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Stonehaven v Kirriemuir Thistle

2.30pm  17 February 2018

SJFA, North and Tayside Inter-Regional Cup, Third Round
Stonehaven 3 Kirriemuir Thistle 3, 5-4 on penalties (att 50)

Stonehaven was plan B as we prepared to leave our Friday night base near Glasgow, but before heading north I learned that Colony Park's home game had fallen victim to the weather.

No such problems at Glenury Park though, and even if there had been a late postponement I had the back-up of an Aberdeenshire Amateur FA cup tie taking place on an adjacent 3G pitch. I watched a few minutes of that, before crossing the car park and handing over £5 for admission to the main attraction.

It proved to be money well spent, for a thoroughly entertaining and hard-fought 90 minutes followed by a penalty shoot out decider.

The GA Engineering Cup - to give the sponsors due credit - pits together junior clubs from the North Region and from Tayside, which was a junior football region in its own right until the most recent re-organisation saw it become part of East Region.

Stonehaven are mid-table in the North's top league, while Kirriemuir are bottom of the East's second tier, but as North Region football is generally weaker than other regions I expected a close encounter.

My prediction was spot on. Twice Kirriemuir went ahead, but twice Stonehaven equalised. The home side edged in front late in the game, but with less than 10 minutes to play Kirriemuir made it 3-3.

With no further goals, and no extra time in this cup, it went to penalties. Both sides missed an early spot kick, and it just got into sudden death before the Stonehaven keeper pulled off a save to send his side into the quarter-finals.

Glenury Park, like many North Region junior grounds, is pleasant but basic. The pitch is railed off, and the ground enclosed by a mesh fence, but there's no stand or even cover for spectators. There are a small handful of seats though, behind the goal in front of a building that houses changing rooms.

The same building is also where the tea bar is to be found, and I must praise the quality of the steak pie, a bargain at £2 and one of the best I've had at a football ground for some time.









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