Aberdeen secondary schools football: Westhill Academy second years beat Bucksburn Academy 5-1 in promotion chase

Westhill Academy’s footballers took a grip on CNR International League S2 League B with a come-from-behind 5-1 victory at Bucksburn Academy.

As the Aberdeen Secondary Schools Football Association divisions heat up, both teams set off looking for an early goal, but it was visitors Bucksburn who took the lead in the fifth minute – Ethan Reid slotting past Westhill keeper Max Blackwood from a cross.

Bucksburn came close to doubling their advantage when a shot from Tomas Jehano on the right flashed just beyond the back post.

However, Westhill began to find their feet and scored a 14th-minute equaliser. Samuel Dennis made progress down the right, beat his marker, and his low cross-cum-shot snuck into Toby Catto’s net at the far post.

Westhill’s Miller Giles and Calum Bell would then both hit the woodwork as they attempted to take the lead for the first time, while – on the stroke of half-time – Bucksburn’s Logan Taylor narrowly cleared the crossbar with an effort at the other end.

It had been an exciting and even first period, but it was Westhill who scored next – on 50 minutes. The home defence could only partially clear a ball from the right as far as Bell and his lobbed shot sailed over Catto’s head and into the corner of the net.

Bucksburn tried to respond, but it was the visitors who continued to have the better chances.

Bell was dominating midfield and he went on a mazy run going past four defenders before being stopped at the expense of a free-kick.

Westhill scored a crucial third with 10 minutes remaining – Owen Forbes took a free-kick from his own half which went over the heads of the home defenders before falling to Dennis, who swept the ball past Catto from close range.

Dennis completed his hat-trick with five to play. He gathered the ball on the right before shooting against the post from almost the goal line, and collected the rebound before finding the net via the keeper.

A fifth goal arrived in the final seconds when Seif Fahmy Mahmoud moved into the box and stroked the ball past Catto and into the far corner of the goal.