The final weekend of January saw the Internet Mariners undertake the long awaited trip to Aberdeen for their first round IFA Cup match. With only 11 players able to make the trip, the Mariners set off on the Friday morning in high spirits for the eagerly anticipated weekend in the Granite City. Despite a total of 11 hours on the minibus and a few scary moments due to the weather conditions, the Mariners arrived safely at their Travelodge at 8.30 on the Friday night.

Up early on the Saturday morning, the Mariners took the supposedly short trip from the Travelodge to the pitch at the Aberdeen Lads Club. Unfortunately in customary Mariners fashion they got lost and eventually with a few directions from Allan, the Aberdeen manager, they found the pitch some 30 minutes later. Also, with the Friday night being Burn’s night, the Aberdeen lads were supposed to turn up with hangovers, but they didn’t read the script and all they all looked very “keen” for the match to start !!

The Mariners started slowly and Aberdeen came at them from the first whistle playing some neat, tidy football in and around the Mariners 18 yard bo.x The Mariners were struggling to cope with some very good interplay from the Aberdeen midfield and a neatly played through ball to the Aberdeen striker saw him slot it coolly past the Grimsby ‘keeper Alan French. From the re-start the Mariners went on the attack and tried to up their game, however despite their best efforts the Aberdeen defence were superb in containing the attacking threat of the Mariners strikers Darren Hiscock and Tim Kennedy, whilst continuing with their own very neat flowing football. Unfortunately, it was only a matter of time before Aberdeen scored their second goal, which they did after 20 minutes and a third very soon afterwards, when Mariners keeper Alan French injured himself. Despite being 3-0 down, the Mariners pushed forward trying to find that elusive first goal, however Aberdeen were winning most of the 50/50 balls and Grimsby front-line were again getting no joy from the Aberdeen back-line.
Just before halftime the Mariners conceded a fourth goal, when another neat Aberdeen move ended with another cool finish. 4-0 at halftime and productive discussion needed during the interval.

The second half started with the Mariners undertaking a re-shuffle and a change in the system, which certainly proved effective in starting to nullify the Aberdeen attacks. However, as the Mariners began to tire on a heavy pitch only some superb saves from ‘keeper Alan French and some last ditch challenges from all members of the team kept Aberdeen from scoring again. Eventually as the half wore on, the Aberdeen pressure did tell and a thunderous header against the Mariners crossbar came back to an Aberdeen player 12 yards out. Somehow the Aberdeen player managed to slot the ball through a host of players, past the despairing dive of the Mariners keeper and desperate lunge of Mariners manager Gary Allwood. By now the weariness really began to tell for the Mariners and Aberdeen managed to score a sixth goal in the final few minutes. After a crunching challenge between the Mariners centre back Sean Rodwell and an Aberdeen forward, the ball ended up back at the forward’s feet and he bent the ball around the onrushing Mariners ‘keeper.

All in all a superb advert for IFA football, played in a great spirit. No holds barred by either team, some cracking challenges followed by smiles and handshakes all around. All credit to Allan and his Aberdeen team, who fully deserved their winning margin and equal credit to the Mariners for their constant effort and work rate over the 90 minutes.

Aberdeen are certainly the best team the Mariners have met this season and the Mariners players wish Aberdeen all the best for the rest of the season and look forward to sharing a beer at WorldNet.