Tarves v Ellon Thistle

Division One North

Ellon continued their quest for their first win of the new season when they travelled to local rivals Tarves on Wednesday night. Ellon manager Kevin Kennedy was looking for a positive response after a 7-2 mauling at the hands of Newtonhill on Saturday and wielded the axe on the underperformers.

The Jags played down the infamous Tarves slope in the first period and promptly earned an early corner. Paul Ironside was unlucky not to find the net with a header that rebounded off the crossbar and later headed over from another tempting McKeitch cross.

Tarves should have taken the lead from the penalty spot when their forward was upended in the Thistle penalty area by Adamson after the Jag’s keeper had failed to gather a speculative long range effort. However, Adamson redeemed himself by blocking a feeble effort from the Tarves number eight.

Nevertheless, the home side did not have to wait long to open the scoring. From the resultant corner, the home side took advantage of some lacklustre defending to snatch the lead.

It was to be an uphill struggle even before the change of ends as Ellon were reduced to ten men after Neil Henderson was dismissed for a poorly timed challenge on a Tarves midfielder.

Half Time: Tarves 1 Ellon Thistle 0

Mark Kennedy replaced Paul Ironside at the interval as the Jag’s reshuffled in response to Henderson’s dismissal. Thistle battled on with ten men but despite their best efforts, the home side all but killed the game off with a freak second goal. Make-shift centre-half Stephen Cruickshanks attempted to clear from the edge of the Thistle penalty area only to see his clearance rebound off a Tarves forward and loop over the advancing Adamson and into the net.

Ellon’s chances were few and far between as a solid Tarves backline snuffed out the majority of the visitor’s attacks. Michael Wild did have a chance to get a goal back from a Dailly cross but was thwarted by the Tarves goalkeeper.

The hosts fired a third goal towards the end of the game to complete a comfortable victory. The Tarves striker beat the offside trap and slotted into an empty net after rounding Adamson.

Final Score: Tarves 3 Ellon Thistle 0

Ellon Thistle: D. Adamson, N. Henderson, D. Anderson, B. Alexander, C. Duncan, S. Cruickshanks, S. Bryson (R. Birnie), D. McKeitch (M. Duncan), B. Dailly, M. Wild, P. Ironside (M. Kennedy). Subs not used: M. Cockburn, R. Longmuir, S. Beaton.

Man of the Match: David McKeitch