Match: Buchanhaven Hearts v Cruden Bay
Date: 30/07/2022
Venue: Raemoss Park, Peterhead
Competition: Grill League Cup, Group Stage
Entry Fee: £5
Travel: £40.30
Miles completed today: 378
Total miles remaining: 35648
It’s time for my first trek of the season. This is my second season of the project to get round every club in the pyramid and I learned a few lessons in the first. One of the biggest was to not to travel too far during the winter months as there’s every chance you’ll get caught up in the weather (and the game might too!).
So here I was, leaving the house before 6am to get a train and two buses to a town almost 200 miles away that I’ve only ever seen on a map. What could go wrong?
Well, a lot actually. I had a rubbish sleep from the night before and slept in, almost dropped my portable phone charger in a Glasgow Central toilet, my bus broke down before it’d even left Glasgow putting the whole trip in jeopardy and the heavens decided to open. Surely I wasn’t going to have a game called off in July?
Thankfully, everything turned out fine. Buchanhaven Hearts hail from Peterhead and are the second biggest club in the town after their SPFL neighbours. I’ve never been to Peterhead before and if not for their football team would I even know the place existed?
Essentially it’s a remote fishing town and is the biggest settlement in the Shire apart from Aberdeen city itself. I’m always a little uneasy about using the word ‘remote’ when describing a place as locals don’t seem to like it but the nearest train station is 27 miles away – it’s not the easiest place to get to.
The first thing anyone notices when arriving in Peterhead is seagulls – my arch nemesis. For context, a few weeks back I walked to Renfrew for a friendly match and was attacked relentlessly along a 2 mile stretch. Thankfully these seagulls weren’t brought up in Glasgow and actually left you alone which was a pleasant surprise. I even saw a guy eating whilst a seagull stood about a yard from him and watched. Now if that was Glasgow you’d be help at knifepoint and the seagull would rip it straight out your fingers.
I had about 45 minutes till kick off so I took a walk round and ended up at a nice spot close to the ground that overlooks the North Sea. There’s nothing but water for miles until you reach Shetland and it was pleasant enough to spend a good 15 minutes here watching the world go by.
The Ground
Raemoss Park is easy to find, I actually found it by accident! It’s a standard sort of setup up this way, a ringed fence pitch with a larger fence round but the club have some shelter and seats and their very own social club on site. Spectators are permitted along both sides off the pitch but most congregate on the near side. Cruden Bay looked to have brung a few too. The admission is a fair fiver but there were plenty who stood outside on a nearby elevated street and watched the game for free. In fairness, a lot of these people had cleared off by half time so I reckon they were headed to the Peterhead match which kicked off an hour after this.
I’ve said this on a few blogs and I’ve no idea whether this is feasible or fantasy; Can clubs like Buchanhaven Hearts bring forward kick off to attract fans from a nearby bigger club. I believe the Hearties could increase their gate by over 50% if this is allowed with a bit of forward planning as I for one would’ve gone to both today. I chose the junior game so the club got my cash anyway but most will head to the professional game if given the choice.
Preview
This is opening day for most of Scotland’s leagues barring one or two but I knew I wanted to come up north and this for me was the standout fixture.
There is only about 8 miles between the two clubs making this a derby game and as the League Cup groups are drawn at random it’s great that this fixture was pulled out of the hat. I’ll always pick a derby if I can so the game chose itself. The clubs were in different divisions last season with the Hearties playing at a higher level but the two have been amalgamated meaning they’ll play at least another twice this campaign.
It’s pretty cutthroat and there’s no real room for error. Only the group winners will progress to the quarter finals and with the other two sides being Longside (another local team) and Colony Park (probably the group favourites) it’s fair to say there’s a lot riding on this one.
I’d heard that Cruden Bay were traditionally a team that have struggled in the past few years but with a recent resurgence. This aligns with the recent results between the two. The last time these teams played was late 2020 with Cruden Bay the victors. Before that it seemed that Buchanhaven Hearts would dish out a bit of a doing and the fixture was rarely close. On that basis I’ve no idea what to expect, goals I hope.
