City youngsters in prolific form for League Cup tie

Edinburgh City Whites made it two wins out of two in the Division Three League Cup after putting six goals past Star “A” at Forrester Park.

Michael Murphy was the hero notching a hat-trick and opening the scoring to set City on their way.

The artificial surface at Forrester Park High School proved the perfect advert for winter football on a bright but chilly morning. Murphy had the best of the opening chances with a curled free-kick which was powerful and high but directed straight at James Quinn in the Star net.

The striker was not to be denied however, and soon scored the with the opening goal. He collected a loose ball and ran past two defenders, finding himself one-on-one with Quinn, composing himself and firing a fine slotted finish into the goal.

Star’s best chance came from Shaun Smith, who attempted an audacious volley from just inside the box which was unlucky to sail just wide.

City were to capitalise on poor defending again, when Lee Summers found himself unmarked inside the box, and curved a high finish into the top corner to double Edinburgh’s lead midway through the half.

The home side weren’t stopping there either. Matthew Murray played a perfectly timed through ball for Michael Murphy, who slotted it past Quinn into the bottom left-hand corner of the goal.

It looked like the game was effectively over already, and that conclusion was rubber-stamped just before half-time as City scored a fourth. Murphy collected the ball inside the Star box before firing a hard shot straight at Quinn, which the goalkeeper could only parry backwards into his own net.

After the interval, Star who almost grabbed a goal back through sub Ben Kettrick, who fired a strike from inside the box which went yards wide of Jordan McNaughton’s post.

Yet they were to be punished once again shortly after, when Andrew Hunter connected with a set piece, and guided a delicate finish into Quinn’s top right hand corner, to make it 5-0. Substitute Ewan Robertson then found space just outside the box and executed a fine lob which flew over the head of Quinn and into the net for 6-0.

Edinburgh City Whites: Jordan McNaughton, Scott Main, Mattie McLauchlan, Ross Lamb, Luke Gibson, Andrew Hunter, Alex Walker, Mathew Murray, Michael Murphy, Rory Hardie, Robert Nimmo, Daniel Paterson, Lee Summers, Callum McDonald, Ewan Robertson, Daniel Lokietek.

Star “A” CYP: James Quinn, Stephen Charters, Ben Kettrick, Sean McManhon, Adam Reid, Liam Sun, Mathew Smith, Shaun Smith, Liam Tod,Thomas Wishart, Cameron Chisholm, Jamie Monaghan, Sean Rice, Jack Smith.