SJFA	SCOTTISH JUNIOR CUP	Round 2
Ellon United	1 (1)	Cain
Glenafton Athletic	4 (2)	Rowe, Mullen 2, McKee
Sat 21 SEP 2024	KO 2:30 pm	The Meadows, Ellon

Glenafton travelled north to face Ellon United in the 2^nd Round of the Scottish Junior Cup with new manager and former Glens player Paul Paton at the helm along with coach Alan Muir.

The two sides met each other in the 3^rd round of the competition six years ago in Season 2018/19 at The Meadows, where Glens fought back from a goal down to win 3-1 through headers from Chris Dallas, Mick McCann and Dale ‘Gunner’ Moore. Ellon currently sit in 3rd place in the North Region Premier League with Pl7 W5 D1 L1 F16 A9 16 Pts. record,

Prior to kick-off the team captains Ollie Rowe and Neil Irvine posed with 5 young local mascots, including a babe-in-arms and the match referee which was followed by a minute’s silence.

Ellon kicked off under an overcast sky and play soon raged back and forth and with defences very much on top, particularly winning the aerial battles of balls floated high into the box.

On 11 minutes Glenafton made the breakthrough. Lyall Holding pushed into the Ellon half and slotted the ball up the right flank for Sam McKee where he was quickly closed down by Johny Cain, who was then penalised for clicking the winger’s heels.  Ellon set up a two-man wall at the corner of the box while half-a-dozen players from both sides congregated in the vicinity of the penalty spot. Ross Lindsay stepped up to whip a low vicious free-kick wide of the wall which also by-passed the outstretched legs of Michael Mullen and Cain in turn but not the stooping Calum Irvine his header seemingly heading for his own net only for the inrushing Ollie Rowe to get the final touch and guide the ball over the line past keeper Daniel Adamson.

The visitors continued to press with the mobility of Shuggy Kerr, Liam Caddis and Mullen keeping the home defence on their toes. Ellon countered with a number of high balls into the box from free-kicks and open play all of which were headed cleared either by Rowe or Stuart Currie or plucked out the air by keeper Ally Semple, taking a few knocks in the process.

Glenafton doubled their lead on 25 minutes after Michael Mullen chased down a ball on the left-hand side of the box before setting off on a diagonal run between the back-tracking Calum Irvine and the outrushing keeper towards the far corner of the six-yard box from where he side-footed the ball into the gaping net.

Coincidentally the overcast sky had transformed to blue sky and fluffy clouds, casting long shadows on the lush green of The Meadows.

Back came Glens and Kerr held off the strong challenge of Cain to nod the ball into box where Mullen gathered and with two defenders closing in, he rolled it back to the outskirts of the box where the visitors won another free-kick. On this occasion Lindsay’s effort deflected off the jumping members of wall and dipped inches over the bar while the corner-kick that followed saw the keeper claw the ball way from the head of the leaping Rowe.

Kerr and Mullen remained busy on the outskirts of Ellon’s box with Stephen McClelland, Caddis and Ross feeding their runs. Another ball clipped upfield for Kerr was intercepted by Sam Harrison and Cain whipped the loose ball up the left for James Bain to chase down and push forward to the edge of the left-hand side of the box where Rowe’s tackle was deemed worthy of a free-kick. James Cain curled a cracker of a free kick wide of the four-man wall and into the top corner of the back post with Semple rooted on his line to halve deficit on 30 minutes.

Play went back and forth and soon after Ellon won another free kick deep on the left from where Calum Irvine clipped the ball into the six-yard box for Stewart Gray only for Semple to clutch the ball safely.

On 37 minutes Glenafton were forced to make a change after Stephen McClelland pulled up and was replaced with Ryan Walker.

Both sides continued to push and try to add to their tally before the break but without success.

HT Ellon 1 Glens 2

The home side enjoyed a strong start to the second half. Cain was presented with another free-kick in a dangerous position on the outskirts of the box only this time his shot battered off the back of the leaping Ross.

Glens countered after Jared Willet trapped a clearance on his chest and laid the ball off to Walker to drive to the bye-line before drilling it across the face of goal for the inrushing Mullen only for the keeper to intercept and smother the ball, meanwhile the visitors’ loud appeals that Walker’s cross had struck Harris Chubb’s hand were waved away.

At the other end the Glens wall did its job again as Cain’s free-kick was deflected out for a corner which fell for Finlay Armstrong deep in the box to flick the ball up, wheel round and volley a shot that flew over the bar

Play fell into the ‘back and forth’ mode once again with the home side more successful in breaking into their opponent’s box albeit without seriously testing the keeper. For the Glens, Willet was busy down the left flank teaming up with Kerr and Walker but here too there was no end product. However, later a high ball was headed to the edge of the box where Willet launched himself into the air to head it goalward only for Chubb to intercept and clear.  

Ellon then breached the Glens box three times in quick succession with Currie the clearer on each occasion. At the other end a Rowe header from a free-kick floated into the box was comfortably held by the keeper.

On 72 minutes Glens replaced Liam Caddis, after a great shift, with Dylan O’Kane and the young winger was soon in the thick of the action.

Willet was sandwiched between two defenders deep on the left wing and it was O’Kane that clipped the free-kick over the two-man wall into the six-yard box where Michael Mullen drifted free of his marker into the space between Calum Irvine and keeper Adamson to nod the ball home from 3 yards out. Glens 3-1 up on 74 minutes.

On 77 minutes Glens made it 4-1. Kerr was brought down 30 yards from goal and although the free-kick beat the keeper at full stretch it crashed off the inside of the back post and flashed across the face of goal past the grounded keeper and O’Kane looked certain to score but a mis-kick sent the ball wide off target only for the alert Sam McKee to pounce and from two yards out squeeze the ball between Callum Irvine and the back post – understandably Sam and Dylan celebrated the goal with smile of joy and relief!

On 81 minutes Kerr came close to adding fifth, drilling a low powerful shot from 10 yards only for Adamson to stick out a foot and send the ball wide off target. Three minutes later Michael Mullen pulled up with an injury, having covered every inch on the park, and was replaced with Mason McDougall, the Glens U20 player making his debut.

Ellon enjoyed a late flurry but the Glens stood firm to prevent any consolation.

FT Ellon 1 Glens 4

GLENAFTON ATHLETIC
1. Ally Semple 2. Lyall Holding 3. Jared Willet 4. Lewis Currie 5. Ollie Rowe (captain) 6. Stephen McClelland (12. Ryan Walker) 7. Sam McKee 8. Ross Lindsay 9. Hugh Kerr 10. Michael Mullen (15. Mason McDougall/U20) 11. Liam Caddis (14. Dylan O’Kane). Subs Not Used: 23. Keon Thurston/U20.

ELLON UNITED
1. Daniel Adamson 2. Ben Milne 3. Sam Harrison 4. Harris Clubb 5. Johny Cain 6. Calum Irvine 7. Aaron Buckle 8. Neill Irvine (captain) 9. James Bain 10. Finlay Armstrong 11. Stewart Gray. Substitutes: 12. Stuart Smith 14. Logan Tough 15. Ben Riddell 16. Aarron Gerrard 17. Jordan Tallis 18. Scott Gray

Match Photos

Ellon United v Glenafton Athletic