Queens Park 2 - 3 Aberdeen

The 18s begin their campaign in similar fashion to the way they finished the last - producing another late late show.

Aberdeen Under 18’s got their league title defence off to the perfect start with three points in Glasgow on Friday evening against Queen’s Park, but the young Dons were made to work for it right up until the very end, eventually running out 3-2 winners.

Aberdeen trailed going into the final five minutes at Lochinch, but an equaliser from Timothy Akindileni and a late winner from Tristan Stephen grabbed a dramatic victory at the death.

Report

Lewis Carrol captained the new look 18s in Glasgow, the defender was just one of four that started the final game of the 22/23 campaign.

The first real opportunity of the contest fell the way of Falls for the hosts after the forward disposessed Carrol, but Akindileni was on hand to recover possession for his side and deny Queens Park an early opening.

Aberdeen flashed their attacking capabilities soon after with a swift free flowing move up the park that started with Zak To’s switch out wide to Jack Searle, his low cross pushed off the bar by Fraser Mackie before falling back onto the line and eventually cleared.

The first 45 was an end-to-end contest with chances at both ends as the game ebbed and flowed: Vitols done well to bravely pick out a cross inside a congested penalty box, up the other end Mackie came close again, this time the forward pushed a first time effort narrowly wide of his intended target.

It was the hosts who would go on to open the scoring at their training base through MacLachlan whose spin cleverly opened up some space to have a shot from the edge of the box, his effort well placed and enough to find its way past Vitols just after the 35-minute mark.

The young Dons responded to the set back with more half-chances coming from dead ball scenarios – Queen’s Park survived a mini stramash from a deep free-kick, Dylan Ross’s corner soon after punched to safety by Swillinski.

The equaliser arrived just before the interval after To’s cross-cum shot ricocheted off the woodwork and was collected by Teasdale, his cross found Ellis Clark who was able to push a shot low and through a sea of bodies to find the back of the net.

Half-time. Queens Park 1 Aberdeen 1.

The Dons were again denied by a combination of the bar and bad luck to start the half, this time it was Clark whose header came agonisingly close, only to be denied by the frame of the goal.

Aberdeen were in the ascendency and were rewarded with a penalty not long after Carrol was fouled inside the area as he looked to get on the end of a dangerous looking free kick. Mackie stepped up but he was denied from 12 yards, Swillinski guessing correctly to push the ball behind for a corner.

After the hour mark Scott Anderson elected to make his first chance of the evening, Stephen was introduced to the action, he replaced Searle.

Queen’s Park responded to a host of Aberdeen chances with a few of their own, Smith forcing a strong diving save out of Vitols. From the corner Teasdale showed his pace and broke up the field, the wide man eventually electing to shoot when he perhaps had options arriving inside the box, his attempt dragged wide. That was to be his final involvement, Joel Wiseman on in his place for the closing 15.

Just a minute after the change the home side regained the lead, again through MacLachlan who capitalised on a fortuitous break to put his side back in the driving seat.

Eventually however the young Dons did find a leveller with less than five minutes to play.

Akindileni was ready at the back post to meet Clark’s corner, his header came back off the bar before bouncing back down, this time the crossing the line and setting up a grandstand finish as Aberdeen looked for a dramatic winner.

Continuing the theme of the previous campaign, a dramatic winner is exactly what they found.

It was the substitute Stephen who timed his run perfectly to be on the receiving end of an inch perfect low cross and emphatically power a first-time effort past Swillinski just a minute after the equaliser to give his side for the first time on the day, a late, late lead. The young Dons had turned the contest around, and they led in Glasgow.

Three minutes of additional time were navigated relatively stress free, and Aberdeen were able to hold onto an important and hard fought three points to commence their defence of the league title.