharp, Euan Bridgeford, Kurtis Williams and Jack Gerrie. Subs: James Coull, Jack Low, Aaron Carroll, Anania Bedru and Lewis Dalgarno.
Bridge of Don Academy Seniors
Archie Mackay, Jake Cocker, Lucas Taylor-Youngson, Alfie Brock, Dylan Shaw, Dylan Boyce, Jamie Watson, Matt MacFarlane, Samuel Davidson, Taylor Boyd and Lewis Pirie. Subs: Stas Boron, Jay Louriero and Bradley Greenhowe.
Referee B. Eden
