Aberdeen 3 - 1 Motherwell

A sunny Cormack Park was the venue for today’s CAS Under 18’s league fixture between Aberdeen and Motherwell. The young Dons were hoping to keep their fine vein of form alive and hopefully adding another win to their record.

Aberdeen were quick out of the blocks in the first half, opening the scoring in the ninth minute. A header won in the middle of the park by defender, Timothy Akindilieni who then found the feet of striker Fletcher Boyd. Some brilliant skill and a nice ball roll from Boyd allowed him plenty of free space to pick out a pass to attacking right back Victor Enem. Enem took the ball in his stride and drove towards goal. He then managed to calmly side foot the ball past Motherwell goalie Josh Bogan and make it 1-0 to the Dons.

Only one minute later Aberdeen had another good chance to score again.

Captain Alfie Stewart had the ball bouncing out towards him on the edge of the box. He hit a half volley that had good pace and power; however, the direction of the shot was off, and his effort sailed over the bar.

Aberdeen continued to pile on the pressure in the fourteenth minute as Findlay Marshall played a brilliant cross to edge of the six-yard box and found left back Brendan Hamilton. Hamilton tried to get a clean volley off however he could not catch it cleanly, leading to it trickling past the post.

Then with their first real attack, Motherwell managed to equal the scoring in the seventeenth minute after a good cross from Zack Tomany was met by the head of Olly Whyte. His header into the ground was enough to get past Dons keeper Rodrigo Vitols and make it 1-1.

This score line was short lived as Aberdeen managed to regain the lead in the lead in the eighteenth minute after a high kick up the pitch by Vitols was met by the head of Hamilton on the right-hand side. His header was collected by Boyd and after some nice dribbling he was able to tuck the ball into the bottom right corner to give Aberdeen the lead again.

The action died down towards the end of the first half with the majority of the play coming in the centre of the pitch. The young Dons had played some lovely football in the first half.

HT. Aberdeen 2 Motherwell 1

The second half began and with it came an Aberdeen chance. After some nice footwork from Fraser Mackie, he was able to get past his marker and he tried to fire in a low driven cross, however it was hastily cleared by the Motherwell back line.

Aberdeen kept attacking as they looked for a third goal that would give them the breathing space they needed in this match, but the visitors were continuing to battle strongly. The match had suddenly become a lot tighter. From a Motherwell corner the ball found its way to the back post and Vitols was forced to make an excellent block.

In the sixty eighth minute a great cross from a free kick taken by Hamilton was met by the head of Akindilieni and headed into the goal. However, the referee had blown his whistle for offside, and the goal was chalked off.

Although playing at left back, Hamilton was very much an integral part of the Aberdeen attack having multiple attempts at goal. His best came in the seventy eighth minute where he stood over a free kick around 20 yards from goal at an angle that very much favoured his left foot. His effort cleared the wall well and looked like it could dip into the top corner, however the attempt went just over the bar.

Aberdeen looked desperate to extend their lead in the closing stages of the game as in the eighty third minute Marshall broke towards goal and tried to side foot an effort looking to sneak into the bottom right corner. However, his shot hit the post and ended up going away from goal and out for a goal kick.

In the closing stages Motherwell were pushing hard for an equaliser but the young Dons were managing the game very well and standing up to everything that was thrown at them.

And then in the last minute of added time Aberdeen finally found their third goal.

A great kick down the pitch from Vitols – his kicking was outstanding throughout – bounced perfectly between the Motherwell back line and goalkeeper. The kick was met by Hamilton who managed to head the ball over the Motherwell goalkeeper and left substitute Joseph Teasdale, who had just come on, the task of heading the ball into the empty.

A great moment for the U16 player, and most importantly securing all three points for his side.

The young Dons played some brilliant football in the first half, but what will have pleased Scott Anderson and Stuart Duff even more, was the grit and determination the team showed in the second half in order to grind out the win and extend their good run of form.