Westhill Academy second years came out on top against rivals Bucksburn – recording a 3-0 CNR International League Division 1 win.
It was a fixture neither team would have wanted to lose as both sides were in the age group top three last session when they were in first year.
The play was end to end in the early stages. but the defences were coping well with the attacks.
Samuel Dennis the menace
Good play from Samuel Dennis on the Westhill left on the 20-minute mark saw the home defence eventually clear his effort.
But Bucksburn did not take heed of the warning, and Westhill took the lead on 22 minutes, albeit in somewhat fortunate circumstances.
A clearance from Bucksburn keeper Toby Catto rebounded from a home defender back to Dennis. He took the ball round the keeper – and a couple of defenders – before slotting it into the empty net.
A second Westhill goal then arrived just before the interval.
Connor Stuart sent a curling cross from the right which looked like it would go over the head of Catto.
The goalie jumped well to prevent the ball falling over the line, however, the ever-alert Dennis was waiting to pounce and did just that before Catto could get his hands back on the ball, tapping home from a yard.
Bucksburn determined to pull a goal back
Bucksburn were pressing as the half came to an end and a Lewis Mair shot was well turned round the post by the legs of keeper Max Blackwood, and Westhill retained their two-goal cushion.
Bucksburn came out for the second half determined to pull a goal back and Clark Whyte tested the keeper in the first 30 seconds.
Then, 10 minutes later, a fine run down the right from Miller Giles saw the ball passed inside to Whyte, but his shot was just off target.
But it was end-to-end stuff again, which was a tribute to both sides as the heavy and wet conditions made it very difficult to get the ball down and play.
Westhill’s use of the long ball seemed to be having more of an effect on proceedings and they were able to create a number of chances as the game entered its last quarter.
Westhill academy football team came out on top
Bucksburn were fighting hard, though, and Logan Taylor nearly did the trick with a header from a corner.
However, try as they might, Bucksburn could not find a score to give them a chance in the match, despite coming very close when Whyte shot narrowly wide of the post after good work by Jack Fordyce on the right.
Dennis completed his hat-trick for Westhill with the last kick of the game.
He collected the ball just inside the Bucksburn half and ran past the defence before moving into the box.
The keeper came out quickly and blocked his first attempt, but the winger was first to the rebound and was able to dribble past Catto and place the ball into the vacant net.
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