Aviemore Thistle edge six goal thriller to progress in Capaldi Cup
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FC Abernethy 2-4 Aviemore Thistle
The first round of the Capaldi Cup served a real cracker in Nethy Bridge as the Jags edged a six goal thriller.
Both teams made a good start with an end-to end-opening.
But Abernethy took the lead in sensational style when Blair Johnston picked up the ball 40 yards out, drove forward and unleashed a drive from 30 yards that rocketed into the top corner.
This goal spurred Thistle into life, and within five minutes the game was level again.
Some excellent work down the right from Darren McConnell resulted in a delightful cross to the back post where Rory Mackinnnon was waiting to nod home from five yards.
Ten minutes later the Jags went ahead with a glorious outside of the foot volley from Scott MacDonald from 20 yards which left the keeper stranded.
Thistle were now in full control of the tie, and just before the interval they extended their lead.
A long ball over the top had Nethy’s defence wrong footed and Finlay McDonald capitalised to pounce and first-touch the ball home for number three.
Calum Guy in the Abernethy net made a string of fine saves as Abernethy continued to create chances with Alex Starace and Matthew McHendry causing the Aviemore defence all kinds of problems.
Indeed, they were unlucky not to score again when a great ball in from the right by Rob Stewart was met by a flying volley from Doug Guy, only to be thwarted by an incredible save from
the Thistle keeper.
Aviemore went into the break 3-1 up but Abernethy came out fighting and pulled a goal back with another fantastic strike.
Doug Guy turned his man on the edge of the box, cut back inside another defender and smashed the ball into the roof of the net from 18 yards – that is two goals in two games for the league’s most attacking centre back.
Abernethy kept pushing for an equalised and created a number of good chances.
Silva put a half volley from the edge of the box just over the bar and Doug Guy was inches away from connecting with a cross at the far post.
But in the final few minutes Aviemore found the net on a breakaway to put the game to bed.
David Ross spotted Nethy’s keeper off his line and cheekily lobbed him from all of 40 yards to secure his side’s place in the semi-finals.
Badenoch Utd 0-12 Boat of Garten Ospreys
Badenoch’s young side’s baptism of fire continued on Friday night with an early knock out on the Capaldi Cup.
Stefan Ritchie put the Ospreys into an early lead when he latched on to a through ball from Callum Mackenzie before rounding a defender and slotting home.
The Ospreys laid siege to United’s goal, and Thomas McInnes reaped the rewards with a top corner screamer from the edge of the box following a run through the back line.
Ritchie turned from scorer to provider as a run down the wing ended with a pinpoint cross which Fraser Greenless duly despatched into the bottom corner.
James Blair was next on the scoresheet when he collected a pass from Conor Macleod and delivered another fine drive into the top corner of the net.
It was all one-way traffic now and Blair and Ritchie took full advantage to combine well for the latter to nutmeg his marker and cross for Andrew Stewart to slam home.
Blair then scooped the ball away from United’s Josh Brannan and ran up field to deliver a fine strike which Badenoch Keeper Josh Barrett did well to parry, however Harley Macfarlane collected the rebound and tapped home for the Ospreys.
United were thoroughly demoralised by this point and matters were made worse when Duncan Miller wrong-footed his marker to drill low into the bottom corner.
Blair then bagged his brace before frustrations boiled over in Badenoch’s back line, and keeper Barrett was red carded for a verbal tirade at the referee.
It was merely a matter of time before the Ospreys scored again, and it was Blair and Ritchie who combined once more to do so, with the latter tucking the ball deep into the net.
Stewart bagged his own brace as the clock ticked down, but the football gods briefly smiled down on Badenoch when a last-minute penalty was blasted over the bar to deny Ritchie his hat-trick.
