Turriff Thistle retain the CMB Cup in a clash with the Legends
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Turriff Thistle 4 - Turriff Thistle Legends 1
The current Turriff Thistle team retained the CMB Cup against their Thistle Legends counterparts in the searing heat at the Haughs on Saturday, however, the final result does not reflect how close the match actually was.
Playing 3@30 minute periods the Legends took the initiative and controlled most of the play for the first 15 minutes, with Phil Burnett seeing his long range effort hit the post, before a controversial handball gifted the first goal to the Jags from the penalty spot which was converted with style by Thistle Captain, Mike McCombie.
The Jags increased their lead towards the end of the first period through Joe Bisset with an assist from Lee Stuart.
The second period saw the Jags continue their pressure on the Legends and bagged a third goal from a Ryan Morrison breakaway which left the Legends irate that it was not disallowed for offside.
However, it was all the Legends in the third period as they fairly pummelled the Jags from the re-start and Paul Williamson had a shot come back off the post for a second time.
The Legends camped round the Jags box and could easily have levelled the scores with the number of chances they created but found Jags keeper, Lewis Cheyne, in fine form as he brought off several saves to frustrate them.
The Jags had the final word, however, and caught the Legends out with 4 minutes remaining as a long ball forward set Nathan Fraser free to roll the ball past the approaching Legends keeper, Radu Chirita, for goal number four.
The action was not over yet as, within a minute, the Legends were awarded a penalty after Richard Fisher was flattened in the Jags box and Graham Buxton, who had only come on for the last 5 minutes, stepped up to blast the ball past Jordon Ogg in the Jags goal for what was only a consolation goal when it could easily have been the winner had their previous chances been converted.
Both Managers sent out strong starting line-ups with Matthew Sim selecting Jordan Ogg in goal, a back four of Mike McCombie, Ryan Catto, Ryan Morrison and Kian Beaton.
The midfield consisted of Keiren Riddell, Lee Stuart, Joe Bisset and Callan Reid supporting a strike-force of Dylan Buxton and Regan Fowlie.
Legends Manager, Graham Buxton started with a daunting defensive line-up of Chunk Duncan in goal and a back four of Gary Duncan, Brian Killoh, Colin Bain and Steven Wight.
An absolutely impressive midfield of Phil Burnett, Martin McLeod, Gavin Cumming and Chris Strachan followed, and finally, the “dream team” was completed with strikers, Paul Williamson and Sean Smith.
The match kicked off with both teams stroking the ball around while “sussing up” their opponents and probing each other’s defences.
The Legends had the majority of possession and created the first scoring chance in 7 minutes when a Williamson corner was met in the middle by Burnett whose header flashed over the bar.
They maintained their pressure and in 10 minutes a McLeod shot from the edge of the box was safely held by Ogg.
A minute later an audacious 30 yard lob from Burnett flew over Ogg but, unluckily, came off the outside of the post.
The first casualty of the day then occurred when Chris Strachan was forced off with a hamstring problem and was replaced by Joe Millican.
Thistle took the lead in 17 minutes, in controversial fashion, when a cross into the Legends box hit Bain in the stomach then came off his arm, which was by his side, but the referee still awarded a penalty.
McCOMBIE stepped up and fairly rifled the ball past Duncan to give the Jags the advantage.
The Legends lost another player in 23 minutes when Burnett had to call it a day with an ankle injury and was replaced by Steve Anderson.
Losing two influential players in a short space of time must have affected the Legends and the Jags took full advantage and they extended their lead in 27 minutes when Stuart laid the ball off to BISSET and he made no mistake from close range.
The second period began with Lewis Cheyne and Nathan Fraser coming on for Ogg and Buxton for the Jags.
The Legends, however, made extensive changes which saw Radu Chirita, Mark Gardner, Neil Chapman, Kevin Milne, Gavin Hadden, Phil Strachan, Jamie Stuart, Richard Fisher and Iain Rodger all making an appearance.
The Jags continued their pressure and within a minute of the re-start Morrison burst through the Legends defence but Chirita was out quickly to save the shot with his feet.
The next scoring chance for the Jags came from a corner that dropped deep into the danger area where Beaton got his boot to the ball but it fizzed past the post.
Play switched to the Jags end and another controversial incident occurred, after a Legends cross from the right, when Cheyne and Rodger clashed in their attempts to get to the ball at the back post.
Both players ended up on the deck but the Legends screams for a penalty were waved away.
It wasn’t long before the action and the controversy switched to the Legends end when a through-ball from Bisset set MORRISON in the clear and he drove a low left foot shot past Chirita and into the bottom corner to put the Jags three-up.
