With the introduction of Westdyke CC Juniors in the North Region Junior Championship, the Westhill based club were eligible to join the Highland League juvenile ranks and did so in the SHFL U18 East division.

They join fellow Junior sides Dyce F.C, Buchanhaven Hearts, and Hall Russell United, who compete alongside 7 Highland League teams under the lights on Monday evenings.

Westdyke’s opponents on matchday 19 were Huntly, who sit bottom of the table without a win and with a sole point after 11 matches played.

Match report:

Huntly picked up their first win of the season with a remarkable 4-3 comeback victory against Westdyke. The black and golds were trailing by 2 goals at halftime, but pegged back Westdyke around the hour mark before scoring a dramatic 94th minute winner.

The home side were quick to get up to speed and were first to record an effort on goal, with Andrew Beattie’s shot well saved after Marcus Stephen and Liam Ried linked up to drive through the middle.

The first goal would shortly follow, with Reid beating the Huntly defender to the ball within the D, before clearing the next centre back and slotting his strike across keeper Ross Winchester and into the bottom right corner on the 11th minute.

Westdyke continued to dominate the early portions of the game, soaking up Huntly pressure well and linking the defense and attack effectively.

They would be rewarded on the half hour mark with a second goal, when Stephen collected a long diagonal ball before drilling his effort beyond the keeper and in.

Huntly struggled to gain a foothold in the game and didn’t manage to test keeper Aiden McElroy until the 36th minute, with the Westdyke shot-stopper getting down well to his right to parry away Arthur Liston’s effort.

Halftime came and went with the expectance that Westdyke would continue their dominance, yet Huntly had other ideas.

The away side managed a couple of efforts from Owen Watson and Owen Rankine, with the latter halving Huntly’s deficit in the 52nd minute, slotting home after the Westdyke defense failed to clear their lines.

Westdyke would reinstate their 2-goal advantage moments later when Beattie turned in Victory Asekomeh’s low cross.

It would take just 3 minutes for the next goal to be scored, with Huntly once again halving the deficit on the hour mark. Fullback Sam Merchant collected a diagonal ball and scored perhaps the finest goal all evening, drilling the ball from long range past McElroy and into the top corner.

After a breathless 10 minutes there were still goals to come, with Huntly’s equaliser setting up a tense final quarter to the game. Slack play once again in the Westdyke box allowed Liston to fire his effort goalwards.

Amongst the goals multiple injuries marred the culmination of the game, with 6 players hobbling off throughout the game.

The tide would turn towards Westdyke in the final 10 minutes, with Beattie sending in three unanswered low crossed into the Huntly 6-yard box.

Westdyke had what was thought to be the final attack, with Beattie once again finding space on the left. He carried the ball goalwards and being played through from the midfield with his strike forcing a vital stop from Winchester, who tipped the ball around the post.

In the 94th minute Huntly punted a hopeful ball up the park to alleviate pressure on the defense which found Watson, who blasted his effort beyond McElroy, sending the Huntly dugouts into rapture and giving the away side their first win of the U18 campaign.

Full time: Westdyke 3-4 Huntly

Westdyke U18 manager and Head of Youth Steven Gerrard shared his thoughts on the match.

He said: “We’re a little bit gutted, to say the least. Huntly showed great character to come back from 2-0 down, I never thought our 2-goal lead was overly comfortable, it can be lost quickly. The third goal in that situation is key, and unfortunately it was Huntly that grabbed it.

“We came straight back into it and scored another good goal, and I thought we’d made a good recovery but Huntly never gave up and went more direct which we struggled and ultimately failed to deal with.

“In hindsight I am disappointed we didn’t score more goals in the first half and really put the game to bed early on.

“We were unlucky with injuries, losing our right side entirely with Marcus Stephen and Joshua Emmet coming off. I this caused an imbalance within the squad that we couldn’t quite manage.

“I could see the game unfolding before my eyes, we could’ve maybe switched things around but we opted to try and hold on and try and grab the winner and sometimes that’s just what happens.”

One thing Steven is keen to develop is a sense of togetherness between a group of players that don’t always play together.

He said: “It’s one of our aims looking forward to next season. It’s a big squad this year, and some boys are playing in juvenile football, some for the U21s, and some in the amateur team.

“We do rotate a lot, and that doesn’t always bode well for the continuity of the squad, but we fine it necessary to try out different teams and systems.

“Our main aim is to make sure the boys are getting the opportunity to make that jump to senior football, and despite their ages some are ready to do so. The junior team really stretched the amateur side so we’re keen to get the boys ready to step up and help out our senior squads.

“We only had seven 2007s against Huntly, the rest were 08s and 09s. By giving the younger boys the chance to play at this level we are ensuring a level of resilience within the team for subsequent campaigns.”

Steven praised the wider Westdyke community club for giving him a chance to establish an U18 team.

He said: “Having this level of football is another great accolade for the club. A lot out talent used to go to external clubs, but we can now offer a pathway all the way through, from the youngest age ranks all the way to senior pyramid football.

“We were really proud of boys that left and made jumps up to Highland League clubs, but now we have the opportunity to reap the rewards of developing so much talent.

“It took a lot of shifting around to free up the Monday night slot for us, and I’m really grateful that we received the support from Westdyke to use the Lawsondale facilities.

“Not only can we provide a pathway for players, we can also offer consistent and high quality facilities and that is a great achievement.”

Westdyke U18 have four games left to conclude their SHFL U18 East campaign, and Steven is eager to finish on a high.

He said: “I challenged myself and the team to finish mid-table at the start of the season, and we look set to achieve that. I would’ve liked 20 points, but missing out last night will damage that aim.

“Instilling that philosophy of resilience is also something I’m proud to have achieved, we’ve done it in slightly unusual ways- playing boys that are often much younger than their opponents, but I’m happy with how it’s worked out.”

Steven’s message to the wider football community is that Westdyke is now more than just a juvenile club, and the Westhill side are keen to achieve their ambitions.

He said: “The junior squad and U18 side are in their infancy, but most importantly they are now here, and we have a strong pathway for all our players now.

“It’s important for Westdyke to be together, to be united, boys teams, girls teams, mens and ladies, are all working towards the same goal.”