Aviemore Thistle end the season with another cup triumph
The 2024 Strathspey and Badenoch Welfare FA season came to an end as Aviemore Thistle and Cromdale battled it out for possession of the MacLean Cup.
Strathspey Thistle very generously gifted the use of Seafield Park to help elevate the clash on Friday evening.
And the bowling green-like surface absolutely added to the experience for the large and vocal crowd that turned out to watch.
Thistle had already been crowned league champions and were looking to add the MacLean Cup to the Dalvey Cup they won back in May.
Cromdale were yet to see any silverware this campaign so were determined to make the most of this final chance to do so.
The opening stages were a tight affair with neither side wishing to give up any ground.
Cromdale did test the Thistle defence at regularly intervals.
However, it was the Jags who came closest midway through the first half with a powerful long-range strike from Xavio Vastano which just narrowly missed its mark.
At the other end Graham Murray’s header was also tantalisingly close to opening the scoring for Cromdale.
But it would take until just a minute before the interval to finally see that happen.
A loose pass from Kieran Partridge was pounced upon by Cromdale’s Daniel Whitehorn.
He showed some deft footwork, sending defenders left and right as he danced through the penalty area before smashing the ball home to the delight of the large Cromdale contingent who had travelled to Grantown.
Following the break though, Aviemore emerged the stronger side. And within five minutes they had drawn level.
A neat back heel from Brian Minard found the veteran David Robertson in space. He then delivered a first time cross to the back post where young Jason Minard was waiting to head home.
Cromdale were forced into making several substitutions due to injuries and tiredness which disrupted their play and allowed Thistle more time on the ball to press deep into Dale territory.
But Dale were still a threat and thought they had regained the lead when that man Whitehorn collected the ball in midfield.
He charged forward and rounded the keeper before letting loose but somehow Aviemore’s Connor Macleod managed to get a foot to the ball and hoof it away to safety on the line.
Shortly after that Whitehorn was denied again from distance; this time it was the post that came to Aviemore’s rescue.
The Jags then started to exert their own pressure on Cromdale’s back line.
Davis Ross almost fired his side into the lead with 15 minutes to go, only to see his powerful effort cannon back off the crossbar with the keeper beaten.
With the light fading fast, Thistle kept up the pressure and were finally rewarded in the closing stages of the match.
Another pinpoint cross from Robertson from out on the left was met by Rory Mackinnon, and he did enough to flick the ball past stand-in Dale keeper Kiff Muldoon.
Referee Ally Bruce’s final whistle brought the game, and the season, to its conclusion as Thistle crowned another successful campaign with a trophy.
Handshakes all round emphasised the very sporting nature of the game, with both sides being a credit to welfare football.
Cromdale can take a lot of heart from their performance despite missing out on a trophy this season.
