Aberdeen 4 - 1 Fraserburgh

Aberdeen kicked off their SFA Youth Cup campaign at Pittodrie this evening as they locked horns with Highland League side Fraserburgh for the second successive season. Coach Paul Sheerin is determined to go on a good run in the competition to make up for last year's disappointment which saw us lose to Kilmarnock in the third round after beating the Bellslea outfit 6-1 in the second. Dylan Thomas was suspended for the game while Scott Wright is with the first team squad preparing for tomorrow's visit to Celtic Park.
The Dons lined up with David Craddock in goal with Sam Robertson, Sam Roscoe, Kesi Omolokun and Toby Wells at the back. Connor McLennan, Aaron Norris, Frank Ross and Seb Ross formed the midfield with Bruce Anderson and Joe Nuttall up front. Aaron Norris' brother Liam was in the Broch starting eleven.

The early play was scrappy as both sides sized each other up and although the Dons had the bulk of the possession they couldn't create an opening. Keeper Flinn did well to knock a deflected McLennan cross away from Bruce Anderson as the home side finally got in behind the Broch defence. A dazzling run from McLennan created a chance for Aaron Norris on the edge of the box on nine minutes but the midfield man dragged his shot well wide. A lovely ball out of defence from Omolokun sent Sam Robertson scampering down the right but his ball into the middle was just too far in front of Nuttall. Seconds later Frank Ross stung the palms of Flinn with a fierce angled shot from ten yards. Much better stuff from the home side but the Broch were standing firm. Frank Ross took a couple of potshots from distance but neither could find the target. You got the feeling it was only a matter of time before the Dons would score and the goal duly arrived in 18 minutes. Frank Ross played a delightful ball to the back post picking out unmarked Connor McLennan who headed high into the net past a helpless Flinn.
Five minutes later and it was two for the Dons and two for McLennan. The ball broke to the big midfielder about twenty yards out and he wasted no time in firing a great left foot shot low past the keeper. A well worked free kick routine nearly produced a third for the Dons as Frank Ross played the ball forward to Nuttall whose lay off set Anderson up for a shot but his piledriver flew wide. The third goal arrived on 33 minutes when Joe Nuttall flicked a fine Toby Wells cross in at the near post via the underside of the bar. It was one way traffic at this point with the home side playing some lovely one touch football. There was plenty of spirit in the Broch ranks but their opponents were looking very sharp.
Nuttall went from saint to sinner as Fraserburgh grabbed a goal on 40 minutes. Following a corner, the striker pulled Maitland back in the box and was cautioned for the foul. Broch skipper Greg Buchan showed a cool head to send David Craddock the wrong way to put his side on the board. A minute before the break Fraserburgh left back Jack Simpson limped off with Kemp taking his place. It had been an entertaining first half with some fine football from the Dons who deserved to be further ahead at the interval but Fraserburgh battled hard and will have been delighted to get on the scoresheet.

Bruce Anderson was first to test keeper Flinn in the second half but his twenty five yarder lacked the power to cause any problems. Kesi Omolokun did well to get his head on to a Ross free kick but Flinn saved comfortably. Frank Ross was pulling all the strings in the middle of the park and was always keen to have a shot at goal and Flinn did very well to parry a powerful strike from the home skipper.
A swift break from Ross almost produced a fourth goal for the Dons but Anderson shot wide when he might have been better to lay the ball back into the path of McLennan. Seconds later Anderson flashed a fine header just over after a marauding run down the right by Sam Robertson who was always willing to attack from right back. Paul Sheerin made his first change on 68 minutes introducing Chris Antoniazzi who replaced two goal Connor McLennan. Shortly after Broch captain Buchan was forced off with a leg knock, Sergent coming on for the final part of the game. The Dons were finding it difficult to break down a stubborn Broch side and Campbell was introduced to the fray in place of Aaron Norris. The final change saw Joe MacPherson come on for the impressive Sam Robertson for the final ten minutes.
Fraserburgh's final throw of the dice was to bring on Roger to replace a tiring Fraser. The fourth goal for the Dons finally arrived on 86 minutes and what a beauty it was. Joe Nuttall was fouled 25 yards out and Bruce Anderson
stepped up to curl a wonderful shot beyond the despairing dive of Flinn into the bottom corner of the net. Niall McGinn would have been proud of that one! So hurdle one has been overcome in thre Youth Cup - next up it will be an away tie at either Turriff United or Keith.