Clach 5-0 Dundee United B
When I first heard that we had been invited to participate in the KDM Evolution Trophy, I thought, "Oh no! This is something that we can do without". The realisation that we had 9 games in August alone was pretty mind numbing. And that is just me thinking about it, not the preparing, the training and the playing in it. But then we got the draw, and the prospect of playing Ross County, Elgin City, Peterhead and Clyde alongside the mouth watering prospects of playing SPFL giants Dundee United and Celtic. Well, let\'s just say I changed my mind. It really does not matter that there is a big letter "B" after their names. It still stands for Big Boys after all. This is an opportunity to see the stars of tomorrow, today. And, an opportunity for our boys to impress on a wider stage. Do not be under any illusion, these games(all these games) are going to be tests on all kinds of levels. Troy Cooper summed it up brilliantly by saying that it was an opportunity to test themselves and to learn from the experience. During the war(oh, here we go Grandad), I remember watching a young Harry Kane playing for a Spurs XI at Roots Hall. There was nothing about him, that I could see, that might have suggested the accolades that would come his way in the future. And of the mostly young talent that was on parade that evening, few, if any, went on to greatness. So while there might not be household names over the course of this tournament, there will doubtless be players that catch the eye. It will hopefully be interesting.
So, tonight, The Arabs(B) come to town for the opening tie in this KDM Evolution Trophy. The torrential rain that dampened the spirits last Wednesday in our hard fought win against Invergordon had thankfully been replaced by an altogether more Summery evening, and a good crowd descended on Ferry San Siro. Regardless of whether this Dundee United team was an "A", "B", or "Z", there is something exciting about seeing their familiar badge and colours as they entered The Park. But any hopes of catching a glimpse of a first teamer getting some minutes under their belt were soon dashed, as a VERY youthful United team rolled into town. It reminded me (oh, here he goes again)of once seeing a very young Take That, getting out of a mini bus. United, too, arrived in a van, barely bigger than George\'s much missed Mystery Machine.
But, you can only play what is in front of you, and we went about our business with energy and professionalism. MOTM Mikey Mackenzie demonstrated once again just what a special talent he is. He teased and tormented throughout, and left the field to widespread applause.
But before that moment, the Lily Loyal were treated to a performance that started with intensity and purpose but eventually evolved into something that resembled a pre season match.
But nobody was grumbling. It\'s not every week you beat a Dundee United team.
And we looked good. From the very first moment, we were threatening. Troy Cooper fired narrowly over before many supporters had even come through the gates or tucked into their sausage rolls.
Harry Nicolson is having a new lease of life in his midfield role, and came close to breaking the deadlock himself. There are not too many more beautiful sights than seeing Hazza in full flight.Together with Sam Thompson we have a great blend of tenacity and creativity. And, indeed, it was that perseverance from Harry that set up Mikey for the first of his two curling beauties. Maybe the guys sensed that this wasn\'t an experienced side they were playing, as even the goal celebrations seemed muted and understated.
The aforementioned Sam Thompson slotted home our second from close range, before Troy made it 3-0 with a sweet strike following a good bit of build up play.
That was the way it stayed up until the interval, and it was a fair reflection of our dominance.
While the second half went by without the same levels of intensity, our visitors rarely troubled us, and our defensive unit along with the safe pair of hands owned by Mark Ridgers, ably dealt with everything came came their way.
We had fewer opportunities too, but still managed to extend our lead through a perfectly positioned header from Jordan Macrae, before who else but Mikey Mackenzie rounded things off with an exquisitely placed shot into the corner of the net. 5-0, and a pretty impressive start to our KDM Trophy campaign. The Gaffer made some changes, but the game fizzled out.
So, yes while the temptation might be on scrutinising other teams talent, we can reflect on the riches that we have at OUR disposal. The whole Club can take pride in how it discovers, nurtures and develops young talent. With support from the SFA, we have been putting on regular sessions over the summer, and an opportunity to encourage the next generation of Clach Legends, and to invest in Grass-Roots football.
And talking of talent, it was good to see young James taking on Match Day announcer duties. He did brilliantly, although reminded me at one point, of the 70\'s comedian Norman Collier, who used to pretend that his microphone was not working. YouTube it kids, it\'s hilarious It was something that has been sorely missing from our matchday experience, so well done James.
Hopefully he will be back on Saturday, where he can perfect his craft when we return to Highland League duties when Keith come to town. Let us cheer the boys on once again.