Inverurie Locos2–3Formartine United

A good forceful performance by Formartine in this derby game (re-arranged from Christmas Week) produced a convincing win and demonstrated some excellent performances in different parts of the park. They imposed their will on the Harlaw men from early in the game and held the whip hand more or less throughout or just about as far as that is possible in the context of a rivalry that extends back decades to when both played in the Junior ranks.

That said, it was Locos who were the first to show when a well flighted, left to right free kick from Broadhurst found the highly educated head of Bavidge whose header was comfortably pulled down from under his crossbar by Shearer. It took Formartine most of the first five minutes to establish shape and tempo and show their hosts that managerless or not, they could still take care of business. In the 5th minute McVitie broke down the right and picked out Cammy Keith who was virtually on the penalty spot. A smart turn and a well placed shot had Broadhurst stretching to hack the ball to safety.

Both were playing an attacking 4-3-3 formation but Formartine’s version seemed slightly slicker than Locos and they were getting regular supply to a very hard working Keith. Anderson produced an impressive array of passes to the front men and in the 7th minute one picked out Keith barely six yards out . At full stretch to reach it he narrowly failed to keep the ball down enough to direct it to the business side of the crossbar. Formartine were inching their way towards an opener which nearly came from a looping McVitie header from a pass by Duguid who had scorched his way down the left. The ball landed on the roof of the net and Locos breathed again. Respite was brief however as in the 10th minute McVitie took on the provider role and driving the ball in from the right to the head of Cammy KEITH, saw the striker’s powerfully driven and perfectly placed header beat Reid from 12 yards out.

Formartine pressure continued and they looked impressive moving the ball about with pace and accuracy. Napier and McVitie combined well to set up the latter whose shot was taken by keeper Reid. Locos could strike on the break but found it difficult to penetrate a new look Formartine defence where Smith partnered Hay in the middle with Jeffrey and Smith either side. This worked very well and Smith who hasn’t played in central defence in many a long day was a superb partner to the immaculate Hay. Locos were therefore confined largely to shots from distance, not many of which looked like troubling Shearer. McLean had a 30 yard effort tipped over the top and a Laing cross did penetrate the visiting penalty area but was driven over the top by Hunter from 12 yards out.

Consistent with the run of play Formartine Formartine extended their lead in the 27th minute when an Anderson free from around 18 yards out and an inch or so in from the touch line was whipped over to the head of SMITH at the back stick and directed powerfully against the line of the advancing Reid and into the opposite side of the net.
Formartine continued in the ascendancy and pinned Locos down in their own territory with a series of menacing crosses and shots from Anderson, Dingwall, Napier, McVitie and Keith. It was against this background of Formartine blitzkrieg that Locos were driven to make a double substitution in the 39th minute replacing Laing and Leyden with the older heads of Ross and Begg.

This served to steady the ship (or locomotive) somewhat and they gave themselves a huge fillip when just before half time McLean got the ball to the wily BAVIDGE over to his left. Dr Bav broke in towards the box by rolling Jeffrey before beating Shearer at the near post with a crisp low drive to reduce the arrears at a psychologically crucial moment.

The second half was rather more even but Formartine remained for the most part, the dominant force. They had the better of midfield where Anderson continued to orchestrate shape, pace and tempo while Clark and McVitie were persistent thorns in the flesh of any Locos player in the centre of the pitch. Locos really wanted it but they simply couldn’t find the means of getting on top of their visitors for long enough to apply sustained pressure. A smart exchange of passes between Maitland and McLean saw a decent shot from the former reliably taken by Shearer. Equally smart passing by McVitie Napier and Hay gave Keith the chance of a pop at goal that was beaten down by Reid.

In the 67th minute, Formartine replaced Dingwall with Mackay who almost made a sensational entry when a slick through ball by Napier all but set him up. The pass was only inches beyond his reach. Hay caused and cured a near calamity in the 70th minute by wrong footing all his fellow defenders to let Hunter in with a shot. The captain however atoned superbly by blocking the ensuing shot on the goal line and restoring defensive security.

In the 84th minute Formartine restored their two goal advantage. The build up was rather more elegant than the double header finish but it was a well worked and fully merited goal that effectively sealed all three points. The elegant Anderson fed Duguid with a well timed and beautifully weighted pass. The wee full back struck the ball with utter precision for Keith to head to goal. Although the initial header looked pretty well goal bound Mackay was there to ”mack siccar” with an additional application of the cranium before the ball nestled in the net.

Locos had the pride and spirit to keep battling on and their captain McLEAN taking the bull by the horns, made a long late direct run at the Formartine rearguard and got enough out of it to make space to fire the ball surefootedly home from the edge of the box in the 89th minute.
It was too little, too late and Formartine ran out deserved winners with a display where each of their players demonstrated commitment, professionalism and an encouraging degree of capability. It looks like the incoming manager will have a decent foundation on which to build.