Lucky bounce hands Spartans trophy

They had been pushed all the way by a spirited Newcraighall Leith Vics Colts.

Spartans are runaway leaders at the top of Division Three but fell behind to an early strike from Newcraighall, who are in mid-table of the same league.

Two second-half goals by the favourites, though, sealed the victory for the Ainslie Park-based club, who claimed their first – but probably not their last – silverware of the season.

Newcraighall's diminutive striker Robson McCelland has plenty of skill and endeavour and it was through his sheer determination that Vics opened the scoring on 12 minutes.

A less gallus forward, presented with merely a sniff of goal in the opening stages of a final played in amid a near-100 crowd at Saughton Enclosure, may have chosen the easier option of allowing a hopeful forward pass to run to the opposing goalkeeper.

Spartans No.1 Ryan Forsyth, indeed, looked favourite to collect the ball on the edge of his penalty area, but a flying, never-say-die McCelland sped to reach the ball and expertly sidefoot it from the right-hand outer corner of the box into the unguarded net.

Soon after, Keiran Spiers, a five-goal hero for Spartans in a cup final last year, showed supreme vision and a deft touch to play a high ball from halfway into the path of onrushing striker Jordan Andrews.

The frontman did everything right, racing into the box and setting himself to strike at goal.

But he couldn't have accounted for the cruel bobble the ball took as he swung his right boot at it and his shot flew high and wide.

A spectacular strike from Andrews' team-mate Brendan Scott restored parity early in the second half. The midfielder picked up the ball 25 yards from goal and advanced a couple of yards before planting a stunning drive into the top left-hand corner of the net with helpless Vics goalkeeper Lawrie Payne rooted to the spot.

Spurred on by the success of his fellow Spartan in the long-range shooting stakes, Fraser Miller attempted an even more audacious attempt at goal on the hour-mark, unleashing a 35-yard half-volley that again surprised the goalkeeper but which just cleared his crossbar. Unfortunately for Vics No.1 Payne, it was a costly misjudgment that gifted Spartans the winner five minutes from full-time.

Kieran Spiers' innocuous-looking cross from the right-hand edge of the box floated innocently into an empty penalty area before a wicked bounce in front of the Payne took it over the head of the goalkeeper and into the net. The coach of the winning team, Michael De Angelis, said the Pilmar Smith Cup was just reward for Spartans Colts' marked improvement this term.

He said: "I think we deserved to win – it was a really scrappy game but we created more chances.

"We've played well this season and reached two cup finals, with the second, against Bonnyrigg, still to play. We've made big steps towards playing more attractive football and have passed the ball better this year. The players have improved technically and tactically, which is pleasing

"Keiran Speirs (scorer of the winning goal against Newcraighall] has 34 goals this year, and our big centre half Brandon McFarlane has improved a lot. From my personal point of view, it's about improving the players, and success is an afterthought."

Vics coach Kevin Smith, meanwhile, was similarly full of praise for his team, despite their loss.

"I couldn't have asked for any more," he said. "I was proud of the way they played. Spartans have some big laddies and have been overpowering teams in our league, but I thought we looked more like scoring at times.

"It was played in a good spirit. I thought the defences were on top and it looked like going to extra time but, unfortunately, our wee goalie misjudged the cross."

Spartans: Ryan Forsyth, Scott Mackenzie, Gregg Watson, Mathew Davitt, Brandon MacFarlane, Brendan Scott, Keiran Spiers, Mason Stade, Jordan Andrews, Ross Rutherford, Toni Biesel, Fraser Millar, Andy Gray, Stewart McMillan, Pierre Lean, Ewan Russell.

Newcraighall Leith Vics: Lawrie Payne, Craig Anderson, Jordan Williams, Marc Cossettini, Keir Stanton, Jamie Clark, Ryan Bell, Kevin Millar, Kane Weir, Tom Nicolson, Robson McCelland, Mark Slater, Curtis Imrie, Ryan Harris, Scott Thorburn.