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Highland League 2024-25


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On 10/07/2024 at 11:45, welshbairn said:

I'd go for a close battle between Banks o Dee and Brechin but you can't rule out Fraserburgh spoiling the party. I doubt Buckie will be in the mix this season.

As someone who watches Dee every week, I'd say it's unlikely. We never seem to be able to see off some of the mid-table teams in key games. And I can't see that changing with the additions this year.

A new centreback pairing and a new centre forward, but we seem to have less squad depth overall, and an injury concern with Kane Winton. For me, it's Brechin or Brora.

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On 25/07/2024 at 12:49, houston_bud said:

What's does everyone think the best away day in the league is?

Considering doing a wee road trip, getting a bnb somewhere at some point during the season. I've been to Brechin, Clach and Nairn, so somewhere different would be good.

Thanks in advance.

Strathspey, without a doubt.

Beautiful part of the Highlands. Amazing view at the ground itself and some nice bars nearby. And you can make a weekend of it in nearby Aviemore.

Wick is good for the novelty and Brora is also an adventure, but Strathspey is always my favourite.

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44 minutes ago, forthefanssubstack said:

As someone who watches Dee every week, I'd say it's unlikely. We never seem to be able to see off some of the mid-table teams in key games. And I can't see that changing with the additions this year.

A new centreback pairing and a new centre forward, but we seem to have less squad depth overall, and an injury concern with Kane Winton. For me, it's Brechin or Brora.

After preseason and the Cup games, and the first day of the league, I'm switching to Buckie and Brora fighting it out for the title, and maybe Lossie or Forres coming bottom rather than Rothes. Could still be Strathspey again of course.

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On 27/07/2024 at 20:05, Moorie said:

Lossiemouth is a good one. Try head to a game when we go to silversands caravan park. 
devonvale for you and the wife can have a wonder in the spotty bag shop also a fancy piece and a cuppa while she is there too. 
nice little cafe there too the broken fiddle 

A fancy piece? Ooh-err.

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4 hours ago, Jimmy Shaker said:

Banks O’ Dee winning f**k all without some kind of attitude adjustment. 

Were you at the game?

I don't think it was to do with the players' attitude.

The issue was we played without a recognised striker for the first half and that gave Lossie a foothold to build from.

We played far too much direct football when we had no height up front and not enough when we did.

Credit to Lossie though. They dug in well and very much deserved their point.

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I was there. 

I expected BOD to start like a train but it didn't come. I thought that as it was the home opener, BOD might come racing out of the blocks, but they didn't. The lack of a recognised striker shouldn't have been that big a deal against Lossie, the players should have been able to work something out but seemed happy just shuffling the ball about the place at half pace.

Having to drag a broken Mark Reynolds about for the second half didn't help, and the back line looked completely lost as to how to play out from the back. The insistence on sticking to the long ball over the top was bizarre, especially as Dean Stewart and James Leslie read the whole second half perfectly and cleared everything.

When playing football failed, I thought BOD might stick an elbow or a knee in here and there, maybe try and get Lossie wound up or force something - anything - different, but that didn't come either.

A weird afternoon, all in. An unexpected point, going by the reports from last weekend, but welcome nonetheless. 

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3 hours ago, Sir Tarmo said:

What is going on at Clach…

Too early to tell. Best I've seen them play in the first half against Lossie last week but poor the second, just soaking up the pressure. Probably outclassed Keith today but there wasn't much in it, Joe Malin needed to make a spectacular save and our first goal was a flukey wind assisted corner kick that went straight in. First proper test will be Locos on Saturday after battering Nairn on Wednesday night and watching Ross Tokely implode in a teary mess, more than likely.

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13 hours ago, Jimmy Shaker said:

I was there. 

I expected BOD to start like a train but it didn't come. I thought that as it was the home opener, BOD might come racing out of the blocks, but they didn't. The lack of a recognised striker shouldn't have been that big a deal against Lossie, the players should have been able to work something out but seemed happy just shuffling the ball about the place at half pace.

