Colts show firepower

RIVALS Dunbar United Colts and Hunterfield served up a goal-filled South East Region Youth FA under-13 Polar Foods Cup final, with Colts deservedly victorious to the tune of a 7-4 scoreline.

The sides are the runaway top two in this season's Division Four campaign and look destined for promotion. It was the East Lothian outfit, though, who appeared to be running away with the game after opening up a three-goal advantage in the first quarter of an hour.

Colts' Jake Johnstone outpaced the Hunterfield defence after five minutes to reach a long forward pass deep inside the penalty area. He then chipped the ball past goalkeeper Steven Brown and, with the Hunterfield defence only able to partially clear the danger, striker Cameron Miller held his nerve to deliver a cool finish.

On ten minutes, Dunbar's Liam Dunn saw his cross into the box meet only the head of a Hunterfield defender, but yet another clearance that didn't leave the penalty box was pounced upon, this time by the predatory Colts attacker Grant Hastie, who steamed in to meet the ball on the half-volley and fire it low into the net.

Seconds later, Hunterfield were further shell-shocked when Dunn rattled a free-kick from the outer left-hand corner of the penalty area high into the top-right corner of Brown's goal.

Hunterfield, however, fired a counter strike just two minutes later. A long, lofted clearance from midfield flew towards the Dunbar goal at some pace and the Colts goalkeeper, Josh Stewart, seemingly blinded by the glare of the low evening sun, appeared to misjudge the flight of the ball, which bounced past him and into the net.

Hunterfield crept back into contention in the latter part of the first-half, with Kyle Melrose's 20-yard goal-bound drive blocked, then the same player missed a good opportunity, heading an effort over the bar with the goal gaping.

Hunterfield had Jordan Mackay to thank shortly after half-time for stemming the Dunbar tide, the No.11 scrambling back to clear a Liam Demianczuk effort off the line, then blocking a Hastie header moments later. And after a mele in the Dunbar goalmouth on 41 minutes, there was just one goal in it, Hunterfield's Kieren Brand stepping forward and netting from close range.

A rasping long-range drive by Liam Dunn two minutes later, though, restored Dunbar's two-goal lead. The powerfully-struck effort simply had too much speed and accuracy for goalkeeper Steven Brown to even contemplate reaching the ball.

On 50 minutes, the score narrowed once more after Declan Heron's 20-yard piledriver found the top right-hand corner of the net. Three Dunbar goals in 15 minutes thereafter, however, effectively killed off the threat of Hunterfield.

Man of the match Dunn completed his hat-trick by wrapping his right foot round an airborne ball 15 yards from goal and firing into the bottom left-hand corner, then the inspirational midfielder notched another by smashing into the roof of the net from close range.

On 68 minutes, Dunn's corner was perfectly converted via David Armstrong's near-post bullet header.

Hunterfield grasped some further consolation through an expertly-taken Lewis Turnbull penalty following a foul in the box, but Dunbar deservedly claimed the cup after a scintillating display.

Dunbar United Colts: Josh Stewart, Elliot Mullen, Christopher Brown, Dean Muir, Lewy Cymba, Liam Dunn, Liam Demianczuk, Jake Johnstone, Grant Hastie, Ryan Soso, David Armstrong, Kyle Jeffrey, Cameron Miller, Harry Steel, Oliver Gilchrist, Liam Gallagher.

Hunterfield: Steven Brown, Kyle Melrose, Morgan Hannah, Declan Dalgleish, Daniel Overett, Robert Ireland, Lewis Turnbull, Lewis Deveney, Marc Reid, Declan Heron, Jordan Mackay, Lee McCowen, Cameron Hall, Kieren Brand.