Five-star goalkeeping helped Cults Academy’s first-year side secure a 2-1 win at home to Albyn School and reach the final of the Green Final Trophy – where they are set to meet Lochside or Portlethen.
Cults started with the wind in their favour, but Albyn were first to threaten when Euan Mackay headed narrowly wide from Aaron Jones’ well-placed right-wing corner.
Cults’ Orfu Ogah then fashioned a chance, driving from midfield before being closed down and seeing his shot blocked by Albyn goalie Ethan Twist.
Midway through the first half the deadlock was broken.
Cults were awarded a free-kick to the right of the penalty box, Ogah’s delivery was only half-cleared and Callum Mackay sent a 20-drive beyond Twist.
Albyn went up the field immediately in search of an equaliser, and Cults keeper Marcus Vila Domini O’Kennedy showed good reflexes to deny Mitchell Obosi.
At the other end, Twist did well to turn a long-range drive from Maurycy Siporski round the post as half-time approached.
Albyn flew out the blocks in the second period, without creating anything clear cut – and it was to prove their undoing when Cults moved upfield and grabbed a second.
A long clearance out from the back found Matthew Craig, who held off the visiting defenders before lobbing Twist from distance.
Albyn were not going to give in and Nathan Grieve was foiled by a last-minute block after controlling Timothy Ogedengbe’s slide rule pass.
Home keeper O’Kennedy was then called upon to save from Logan McDougall after Albyn had worked the ball across the box from the right, with the goalie also denying Timothy Ogedengbe with an incredible save from the resultant corner.
Charlie McLuckie had a chance to add to Cults’ advantage, but his shot from a long cross from the right was pushed past the post by Twist.
Albyn deservedly reduced the deficit as the game went into its last 10 minutes, when McDougall gathered yet another right wing cross before confidently slotting home.
Could the visitors find an equaliser?
It looked like Ogedengbe had done the trick minutes later. He twisted and turned past four defenders and the keeper inside the box, but his attempt was from too narrow an angle and it struck the base of the post before running wide.
No-one could have begrudged Albyn a leveller and Cults had to dig deep to keep them out in the dying embers of the match.
Two minutes from time a great ball out of Albyn’s defence from Aaron Jones found Ogedengbe wide on the right. He moved into the box, but somehow O’Kennedy was able to save his shot.
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