Having to drag a broken Mark Reynolds about for the second half didn't help, and the back line looked completely lost as to how to play out from the back. The insistence on sticking to the long ball over the top was bizarre, especially as Dean Stewart and James Leslie read the whole second half perfectly and cleared everything.

When playing football failed, I thought BOD might stick an elbow or a knee in here and there, maybe try and get Lossie wound up or force something - anything - different, but that didn't come either.

A weird afternoon, all in. An unexpected point, going by the reports from last weekend, but welcome nonetheless. 

You make some good points.

We played Aberdeen B on Tuesday and Lachie Mcleod took a knock which meant he could only play 45 minutes yesterday, or he would have been first name on the teamseet.

His brother Hamish is still injured, as is Kane Winton - three of our best players. Plus Andy Hunter also appears to be injured, so that's quite a list for matchday 2.

I totally agree with you about the tactics. In my mind, we looked good when we were building from the back, but Gilly had a very poor game, Mikey was below par and Chris Antionazzi also wasn't really a presence. 

But I still put most of that down to not having a striker to aim at. I'd have started Scott Milne, but there you go.

Anyway, onwards and upwards to Keith on Wednesday night.

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On 04/08/2024 at 12:33, forthefanssubstack said:

You make some good points.

We played Aberdeen B on Tuesday and Lachie Mcleod took a knock which meant he could only play 45 minutes yesterday, or he would have been first name on the teamseet.

His brother Hamish is still injured, as is Kane Winton - three of our best players. Plus Andy Hunter also appears to be injured, so that's quite a list for matchday 2.

I totally agree with you about the tactics. In my mind, we looked good when we were building from the back, but Gilly had a very poor game, Mikey was below par and Chris Antionazzi also wasn't really a presence. 

But I still put most of that down to not having a striker to aim at. I'd have started Scott Milne, but there you go.

Anyway, onwards and upwards to Keith on Wednesday night.

I was at the game also and agree fully with this. Me and My Dad felt that Lossie arguably deserved all 3 Points given the fact they hit the post, was really impressed with them.

Personally, having watched BOD on and off last season, I do not see what Reynolds brings to the team, he was poor the previous week as well. I get the squad needs to be bigger but Stark and Kelly always impressed me last season now dropped like a stone.  Emmett and Davidson at FB have looked good so far though.

BOD just felt really flat, no spark compared to the week before.  Hopefully that will be put right tonight and Saturday.

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5 hours ago, troopio said:

I was at the game also and agree fully with this. Me and My Dad felt that Lossie arguably deserved all 3 Points given the fact they hit the post, was really impressed with them.

Personally, having watched BOD on and off last season, I do not see what Reynolds brings to the team, he was poor the previous week as well. I get the squad needs to be bigger but Stark and Kelly always impressed me last season now dropped like a stone.  Emmett and Davidson at FB have looked good so far though.

BOD just felt really flat, no spark compared to the week before.  Hopefully that will be put right tonight and Saturday.

I think it's a case of 'needs must'.

Kasper has long been pushed up to central midfield. Jevan is either long-term injured or he has left the club (I'm not sure which) and so we're left with Cooney and Reynolds who are brand-new centre back partnership. They will need time to work on their line and communication so I give them the benefit of the doubt for now, particularly as we're yet to concede a goal this season.

The main concern for me is that, when Kate, Lachie and DK aren't on the pitch, the players are too quiet. They need to be more vocal.

Hopefully tonight will be better. We shall see.

(Happy to share updates if anyone wants).

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A dramatic finish in Keith.

Keith’s keeper made some incredible first-half saves.

Keith went 1-0 up midway through the second half.

Dee equalised near the end

Dee then got a penalty a minute later. Philipson missed it (another good save).

Then Dee got a second penalty. Gilmour took it and missed but the rebound was scrambled in and Dee somehow won.

Not very impressed with the three or four home fans giving Lachie and the ref aggro at full time. 

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1 hour ago, forthefanssubstack said:

Not very impressed with the three or four home fans giving Lachie and the ref aggro at full time. 

I'm led to believe their annoyance was due to an unreasonable delay in blowing the whistle until BoD got their 3 points.

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