The Legends were raging that the goal was allowed to stand as they were certain that Morrison was offside when the ball came to him but their irate vocal protestations again fell on deaf ears.
The rolling substitutions were increasing at this stage as the sweltering heat took its toll on both teams.
Before the re-start James Williamson was introduced in place of Riddell and Buxton replaced Morrison for the Jags
McLeod returned for the Legends and Mark Gardner’s son, Frankie, came on as a guest to play alongside his Dad for the first time.
The Legends had another scoring chance right at the end of the second period when Rodger was brought down at the edge of the Jags box.
Rodger picked himself up to take the free kick but his shot flew over the bar.
The start of the third period saw the Legends bring the big guns back on with Gary Duncan, Killoh, Bain, Wight, Cumming, Williamson and Smith returning to the fray and Allan Shand making an appearance.
With this awesome line-up you knew that they were not going to give up without a fight and ended up camping in and around the Jags box for most of the 30 minutes.
In 63 minutes a shot from Williamson flew through the packed defence and smacked off the Jags post.
Smith was onto the rebound in a flash but his follow-up shot was blocked by the outstretched leg of Morrison who had returned in place of Catto.
The Legends continued to take the game to the Jags and in 72 minutes a curling shot from Smith in the 6 yard box scraped the back post then in 75 minutes a long range effort from Cumming was well held at the top corner by Cheyne.
Cheyne was in action again a couple of minutes later when he was at full stretch to turn a fierce, low shot from Rodger round his left-hand post then soon after he was at full stretch again to turn a similar shot from Smith round the other post.
The young keeper managed to get a rest after his efforts as Ogg came on for the final minutes.
Legends Manager, Graham Buxton, made a cameo appearance for the last 5 minutes but there was still time for him to make his mark on the game.
In 86 minutes as the Legends maintained their 3rd period pressure a long ball forward from the Jags set Fraser away in the clear and he showed the utmost composure to roll the ball through the legs of the approaching Chirita and into the net putting the Jags four up.
Just when you thought it was all over, the final action came with a couple of minutes remaining when the Legends were awarded a penalty after Fisher had been brutally assaulted by three Jags defenders inside the box.
The Jags protested their innocence but the ice-pack on Fisher’s ankle after the match told a different story.
Who else but GRAHAM BUXTON to step up for the Legends and blast the ball past Ogg for what was only a consolation goal, however, it could have so easily been a winner if the Legends had converted some of the chances they squandered, particularly in the third period.
As usual this Annual Legends Challenge match provided great entertainment, quality goals and its fair share of controversy, however, following the final whistle both squads joined together on the pitch for a post-game refreshment and, after the insults had been swapped, the Turriff Thistle winning captain, Mike McCombie, was presented with the shiny, new CMB Cup by Amanda and Graham Buxton from CMB Builders who sponsor the trophy.
It was also emotional to see proud fathers and sons, Mark and Frankie Gardner play on the same side with Graham and Dylan Buxton and Jamie and Lee Stuart in opposition to each other.
Later, at Turriff Thistle’s Presentation Night held in the Kastille, the official presentation of the Cup was made again along with Man of the Match Awards to Joe Bisset for the Jags and Brian Killoh for the Legends.
Turriff Thistle Squad: Jordan Ogg, Lewis Cheyne, Mike McCombie, Ryan Catto, Ryan Morrison, Kian Beaton, Joe Bisset, Lee Stuart, Dylan Buxton, Regan Fowlie, Callan Reid, Nathan Fraser, Keiran Riddell, Jamie Williamson, A.N.Other.
Turriff Thistle Legends Squad : Kevin “Chunk” Duncan, Radu “The Cat” Chirita, Mark “Psycho” Gardner, Frankie “The Carer” Gardner, Gary “The Good Looking Brother” Duncan, Brian “Special K” Killoh, Neil “Chopper” Chapman, Gavin “Waxy” Hadden, Kev “Babee” Milne, Steven “Wighty” Wight, Colin “Small” Bain, Phil “Mr.Cool” Strachan, Jim “Jamie” Stewart, Graham “Buxy” Buxton, Gav “The Axeman” Cumming, Martin “Big Mac” McLeod, Chris “The Maestro” Strachan, Phil “The Magician” Burnett, Joe “The Horse Brass Thief” Millican, Allan “Bass Man” Shand, Sean “The Striker” Smith, Richard “Slippers” Fisher, Steve “The Ace” Anderson, Iain “The Dodger” Rodger, Paul “Pablo” Williamson.
Have no fear – The Legends will be back next year.
