Formartine United4–0Inverurie Locos

The score line nearly says it all but only really hints at the relative standards of the two sides. Derbies between these two are generally close run affairs but this time Formartine found it almost embarrassingly easy to comprehensively dispose of their rivals. To call it a no contest would be unfair on the efforts put in and maintained more or less throughout by the Locos team but the fact remains that this has to have been the most one sided match between them since Formartine joined the SHFL ranks. They were in very comfortable control of all aspects of play throughout, established an unassailable lead before half time, extended it modestly in the second half and provided an object lesson in slick pass and move football across the entire extent of the pitch. Locos will have gained from the experience: not only were they given a lesson in the virtues of maintaining, shape, possession and discipline but their fitness levels will not have suffered adversely from the strenuous workout given in pursuing the ball as Formartine’s skill and organisation left them busily chasing shadows. Humble pie is said to be an acquired taste and after their triumphalism in the wake of the infamous “5 goalies” game back in August, Locos supporters will now be well on their way to getting a notion for it.

As usual the game started at a brisk tempo with Formartine firepower giving more than a hint of its lethal capacities straight away as Gauld, and Barbour exchanged crisp passes down the left on the end of a feed from Rodger and finished the flurry with a low driven ball from the former that fizzed past the far post. Locos had a reasonable riposte initiated by a run through left midfield by McLean but Gary Wood, revelling in his temporary conversion from centre forward to centre half, jockeyed him wide before relieving him of the ball with an immaculately timed tackle.

United’s opening goal came as early as the 6th minute and again came from what was to become for them a happy hunting ground down the left side where Barbour and Rodger had the pace and guile to exploit the limitations of Jeffrey. A blast of pace from Rodger took him into perfect position to flip the ball into BARBOUR a few yards shy of the near post. The stalky striker struck the ball neatly beyond the reach of keeper Matheson from about 8 yards range.
As Locos tried to restore equilibrium their principal threat seemed to be Bavidge, but trying to work his way into the right corner of the box he went down in a heap with a nasty hamstring injury. With his departure went Locos experience, guile and shape up front. A goal down and 80 minutes still to go, Locos were up against it and Formartine took full control . Lawson and Rodger and Masson began to boss midfield enough to leave the visitors largely chasing shadows for minutes on end. Shots from Gauld [who was unlucky not to make it onto the score sheet] and the busy Barbour tested the keeper but with still some vestige of hope for the Locos and Souter tested home keeper and former Locos stalwart, Andy Reid. However he clearly had a clean sheet in mind and dealt capably with what little came his way. A two minute burst between the 24th and 26th minutes effectively finished off the visitors. Lawson lobbed a longish ball through the middle beyond Broadhurst and Adams to meet the run of Cammy KEITH who had timed it to beat the off side trap. One on one with the keeper is where Cammy thrives and he chose the moment and picked his spot to slot the ball home. Almost straight from the restart Formartine had another go down the left and with a near replica of the first goal Rodger again supplied BARBOUR who leathered the ball viciously home from a point to the left of the penalty spot.

Locos were playing for little more than pride now and although they managed some territorial pressure they found a home back four of Dingwall, Smith Wood and Crawford able to absorb whatever limited pressure they could muster. The best the visitors could muster was a thundering shoulder high drive from about 25 yards out by Mitchell who had replaced Bavidge. Reid seemed to have it covered as the ball went wide of his right upright. Just on the interval a Gauld drive from just inside the box slipped wide.

The second half began as the first had ended with Formartine in calm control and Locos huffing and puffing in vain pursuit of some sort of lifeline. Gauld went close with a snapshot from a tightish angle to the right of goal but the ball grazed the upright on its way to the side netting. Formartine impressively passed the ball about with Lawson orchestrating almost everything from the middle of the park. Seven minutes into the half, Formartine had the game absolutely hermetically sealed when KEITH doubled his tally with another slick finish to a one on one with the keeper. Lawson’s defence splitting pass took out the central defenders to leave Cammy in the clear. It must have been déjà vu for Matheson as again he advanced towards the striker and again the striker beat him with an immaculately timed finish.

It looked then that Formartine could go on to produce deliver a real hiding to their rivals but Locos kept plugging away – nothing like enough to reduce the deficit but just enough to prevent a complete rout. Formartine for their part served up some impressive patterned possession stuff and remained in cool control until the final whistle which must have come as something of a relief for the outclassed Locos.

Manager Kriss Hunter was well pleased: ” – delighted with the performance, our finishing was excellent and our front three again looked very dangerous. Neil Gauld was unlucky not to score as well. --- The front three did well in the 5-0 win at Forres last Saturday and they’ve carried good form into this game”