Post match report

Ellon 2 - Dyce 2

A last gasp equaliser from Dyce three minutes into stoppage time gave them a 2 - 2 draw against Ellon United at The Meadows last weekend after Matty Edmond had put the home side back in front in the 84th minute. United made several changes following their disappointing defeat against Banchory and with Chris Huggins and Scott Paterson also unavailable the home side gave starts to new signing Chris Craib and to Lee Morrison and Atholl Cadger. Steve Gunn also returned to the side after his American trip.

Dyce had a slight upper hand in the opening exchanges without being able to really trouble Richard Bowman in the United goal and it was Ellon who went ahead in the 27th minute. Keith Reid picked up Calum Annand’s cross only to be taken down as he turned his marker with Ryan Petrie stepping up to fire the resulting free kick past the wall and into the far corner Neither side was able to dominate proceedings for the rest of the first half but Dyce were presented with a golden opportunity to grab a last minute equaliser when United gave away a silly penalty but Richard Bowman came to their rescue , diving full length down to his right hand post to hold on to Neish’s spot kick and keep the home side ahead at the interval.

Dyce were level within a minute of the restart. A casual United pass was intercepted with the home side conceding a free kick and Neish made amends for his earlier miss with a fine strike low into Richard Bopwman’s right hand corner. The visitors were awarded another free kick ten minutes later but this time Neish’s shot flew well over.

Keith Reid met a cross from Ryan Petrie only to see his header tipped over by Buckley for a corner. The cross was only half cleared and fell out to Scott Henry whose fine volley on the turn flew just over with the keeper rooted to the spot. United won a free kick in the 69th minute with Keith Reid latching on to Ryan Petrie’s through ball only to see his first time effort go wide. Dyce hit back with the Ellon defence surviving a goalmouth scramble following a corner with an Essen header coming back off the bar and eventually knocked to safety.         

The visitors came close to conceding an own goal when a fine run and low cross from Matty Edmond saw the ball hit a defender and go behind for a corner. A Cammy Bruce header dipped just over the bar but a minute later United regained the lead when Matty Edmond picked up the ball in the middle of the park and drifted past two defenders before firing a low right foot shot beyond Buckley.

Dyce’s Essen sent an 87th minute header wide. United broke straight up the field with Keith Reid shooting wide. A fine save from Richard Bowman in the 91st minute looked to have kept the points at home but three minutes into stoppage time Dyce were awarded a throw in and when the ball was knocked into the danger area the Ellon defence were unable to force it clear and the visitors’ Webster, the smallest player on the park, popped up to head home the equaliser with only time to restart play before the final whistle.
 
ELLON UNITED: Bowman, Annand, Craib, Allsop, Morrison, Cadger, Gunn, Forsyth,  Bruce, Reid, Petrie. Subs: Edmond, Henry, Irvine, Clark, Chalmers.

DYCE JUNIORS: Buckley, Cheyne, Forsyth, N. Murray, S. Murray, Kirkwood, Reid, Stewart, Rae, Neish, Watson. Subs: Essen, Crum, Hardie, Webster, Kinnaird.

Although they were bitterly disappointed to be caught at the death, this was a far more encouraging display from United who face another stiff test next Saturday when they visit Longside, KO 1:30pm.