125th Anniversary Challenge Match – Borough Briggs, Elgin

4th July 2019

Elgin City v Aberdeen XI

Paul Sheerin took his new look Development squad to Borough Briggs to celebrate 125 years of Elgin City.

This is the first time an Aberdeen side has visited the Moray capital since the Black and Whites registered a notable 1-0 friendly win over Craig Brown’ first team in mid July 2012.

Tomas Cerny was in goal for the youthful Aberdeen side while Bruce Anderson, back at Borough Briggs after a productive loan spell the season before last, and Frank Ross also boasted first team experience.

New faces Luc Bollan and Michael Ruth were also given the chance to impress.

The Dons drew first blood after only two minutes, Ruth powering a header into the top corner following Frank Ross’s right wing corner.

The lead only lasted seven minutes when Kane Hester, looking suspiciously offside, was allowed to run through the middle and round Cerny before tapping the ball home. On the quarter hour mark, it was 2-1 to the home side as skipper Brian Cameron slid home Hester’s cross from the left.

The goals continued to flow as Elgin made it 3-1 on 20 minutes, Hester again involved crossing for Shane Sutherland to net from twelve yards. The finishing from the League Two side had been clinical.

Luc Bollan headed a Frank Ross free kick over as Aberdeen tried to get themselves back into the match before that man Hester was once again in the thick of things firing wide when well positioned to test Cerny.

On 31 minutes it was 4-1 as Sutherland grabbed his second goal of the game after fine work down the right from Cameron and Dingwall. McHale in the Elgin goal hadn’t been busy, but he had to show good handling to hang on to a powerful strike from Calvin Ramsay.

Ramsay forced another good save from McHale after a dazzling run when he waltzed past several defenders as the young Dons showed spirit, but the half-time whistle came with Elgin well in control.

Half time – Elgin City 4 Aberdeen XI 1

Both sides made a change at the break, Cooper coming on for Wilson for the home side while Kyle Dalling replaced Luc Bollan. Cerny saved well from Hester as Elgin pressed for a fifth goal, the Czech then producing an acrobatic stop to deny Sutherland his hat-trick.

Danger man Hester fired wide when it looked easier to score before the Dons made a double switch, Sam Jackson replacing Cerny as he made his Dons debut, while Tyler Mykyta took over from Lyall Booth.

Shortly after Kieran Shanks came on for Ruth.

Another double switch saw Duncan and Barry come on, Linden and Ramsay the men withdrawn.

The Dons nearly pulled a goal back on 73 minutes, but McHale saved bravely at the feet on Anderson, the keeper recovering after treatment. Connor Barron was Aberdeen’s seventh change as he took over from Frank Ross, but he was hardly on the park when Darryl McHardy completed Elgin’s nap hand heading home from a corner.

The scoring wasn’t over by any means though as winger Connor O’Keefe scored a rapid-fire hat-trick in 83, 85 and 86 minutes to make it 8-1.

A powerful performance from a ruthless Elgin City side.

Full time – Elgin City 8 Aberdeen XI 1

Stats:

Teams:-
Elgin City:- McHale, Wilson (Cooper 45), Spark, McDonald (MacEwan 84), Bronsky (McHardy 55), Dingwall, Omar, Cameron (C), Hester (Sopel 63), Sutherland, O’Keefe.
Unused substitutes:- McGowan, Scott, Ballam, Kelly (GK).

Aberdeen XI:- Cerny (Jackson 63), Ramsay (Barry 70), Booth (Mykyta 63), Robertson, Bollan (Dalling 45), Turner, Linden (Duncan 70), S Ross (C) (Hanratty 80), Ruth (Shanks 65), Anderson, F Ross (Barron 77).
Unused substitute:- M Dangana.

Goals:
Elgin City – Hester 9, Cameron 15, Sutherland 20, 31 McHardy 78, O’Keefe 83, 85, 86

Aberdeen – Ruth 2

Crowd – 501

Referee – Darren Munro. Assistants – Alan Proctor and Lee Robertson.