Hutchie fight back to deny brave Colts

Published on Thursday 10 April 2008 10:19

HUTCHISON Vale Colts were 2-1 in front at the half-way stage in their Ken Ritchie Cup tie against their club colleagues in the Hutchison Vale side, but it was Vale's recognised first team in the under-13 age group that went on to win 4-2, with a very good second-half performance.

The pitches at Edinburgh Academy's Sports Ground in Inverleith are in exceptionally good condition and it was, indeed, a level playing field in every sense for this cup tie between two good teams from the famous old youth football club.

Colts outplayed their clubmates in the first half and deservedly led 2-1 at the halfway stage after soaking up the Vale attacks and counter-attacking with good passing moves.

Grant Steele was in inspired form in the Colts goal and he denied Vale an early lead when he blocked a good effort from Kevin Keane and it took another great saving tackle by Robbie Murray to halt a dangerous attack on the Colts goal.

At the other end, the Colts put Vale's defence under considerable pressure but the first goal of the game went to Vale, a corner on the right went across the face of the Vale goal and the ball appeared to bounce off Lewis Ross and over the line.

But the Colts hit back immediately, racing upfield from the restart for Marc Berry to ram home a great equaliser.

In their next attack, Colts won a corner through Berry again and they kept up the pressure on the Vale defenders in what was a good spell of attacking play.

Ross broke the siege on the Vale goal when the ball was cleared but the Vale No.11 was too ambitious when he tried a long-range effort that went harmlessly wide.

It was then the turn of the Colts to defend their goal and it took another good tackle to halt a run by Jason Coyle.

Then the Colts scored a great second goal to stun Vale. Bradley Rixon's corner was headed back across the Vale goal by Blair Lawson and Bruce Gorrie was on hand to force it over the line and put the Colts 2-1 ahead.

That goal sparked an even better spell of play from both teams but Colts continued to look the better side.

However, it took another good save from Steele to deny Chris Hendrie an equaliser and ensure the Colts still led 2-1 at the interval. In the second half, Vale took over and most of the play was in the Colts half.

The equaliser came from a Connor McGregor free-kick on the right and his ball into the Colts' goalmouth was forced over the line at the far post by Lewis Scott.

Steele blocked another net-bound shot as the pressure mounted on the Colts' rearguard, but Vale went in front for the first time in the game from a Shaun Green goal. It was all Vale at that stage and when McGregor send a defence-splitting pass into the Colts goalmouth, an unlucky defender watched in agony as he sent the ball past his own goalkeeper to give Vale a commanding 4-2 lead.

In a wonderful show from the Colts in the closing minutes, they won a penalty when Caillen Gall was sent tumbling in the box.

Excellent match official Billy Connor had blown for the penalty but Gall put the ball in the Vale net as he was sent sprawling.

However, that did not count as the whistle had gone and it was anguish for Gall once again when Vale keeper Jordan Hunter blocked the spot-kick and the ball was cleared.

In the final attack of the game, Vale's No.12 Jason Coyle went on a great run but he was crowded out by the hard-working Colts defence, leaving the final score at the end of a really good game 4-2 for Hutchison Vale.

Coach of the losing team, Martin Duffy, said: "I thought the Colts played really well, particularly in the second half. We made a real game of it."

Hutchison Vale: Jordan Hunter, Jamie Tubby, Kevin Keane, Lewis Scott, Connor McGregor, Chris Hendrie, Chris Galloway, Jamie Collins, Daniel Nimmo, Harry Moore, Lewis Ross, Jason Coyle, Jaxon Wishart, Ben Hughes, Shaun Green, Mark Horsburgh, Matthew Joint.

Hutchison Vale Colts: Grant Steele, Robbie Murray, Daniel Rixon, Lewis Miller, Ben Cooke, Kenny Gibson, Jack McIntyre, Bradley Rixon, Marc Berry, Greg McCrudden, Michael Reid, Bruce Gorrie, Colin Jeffrey, Calvin Mutitt, Blair Lawson, Caillen Gall.

Referee: Billy Connor.