10 Men Aberdeen Make Final

Edinburgh University 2s have thrown away the opportunity of reaching the BUCS Cup final after a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Aberdeen 1s. For many of the boys who travelled to Keith Park, Aberdeen’s home pitch, this was a sad way to end 4 years of University BUSA and BUCS matches.

Burgh went into the game as champions having dominated the BUCS League and Cup the previous season, however, they faced a side who had taken four points off them already in this campaign. Uni had failed to even score in the two tight league matches that had been fought over this year, having lost 1-0 away and drawn the previous week at Peffermill 0-0.

Yet, it was Burgh who started the game strongly, easily containing any threat that their hosts had. Angus Ramsey and Alex Petrie were both seeing a lot of the ball on the wings, but they either found themselves up against a competent wing-back or failed to provide the killer ball.

25 minutes into the game and the breakthrough came when keeper Tom Agnew fired a huge goal-kick up the pitch. Player/Manager Calum Erskine took the ball down well and knocked it past a clumsy defender whose foot connected with Erskine’s body inside the area. The striker went down and a penalty was awarded. Benji Antoni stepped up and sent the keeper the wrong way, putting the away side 1-0 up.

The rest of the half saw very little happen for either side. Ramsay and Antoni both managed to pick up a booking from a pernickety referee. Makeshift right-back Ed Senior, who had a solid performance, managed to force the Aberdeen number 9 into making a poor pass from what looked like a promising 2-on-1 break.

From the start of the second half, Burgh looked susceptible at the back. Aberdeen caused a few scares but poor frontplay by the home side saw no real chances materialise from good positions. The game then turned momentarily nasty. Erskine received a forceful high tackle inside his own half, and although Aberdeen’s central-midfielder was probably more over enthusiastic than vicious, he received a straight red card.

Being reduced to 10 men changed the whole complexion of the match. Aberdeen seemed invigorated, whilst Edinburgh appeared to believe that their 1-0 lead would suffice. Yet, this defensive attitude would prove to be fatal.

Before this though, Petrie received a knock to his ribs and so was replaced by the only substitute, Mario Velez. This was due to the large number of final year students who were unfortunately stuck in Edinburgh doing dissertation work, meaning that a limping Erskine had to struggle on. Senior did at one point break from right-back up the pitch before playing a ball out wide to Ramsay. Yet once more the Aberdeen right-back Ozzie, foiled any potential threat.

On 67 minutes Aberdeen drew level. After intercepting a ball played out to Ramsay deep in Burgh’s own half, the Deen right winger advanced down the line and crossed the ball low into the box. It by-passed all the Burgh defence before finding its way through to a late arriving left midfielder, who fired the ball into the net, sending the home fans in the stand wild.

5 minutes later and things were to get even better when a long ball forward was misjudged by centre-back Dan Paterson. The nippy number 9 ran onto the loose ball, and in an attempt to cover his defensive partner Tom Archer stuck out a leg sending the striker floorwards. The referee once more pointed to the spot and Ozzie stepped up to put the 10 men 2-1 up.

Burgh looked a beaten team at this point, and failed to rally any real insurmountable pressure on a well organised Aberdeen defence. Erskine did have one opportunity inside the area, but his snatched shot ricocheted wide off an advanced Stephen Kenny. Towards the end Burgh looked dejected and tired, possibly due to the surprising appearance of the sun upon Keith Park, but also possibly because the team had played 3 and a half hours of football at the weekend.

Yet, this is a poor excuse for losing to a side who managed to turn over a one goal deficit with only 10 men. Aberdeen simply looked like they wanted to reach the final in Dundee more, where they await either Napier or Abertay. It was a disappointing end to a BUCS season which held so much promise for the best second team in Scotland.