Division One (North) Championship Play-off at Hillhead on Saturday 2nd June

Report by Andy McLaren

Insch manager Malcolm Mackie is relishing the chance to soak up the “magic” of promotion after his side beat Tarves 4-0 in a play-off to be crowned Division One (North) champions.

Victory against their Aberdeenshire rivals meant it was their first league title since 1976.

Insch’s boss believes the result has “raised a few eyebrows” after his team trailed Tarves by a massive 15 points midway through the season.

Mackie said: “To be crowned league champions is a monumental occasion for the club. The lads can’t wait to step up against the big boys in the Premier Division. Hopefully we can now consolidate ourselves, have a good pre-season and carry on the outstanding success that we have had this year”.

Insch secured a playoff place after securing a point in a 3–3 draw last week against Nicolls AFC.

Insch started with more intensity and purpose than their rivals and had an early shot from Keith Cameron cleared off the line after 15 minutes.

Soon they were pouring forward time after time, probing Tarves’ shaky defence in search of a breakthrough. They found it on 25 minutes as Ian Jaffrey beat the offside trap to cleverly chip the ball over the onrushing Stephen Boddie to make 1-0.

The remainder of the half was frantic and hurried as Insch continued to dominate possession.

Half-time: 1 – 0

Insch’s relaxed mood seemed to infect their players as Tarves made the sharper start to the second half.

Ryan Downie headed wide from a great position before Colin Cruickshank’s shot on the turn was deflected away by Insch goalkeeper Errol Watson.

Keith Cameron remained Insch’s most likely source of a second goal and he duly delivered on the hour mark. The unfortunate Stephen Boddie could only parry a fierce drive from Craig Simpson into the path of Cameron who couldn’t miss from 5 yards.

The remainder of the match became an onslaught of Insch pressure as Boddie produced some terrific saves to deny a volley from Ian Jaffrey and then a fizzing shot from Simpson.

Boddie could do little to prevent Insch’s third goal of the match. Substitute Neil Copeland was sent careering down the right wing and his low pass found Colin Brown who had all the time in the word to compose himself and to slot the ball into the top right hand corner of the net.

Insch’s Scott Sinclair then seized on a loose clearance from Boddie to beat the goalkeeper to the ball and to pass the ball into the open net to round off a momentous day in Insch’s amateur football history.

Full Time: 4 – 0