A LESSON IN PERSEVERANCE AT COLLEGE PARK

With Fraserburgh playing on the Friday night, I saw this weekend as an opportunity to kill two birds with one stone, and go to catch North Division one side Fraserburgh United on the Saturday. So after a walk down the beach and the harbour, I made my way up to College Park in the West of the town in the hope that United would follow up Fraserburghs result from the previous night. The task facing them however was a daunting one, with Sunnybank sitting

a comfortable third in the league, and with United yet to pick up their first win, sitting rock bottom on one point. United would also have been looking to reverse last weeks 2-1 league defeat to the seam opponents away from home.

Despite this being an afternoon kick-off, the chilly wind meant it was much colder than the previous night. College Park is a very open ground, surrounded by a mesh fence and with a cosy looking little stand, painted tangerine and black to match the kits of the home side.

Before the match could even settle into some sort of rhythm, the home side were awarded a penalty after only 8 minutes when Guild was upended by the Sunnybank keeper. He stepped up himself to take the penalty and cooly finished, slotting into the bottom left of the net. Sunnybank had the better of the play for most of the first half, but despite the game being played at a decent pace and intensity, not a lot of chances were created on either side.

HT 1-0

The game really opened up in the second half, and on 54 Sunnybank found a deserved equaliser. An inswinging cross from the left was headed towards goal just inside the box by Jack Craigie, and the ball looped over the stretching keeper and into the net at the far post. A very lively encounter followed in the last half hour, with every loose ball being

fought for by both sides, and while it was being well contested, discipline did start to waver in places. Fraserburgh United looked to be winning more of the physical battles, and were advancing more and more dangerously as the game progressed. Finally, with 10 minutes to play, a breakthrough for the home team. Guild with his seconD goal of the match. A long range effort clattered into a sea of bodies in the penalty box, and out of the pinball action the ball broke to Guild who had the goal at his mercy, and slotted past the keeper from around 12 yards. The celebrations from the United players showing how desperate they were for a win. One final piece of action came on the 88th minute, with the #2 and #18 for Sunnybank both being shown red cards for dissent after challenging the referee about a challenge and also a number of decisions they felt had gone against them throughout the second half.

FT 2-1

Overall a well contested game and it was always going to be a one goal margin that settled it as these two teams seem a lot more well matched than their league positions suggest.

Full photo gallery for this match can be found under the photo gallery tab.

Fraserburgh United 2-1 Sunnybank

Guild (pen 10, 80); Craigie (54), #2 (s/o 88), #18 (s/o 88)

Saturday 04/09/2021, 14:00

North Division One

College Park, Fraserburgh

Admission: £5

Crowd: 40 (headcount)

New team #78

MOTM: Guild. Fraserburgh United #8 Took his 2 goals well.