Bishopmill Villa- 4 .AET. 4 -Aberlour Villa (Aberlour win on penalties)
Mike Simpson Cup Final :: Borough Briggs :: Friday 21/09/09 :: 7:30pm
The first cup final of the Moray Welfare Season, was an absolute roller coaster. The words, unreal, unbelievable and unthinkable were all used more than once during the game as Bishopmill Villa continued their fighting spirit that has followed them since the team were formed!
A very large crowd supported both teams very well and the noise inside the stadium was close to matching that of Elgin City games, and for a Welfare Association to get that, is pretty satisfactory.
The game itself was an absolute spectacle and the first chance fell to Aberlour, with Kyle Coutts seeing his header go inches wide of the post. On 23 minutes, Alex Mcregor crossed for Gary Burr, who's shot wasn't enough to make Lour keeper Davie Ness work too hard. However, the opening goal arrived 10 minutes before the break, Roy Coutts swinging in a free kick from the left, and James Grant glanced home past Richard Collie for 1-0, to send the Speyside crowd wild.
Villa never really got into the game in the first half and it ended 1-0 to Aberlour.
Bish manager Ali Burr told his players to step the effort up in the 2nd half, and thats exactly what he got..eventually! However, it was to be Aberlour to get the next goal, and they did so on 49 minutes, as Kenny Wilson raced through before thrashing home goal number 2, which looked to be disastrous for Bishopmill.
However, the Elgin side got a crucial goal back on 58 minutes, when Stewart McGettrik ran down the left wing, before delivering a brilliant ball to Gary Burr, who knocked it past Davie Ness to spark the revival! Bishopmill were pushing for an equaliser after that, and the game looked like a completely different contest than that witnessed in the first half. That all important equaliser came on 71 minutes, as Paul Burr hit a shot in the box, and Ness couldn't hold onto it, and it was bundled into the net by an Aberlour player which saw scenes of celebration amongst the Bish supporters and players and management!
However, Aberlour didn't let their heads go down and were straight down their opponent's throats from kick off. They had a shot cleared off the line by Stewart McGetrrik on 75 minutes, but as they attacked, Bishopmill countered, and very nearly took the lead for the first time as Alex McGregor's shot went just wide of the target.
However, the Speyside Villa were to back in the lead again, with just 9 minutes of the match remaining. A mix up between Scott Innes and Richard Collie, allowed Darren Mitchell the easy task of tapping home goal number 3, as Aberlour sensed victory. The visiting supporters were cheering as if they had won the cup then and there, but with Bishopmill Villa, you know the fight is never up until the final whistle is blown! Right at the death, Bish got a corner in what was the last chance of the game. Paul Burr delivered a pin point left footed ball, and Super Sub Michael 'Meego' Stephen leapt like a salmon to head home the equaliser. Unbelievable Scenes!
Score after 90 mins was 3-3.
Extra time just saw things get even crazier, and the first chance fell to the team lucky still to be in contention! Tony Fraser ran down the right wing, before passing through to Meego Stephen, who crossed for Ritchie Bremner, who's header went over the bar. The first half of extra time saw the scores stay the same.
However, just 4 minutes after the restart, disaster well and truly struck for Bishopmill as a goalwards shot was saved on the line by the hands of Craig Grant, who was shown a straight red card and it gave James Grant the chance to give 'Lour the lead once more. He made no mistake in slotting home the spot kick to make it 4-3..surely no way back for the Elgin men? You'd think that, but ONCE AGAIN, Ali Burr's battling side brought it back level, when Tony Fraser crossed for another sub, Marc Williams to bullet home the all important 8th goal of the night!
Bishopmill should have won the contest right at the end of extra time when Williams had the chance to make himself a hero, but his header was met by an absolutley stunning save from Davie Ness. This meant the match went to the dreaded penalty shoot out.
To put it nicely, Bishopmill's penalties weren't the best and only captain Gary Burr managed to score his, with brother Paul, Ritchie Bremner, Alex McGregor and Meego Stephen missing their spot kicks. Aberlour scored 3 of their 4, and it was to Ness again the hero in the end, saving Meego's final penalty which saw the Aberlour contingent run over and flatten the goalkeeper!
League President thanked the crowd and Elgin City FC for the use of Borough Briggs, before handing over the Mike Simpson Memorial Trophy to Aberlour captain James Grant, and penalty shoot out hero Davie Ness who lifted it to a roar of cheers and spraying of champagne. Congratulations go to the Speysiders, but the Elgin side can be proud of their battling qualities and their huge effort that was put in. Villa have a chance to make up for that defeat in 4 weeks time, as they take on Hopeman in the final of the Tewnion Memorial Trophy at Keith.
Bishopmill Man of the Match was Stewart McGettrik.
