BRECHIN VICTORIA (Victoria Park)

SCOTTISH JUNIOR FA EAST REGION MIDLANDS LEAGUE, BRECHIN VICTORIA 3-2 DUNDEE VIOLET, ATTENDANCE: 64 (h/c)

I headed up to north east Scotland for a couple of midweek matches, the second being in Angus as Brechin Victoria hosted Dundee Violet at Victoria Park.

Founded in 1917, Brechin Victoria are part of the Scottish Junior FA and were inaugural members of the Midlands League when it was established in 2021.

Tonight was an entertaining encounter but the visitors from Dundee will be wondering how this one got away. They were far the better team but somehow found themselves 2-0 down, Kieran Longmuir (18) and Mitchell Smith (35) scoring for The Vics. Classic counter attacking play at it's best.

Violet did get it back to 2-2 courtesy to two penalty kicks, both converted by A.Lonrente (37) and A.Kelly (67) respectively before Brechin went on to grab a winner when Murray Smith (78) prodded home after being left unmarked in the six yard box from a corner. It's a funny old game.

For me that was the second night in succession that the homesters had won 3-2 despite the visitors scoring two penalties (click here).

Speaking to The Vics chairman pre-match and it seems there is a possibility they may be going off to groundshare at Glebe Park once the new 4G pitch is installed. Ironically Brechin City played on the adjacent Nursery Park before moving to Glebe Park in 1923.

Should the move materialise, I'd definitely put this wonderful wee ground on your "to do" list before it does happen...

IRVINE VICTORIA (Victoria Park)

AYRSHIRE CHALLENGE CUP SEMI-FINAL, IRVINE VICTORIA 1-5 AUCHINLECK TALBOT, ATTENDANCE: 310 (h/c)

My end of season trips North of the Border continued today with a journey to the Ayrshire coast. Irvine Victoria were hosting Auchinleck Talbot in an Ayrshire Cup semi-final clash, for the right to play Hurlford United in the final.

Formed in 1904, Irvine Victoria have been at their Cochrane Street home since 1937, the ground is now known as Victoria Park. They are most certainly the towns second team behind rivals Irvine Meadow.

The ground is basically two sided with a couple of bits of terracing behind one goal and a couple of bits of cover down one touchline. The other touchline is tight up against a railway embankment. The ground is quite ramshackle, I thought it looked absolutely fanstastic!

Irvine Victoria were Ayrshire District League Champions in 2014 but after just one season in the Super League First Division they have been relegated back to the District League. In contrast visitors Auchinleck have won the Super League Premier Division for the third year in a row and will also play Musselburgh Athletic in the Junior Cup Final next weekend.

On paper, this looked a formality for The Bots, especially after a midweek 7-0 win over Kilbirnie in the last round. So it proved.

Auchinleck were 2-0 up at the break, thanks to goals from Brian Young and Mark Shankland, and looked threatening everytime they went forward.

The Vics tried their hardest and did carve out a few half chances but further second half goals from Shankland, who completed a hat-trick, and Graham Wilson cemented the victory for Auchinleck. If it wasn't for the superb performance in goal of Victoria's player of the season Chris Lamb, the score may have been at least double what it was.

Irvine Victoria did get themselves on the scoresheet with virtually the last kick of the game when David Adams picked himself up to score from the penalty spot after he was brought down by Andrew Leishman, who was also sent off.