Wells’ hat-trick sews up Embroidery Cup

By MICHAEL AHARI
Published on 06/06/2012 12:00

Currie Star 14s won the SERYFA Edinburgh Embroidery Cup thanks to a hat-trick from Murray Wells, who helped the club on their way to a comfortable 5-0 victory against Hunterfield at New Dundas Park, Bonnyrigg.

Currie Star coach Euan Blue was extremely pleased with his side’s performance and felt the win was well deserved.

He said: “We started well. They were a bit panicky but we were much more relaxed and the better team won on the day. I’m very proud of the boys as they’ve worked hard all season and have earned it.”

The eventual victors got off to a scintillating start with a Mark McGovern strike which did little to trouble Brian Taylor in the Hunterfield goal, but did warn their defence of the threat posed by the Currie Star attack.

Wells followed up minutes later, but his delicate chip over Taylor narrowly missed the right hand post.

Inevitably, after ten minutes of extensive pressure, the deadlock was broken. Currie’s No. 10, Nathan Johnson, worked the ball inside to Thomas Bailey who played it into the path of McGovern and the striker duly lobbed Taylor to make it 1-0.

Hunterfield looked to conjure up a quick reply but Cameron Archibald’s low cross eluded everyone as it rolled across the face of goal.

Another ball over the top created the opportunity for Wells to double Currie Star’s lead. The Hunterfield defence were slack in clearing the ball, allowing Star’s No. 9 to steal in and side foot the ball into the net to make it 2-0.

Wells squandered a chance to claim his second before he did manage to find the net again. He showed blistering pace to beat Taylor to the ball and poke it past the goalkeeper from 15 yards.

On the half-hour mark Hunterfield had a rare sight of the Currie goal as Archibald struck a free-kick straight at keeper Niall Simpson.

However, the game was effectively sealed with a fourth Currie goal, and a second of the game for McGovern. The No. 18 showed great skill and composure to drag the ball away from a defender before striking a rasping shot into the top corner of the goal.

The second-half took a while to get going as Hunterfield re-emerged from the tunnel having made a few substitutions and were much more difficult to break down.

However, the Hunterfield defence simply could not deal with McGovern as he shrugged off a challenge before seeing his shot deflected away from goal.

Minutes later, he touched the ball into the path of Johnson to strike left footed from the edge of the area but the midfielder’s shot flashed inches wide of the post.

The Hunterfield back line was breached for the final time by Wells as he raced through on goal and calmly took the ball round Taylor before supplying a side-footed finish.

Currie Star set about shutting up shop with the introduction of Scott Gourlay to sit in front of the defence and see out a well earned victory with Hunterfield’s best, and really only, goalscoring opportunity falling to Kyle Hutton eight minutes from time. However, his low shot fizzed past the post which would have only been a mere consolation for his team.

Davie Ovens was extremely disappointed about his squad’s defeat but conceded that the better team had won the game.

Ovens said: “I’m very disappointed. We made a poor start. In the second half we made a few subs and improved a wee bit. But the better team won on the day with the two boys up front and their No. 10 running the show for them.”

Hunterfield: Brian Taylor, Greg Ovens, Thomas Sim, Jack Gillespie, Michael Sneddon, Calum Fowler, Nathan Quinn, Darren Samuel, Cameron Archibald, Lee Syme Davidson, Jordan Wright, James Quinn, Bree Dagg, Kyle Hutton, Jordan Simpson.

Currie Star: Niall Simpson, Marc McCall, Ruairidh Murphy, Thomas Bailey, Michael Luff, Philip Blaney, Thomas Wedgewood, Donnie Campbell, Murray Wells, Nathan Johnson, Ross Howarth, Jack Blaney, Angus Mitchel, Marcus Taylor, Scott Gourlay, Mark McGovern, Cameron Rendall.