Leith club march on to coveted football Festival in Airdrie

Published on Wednesday 1 April 2009 09:45

LEITH ATHLETIC COLTS under-21s have established a reputation over the past few seasons for making things difficult for themselves and when Tower Hearts went in to an early 2-0 lead in their Scottish Youth FA Challenge Cup semi-final, all looked bleak.

The Colts had made an uncertain and nervous start and it wasn't until half-way through the first half before they began to show the wonderful team spirit that has marked their progress over the past few seasons.

I have seen this Leith side go behind several times over the past few seasons and then been amazed at the fightbacks they can stage and it happened again at St Marks Park, with an even more spectacular finish with a goal in the 85th minute that clinched a 3-2 win and a place in the Festival of Finals in Airdrie.

The home side really got their game on tack when a huge throw-in was headed out of the visiting goalmouth to the waiting Tony Muir and the Colts' No.11 hammered the ball in to the net to reduce the deficit to 2-1.

The Leith fans were roaring again in the 34th minute when big Bobby Young pounced on a loose ball in the crowded Tower Hearts goalmouth to slam the ball past goalkeeper, Paul Roper, to square the tie at 2-2.

The tension among the players on the pitch increased and Leith were reduced to ten men in the 64th minute when Steven Sproule was red-carded for a crunching tackle on Mark Smith on the touchline.

The Tower Hearts No.8 who was floored in this incident was one of the best footballers in the Glasgow ranks and had earlier headed a net-bound shot from Jonathon Herd off the goal-line.

The game got even tougher following the sending off with fierce tackles causing flare-ups among the players.

While Tower Hearts used the width of the pitch they ran in to a very committed and determined Colts' rearguard. With five minutes left to play, Leith were awarded yet another free kick to the left of the Tower Hearts goal, 25 yards out. Young took his time lining up the shot and he scored with a tremendous shot past the defensive wall in to the far corner.

Somehow, I think the result was just about right, certainly as far as Colts were concerned.

Their fans should be used to this form of suffering from the team before everything turns out all right and it certainly happened again at St Mark's Park.

What's the bet the final will be another nail-biter again for Colts and their long suffering contingent of loyal fans?

The visiting Glasgow side were left to rue what might have been after giving themselves a dream two-goal start courtesy of Mark Divers and John Donnelly.

Unfortunately this game was marred by the behaviour of fans on the touchline and match official Raymond Paterson required all his skills to control the play.

However his task was made even more difficult by a drunken spectator who bombarded the referee with the most foul-mouthed abuse for the rest of the game.

It was alarming, too, to see young fans walking about on the sidelines drinking from beer bottles.

The tough exchanges on the pitch in the second half prompted a flurry of yellow cards and it was a particularly testing time for the match officials.

If the players and fans were drained at the end of the semi-final, they should spare a thought for the referee as Mr Paterson looked totally washed out at the finish. In fact he looked in need of a lie down and some time to recover from his ordeal.

Leith Ath Colts: Paul Tansey, James Main, Jamie Stewart, Michael Garrie, Jonathon Herd, Lachlan Thom, Shawn Wood, Craig Thomson, Pater Gowans, Steven Sproule, Craig Nisbet, Jack Ferguson, Tony Muir, Bobby Young, Craig Gibbons, Graeme Wright, James Paterson.

Tower Hearts: Paul Roper, Chris Watson, Kevin Fraser, Gary Welsh, Ross Dickson, Mark Divers, David Weir, Mark Smith, John Donnelly, Gary McIntyre, Chris Hopkins, Martin Sharp, John McLaughlin, Martin Brennan, Daniel Neil, Paul McMahon.

Referee: Raymond Paterson (Central).