Banks O' Dee defeat leaves Huntly pointless but double scorer Brodie Allen predicts a swift Christie Park response
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BRODIE Allen is confident that Huntly won’t be at the wrong end of the Highland League table for long.
The striker scored twice in his first start of the campaign at Banks O’ Dee on Saturday, though his double couldn’t stop the Christie Park side from sliding to a controversial 5-2 defeat.
That result dumped Huntly in second bottom spot as one of only two clubs without a point after three matches this season.
But Allen says the table gives a false impression so early in the campaign and there is no cause for panic in the Black and Golds’ camp.
“It’s still early days.,” he said. “We are only three games into the league.
“There’s no point in even looking at the table at the moment. It’s going to be all over the place for a couple of weeks yet and there’s no panic stations from us.
“We just have to take it game-by-game and the points will come.”
Huntly were on the wrong end of two penalty decisions in their first-ever league visit to Spain Park.
James Connelly was penalised after 15 minutes for Dee’s first spot kick which Mark Gilmour converted.
Allen, who started in place of injured top scorer Andy Hunter, netted a first half equaliser but Kane Winton quickly restored the home lead which remained in place until the interval.
Winto netted a second before Allen brought the score back to 3-2 midway through the second half.
The visitors pushed for an equaliser but were stung on 82 minutes when a handball award against Kyle Dalling led to a second penalty award for Dee, this time converted by Jack Henderson.
With the points all but secured, the Aberdeen side added a fifth through Rob Armstrong in stoppage time.
“Banks O’ Dee was always going to be tough and it was a frustrating one for us,” said Allen. “We looked good in large parts of the game, we conceded a couple of penalties which we felt were harsh and that killed the game for us towards the end.”
Hunter felt something pop in his heel during the previous weekend’s home defeat to Clach, though the extent of his injury is still unknown.
“I’ve struggled for game time in the first two weeks but I can’t really complain with Andrew Hunter being in there when you know what he brings to the team.
“He scores goals, he’s experienced and it’s unfortunate for him that this opportunity has come for me with him being injured, meaning I’ve got more game time.
“Out with pre-season I’ve been working hard. I didn’t really have a break, I just went straight into the running and the gym work to try and put on a bit of muscle and improve my fitness.
“I’ve not had the most game time since the season started, so match fitness is still getting there but it will come. I’m feeling confident, feeling good so hopefully I will kick on now.
Some good news for Huntly came with the return - as a late sub - of front man Angus Grant, who missed almost an entire year of action due to a serious knee injury.
"It’s quite a young team and the amount of boys we are waiting to get back as well,"Allen said.
"Sewelly (Ryan Sewell) is just getting up to speed, Clarky (Michael Clark) has still to come back and Angus came back after 340 days injured when he came on for the last 10-15 minutes.
"Boys like that will make a massive difference when they come back.
"When you’ve got players like we have to compete against, the levels in training are always upped and there’s been a few additions in various places. Everybody is going to benefit from it."
