Strathspey and Badenoch Welfare League football is back with feast of goals
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After its 11th hour postponement the previous week, the Strathspey and Badenoch Welfare League finally kicked off on Tuesday night after a three-year Covid-enforced hiatus.
The three matches delivered a feast of goals.
FC Abernethy 3-6 Aviemore Thistle
It was a nine-goal thriller at Nethy Bridge as brand new side FC Abernethy made their welfare league debut.
David Robertson put Thistle into an early lead with a superb solo goal. He evaded two defenders before passing the ball into the net.
Damien Paluga doubled Aviemore’s advantage with some nifty footwork before finding the corner of the net.
But Abernethy pulled one back with a smart finish from Tom Devereux after a good knockdown by Ben Buckler.
Paluga ended the half with a penalty to put the visitors 3-1 up going into the break.
The hosts came right out the blocks following the restart with goals from Martin Guckian and Ben Buckler: the first a low shot rifled into the corner after good work by Jules Orsi and Ben Buckler on the left.
The equaliser was just reward for Buckler’s tireless hard work in chasing down the Aviemore defenders resulting in an interception and a tap in.
Paluga then went from hero to villain with a dismissal for two yellow cards, but Abernethy failed to capitalise on their numerical advantage as Thistle dug deep, and Finlay McDonald put them 4-3 up as play continued to rage.
Aviemore were awarded their second penalty late in the second half but Calum Guy in the Abernethy goal pulled off a stunning save, sticking out a strong right hand to keep the ball out.
Thistle then struck with two late goals to kill the tie off. Robertson’s fine square ball from out wide was tapped in by McDonald for his double.
David Ross then delivered a fine cross from the right which Sam McIlroy nodded home. This was a superb game of football and the score perhaps does not fairly reflect the closeness of the encounter.
Cromdale 6-0 Kingussie
Having been absent from welfare football for several years, Cromdale returned to action with a bang as they routed the Kings.
It was a fairly even opening until just before the half hour mark when a ball from Dan Whitehorn found Graham Murray who then took a nice touch before rounding two defenders to slot home the opener.
Iain Brooks doubled Dale’s advantage 10 minutes later when he won a head-to-head race with his marker before drilling the ball home.
The second half was only eight minutes old when Cromdale found the net again. The Kings defence failed to clear a corner and Barry McConnell was on hand to tap home number three.
Kingussie had a golden opportunity to pull a goal back following the restart when they were awarded a penalty but Dale keeper Matthew Bettoli pulled off a fine save to maintain his side’s three goal cushion.
Fifteen minutes from time it was 4-0 though when the Kings stopper failed to hold a shot from Adam Szinyeri and Brooks pounced to bag his brace.
And three minutes after that came number five as Dan Whitehorn banged home from the penalty spot.
Iain Brooks capped off a great performance shortly before the end when some fine play from Whitehorn had him skipping past defenders before threading through to Brooks to complete a deserved hat-trick.
Spey Valley Youth 3-4 Boat of Garten Ospreys
This was another pulsating encounter from start to finish with Valley’s young side giving a fine account of themselves in their own SBWFA debut.
Keeper Bruce Sellars pulled off a number of saves to keep the hosts level, however, this all changed on 35 minutes when a quick set piece and counter was drilled home by Valley’s Rodrigo Gouveia on what proved to be quite a night for the young striker.
Five minutes after the restart Gouveia grabbed his second goal albeit against the run of play. he followed this up shortly after with an outstanding long range effort which cannoned in off the bar for his hat-trick.
Despite the scoreline, Boat heads did not drop, and they pulled a goal back shortly after through Thomas McInnies driving down the wing and taking on two defenders before beating Sellars.
Five minutes later McInnes grabbed a second when his shot was deflected in after a charging run down the wing.
Boat were running out of time but with five minutes remaining they were awarded a corner.
Stephan Richie delivered a ball which was cleared but fell kindly to Boat skipper Connor Macleod’s feet. He controlled the ball and fired home from 16 yards out to bring the game level.
But the drama was not over yet. In the dying moments of time added on another corner was whipped in by McInnes and Cairn White towered over the Valley defenders to power the ball into the top corner for the dramatic winner.