The Match
Buchanhaven Hearts started on the front foot and dominated the bulk of possession. Their game plan seemed to get the ball forward as quickly as possible and use the physicality of their two front men (probably the two tallest lads on the park) to get a bit of success. Cruden Bay chose to play a fairly high line and the Hearties were trying to make the most of the space in behind and it seemed like a matter of time before they’d get one of these right. The first chance fell to Darren Batty who latched on to a misjudged bouncing ball but with the keeper onrushing to close down the angle, the forward had to take his shot early and his chip bounced wide of the post. The home side suffered a blow when Batty (who looked the most dangerous) had to be replaced soon after due to injury.
Still with the bulk of possession 34 minutes in, Hearts took the lead. Lewis Brown beat the keeper to a bouncing ball and his header bounced towards goal. This was cleared but was judged to have crossed the line by the referee.
Very hard to tell from where I was but my first instinct is that it was in so no complaints here. Cruden Bay hadn’t shown much by this point and the HEarties were in full control.
Shortly before half time the ref had another big call to make. Bay’s Gary Stuart incensed the home dugout with his strong challenge in the corner. He took plenty of the ball but the force in this situation seemed needless and certainly caught the player too. I think there MAY have been a case for a red here but the fact he took so much of the ball probably saved him. Not an easy call for the ref to make but I can understand why only a yellow this time.
Half time and the home side were comfortable. Their only complaint will be not making the most of their dominance and that’d come back to bite them.
10 minutes into the second half and it was game on. An delicately chipped through ball from number 9 Shawn Bruce found the run of Angus Calder who rounded the keeper and slotted home for parity. A great goal to be fair!
This changed the tide of the game a little and the Bay were now giving as good as they got. Hearts were still attempting their ball over the top and it did look like they’d get some success from it but you have to give the away sides defence credit as they always seemed to find a way to deal with the danger. It was a slick passing move that gave them a chance for 2-1 but whilst Ross Walker struck the ball well, Bay’s goalkeeper was equal to it.
Cruden bay then went on to take the lead by a player I deliberately haven’t mentioned until now (don’t worry, I’ll speak a little more about him in the MOTM section). Celmiro Mussunda, who had been starved of much service rinsed both of Hearts centre backs putting himself through to side foot the ball into the net for 2-1. Jake Ritchie in goals actually got a toe on this and did well to do so but realistically had no chance of making the save.
Hearts huffed and puffed but were deflated as Cruden Bay were awarded a penalty. Elijah Ogunwale won the ball deep inside Heart’s half and was wiped out in the box by Mark Duncan. No real complaints from anyone other than Duncan himself, definitely the correct decision but their hopes of salvaging something were kept alive as Jake Ritchie made a fantastic save to deny Angus Calder his second.
Full time and it’s a wee bit of an upset.
Buchanhaven Hearts 1-2 Cruden Bay
MOTM
I tried not to mention him much in the report as I wanted to give him his own section. Celmiro Mussunda is a player I’d have paid the fiver to watch if he was the only man on the pitch. He’s a young lad (18 I believe) and I’m unsure where he was picked up from and even less unsure how he’s playing at this level.
Head shoulders knees and toes better than anyone else on the pitch.
His first touch, decision making, agility and his ability to dribble was an absolute joy to behold and if any other North Junior representatives read this – you’ve been warned. You simply can’t get the ball off him and he will hurt you.
The only real shame if that he didn’t see too much of the ball as Hearts had dominated possession. In the second half he had switched from the wing to the centre forward and despite being starved of much service he’s made something out of nothing and won the game.
He’s picked the ball up from deep, sent two defenders to the shops scored for 2-1. I’ve learned that Cruden Bay have tied him down on a 2 year deal which is extremely smart business as when bigger clubs inevitably take an interest in this lad, Cruden Bay will get some sort of fee. What a player.
Summary
This was an excellent day out. A extremely competitive full blooded derby match on the opening day of the season – this was certainly worth the trip. I’d come to see Buchanhaven Hearts who unfortunately lost the game but that’s football, there are no guarantees.
Raemoss Park and Peterhead are good places to visit so if you ever get the opportunity, do it.
Cruden Bay have stolen the headlines and you have to give them a lot of credit. Stayed in the game when times were tough and got their reward in the end.
There were 100 fixtures close to me, I left the house at 5 to 6 in the morning and got home about 11pm at night but that’s what you do for fitba!
I’ll always remember this day as the time I first saw Celmiro Mussunda dazzle and excite me with his ability on the ball. Thoroughly enjoyable day out and all the best to the friendly people at the Hearties this season.
GroundhopScot 