Longniddry hold on to clinch League Cup victory

A second-half free kick by Adam Forsyth was enough to win the trophy despite a number of opportunities for Newcraighall to score.

Both teams had finished with the same record in the league, but Longniddry finished the season in second, a place above their rivals, due to a three-point deduction for Newcraighall.

Newcraighall had the first scoring opportunity after five minutes. Daniel Garvey dribbled into the penalty area but his shot was blocked by defender Alexander Holden.

Six minutes later, Steven Coyle’s shot from the edge of the area was deflected behind by Longniddry goalkeeper Alistair Stewart.

Longniddry had their first good chance after 12 minutes. Christopher Baldie’s shot went past goalkeeper Ryan McKinnon but Jake McBride cleared.

After 21 minutes, Garvey’s shot beat Stewart but went narrowly wide of the right post. Coyle forced a good save from Stewart eight minutes later. His shot from the right of the six-yard box was stopped by the goalkeeper’s legs.

Despite the Newcraighall pressure, Longniddry took the lead five minutes after the restart. Sean Lindsay was fouled by McBride on the edge of the penalty area and Forsyth struck his free kick into the roof of the net.

Newcraighall should have scored in the 54th minute. Martin Morrison failed to connect to his shot and Robson McClelland put the ball wide of the right post after a cross from the left.

Longniddry’s Baldie failed to test McKinnon from six yards. His shot went straight into McKinnon’s hands after Lewis Tulloch’s shot.

Newcraighall came close to grabbing an equaliser in the 63rd minute, but Coyle’s effort from 20 yards struck the crossbar.

A minute later, Morrison directed his shot past the left of the goal after a long ball from McKinnon fell to him in the penalty area.

With ten minutes remaining, Garvey drilled in a dangerous cross, but Holden managed to clear. Then, In the last minute of normal time, Mark Slater’s long-range free kick went narrowly wide.

Longniddry had a chance to grab a second goal in stoppage time, but Ross Wallace headed wide of the goal after Forsyth’s free kick.

Newcraighall cach Kevin Millar was proud of the team’s efforts. He said: “It was a good game with lots of end-to-end action. We missed quite a few chances and that came back to haunt us. We had enough chances to win the game. Football is a cruel game sometimes, but the guys gave it their all. That’s all they can do. They have worked so hard to get there, and it is just down to putting the chances away. Longniddry did that and credit to them. We’ve been unbeaten since Christmas. Longniddry were the last team to beat us and they’re becoming a bogey team for us.”

Longniddry coach Ally Donaldson felt that the cup win made up for losing out on the league title. He said: “We are absolutely delighted to win but were fairly fortunate. They had a lot of chances and on another day they would have taken them. We defended superbly and are really proud of the boys.

“We have had a great season and came second in the league. We were just pipped at the post for the league title but to win this has made up for it.”

Newcraighall Leith Vics: Ryan McKinnon, Kyle McLeod, Curtis Imrie, Jordan Williams, Jamie Clark, Steven Coyle, Robson McClelland, Martin Morrison, Jordan Grant, Jake McBride, Daniel Garvey, Greg Watson, Kane Weir, Ryan Bell, Kevin Millar, Mark Slater.

Longniddry Villa: Alistair Stewart, Alistair White, Cameron Sibley, Adam Forsyth, Andrew Donaldson, Lewis Tulloch, Cameron Watt, Christopher Baldie, Ross Wallace, Alexander Holden, Calum Wilson, Logan Wilson, Sean Lindsay, Adam Corrie, Aaron Tulloch, Shaun Brown.