Lads Club Amateurs 4 - Postal ALC 2 - White Cup Quarter Final - Garioch Sports Centre - Sat 24/01/2026

Postal travelled out to Garioch to face Lads Club on the astro in the quarter final of the White Cup.  The two sides had not met so far this season with Lads Club currently sitting top of the league. The two sides last met in season 23/24 with Postal winning each of the league encounters.  If Postal had any aspirations to win the trophy they would need to show grit with the weather biblical rain and wind. 

Postal were forced into making one change to the starting eleven with Steven Abel dropping out due to illness, Doug Russell his replacement.

Postal lined up as below:

1. Shaun Walker

2. Bruce Webster 

3. Andrew Riddell (S)

4. Adam Veitch

5. James Steele

6. Keiron Dowbekin

7. Doug Russell (S)

8. Scott Stuart (S)

9. Harry McAuley 

10. Phil Wallace 

11. Sultan Ahmed

Bench: 

12. Mark Robb (S)

13. Fraser Smith

14. Duncan MacKenzie (S)

15. Vinnie Buggie (S)

Lads club kicked off the encounter. 

Postal almost had the dream start, in the 1st min a James Steele tackle released Wallace who played a slide rule pass to Stuart who crossed from the byline.  With the goal gapping, the Lads Club right back slide in and robbed Ahmed from an easy tap in finish.

On the 11^th min a Lads Club corner comes to nothing as McAuley and Lads Club number 6 are booked on the 15^th min after a coming together.  

On the 16th min Dowbekin and Veitch gave their best Chuckle Brothers impression with neither taking control of the ball, the “you to me” exchange was ended as number 8 nipped in and took the ball and fired a shot that was deflected for a corner.  From the resultant corner number 21 had a free header that flashed wide. Schoolboy defending.  

On the 17^th minute Ahmed went on a great run taking on 4 players, approaching the box the winger refused to shoot and tried to continue into the box however was halted by a great tackle.

20^th minute a Postal corner fell to Dowbekin however his shot went wide of the keepers left hand post.

21^st minute the home side should have taken the lead following a Steele short back pass to Walker in goal.  Lads Club number 11 intercepted the ball however the play broke down and Postal were able to clear the ball.

Ahmed went on another run on the 24^th min before setting up Wallace who seen his shot well saved.

Disaster for Postal on the 30^th min as Lads Club take the lead.  Steele takes the ball short from a goal kick, passes into Wallace who cant control the ball.  Intercepted, the ball is rolled into number 10, unmarked, turns then has the freedom of the pitch to set himself before firing low into the Postal net.  Poor control and equally poor desire to shut down the opposition striker. 

1 – 0

Postal were awarded a penalty on the 42^nd min when a Wallace free kick was adjudged to have been handled in the box by a Lads Club player.  Wallace stepped up and stroked the ball home to square things up heading into the break.

HT 1 - 1

Postal hadn’t really started the match and at the break the management team asked for more intensity.  However it would be the home team that would again take the lead.  On the 54^th min a long throw into the box was flicked onto number 11 who found himself unmarked and headed into the net. 

2 -1

Postal should have been level on the 56^th min when Russell didn’t quite grow long enough to meet a great Riddell cross into the box.

P

ostal were back on level terms on the 60^th min as McAuley took the ball down on the Postal left, cut inside and bulleted a great strike into the top corner.

2 - 2

Postal were hoping this would finally kick them into life however it was the home side who would take a strangle hold on the game.  62^nd min McAuley and Russell don’t communicate and lose the ball.  A long ball up the park finds 10 unmarked and subsequently in a foot race with Steele.  Shoulder to shoulder number 10 bodies Steele over and races through to slide the ball past Walker. 

3 - 2

On the 73^rd min the game was ended as a contest.  Another quick break from Lads Club seen number 21 alone at the edge of the box.  No pressure on the ball, 21 shot past Walker with total ease.

4 - 2

FT 4 -2

Postal done extremely well to stay in the game until the 62^nd min and find the net twice as 95% of the players could have been anywhere but on the pitch playing football. Unseen this season to date, the Postal players showed no signs of desire, fight, quality and effort. 

Second to every first and second ball in the game, defensively shambolic with a refusal to shoot, Postal were soundly beaten by a more hungry Lads Club who advance into he Semi Final on merit.