Uphall make up for lost time in spectacular fashion

Goals from Bamba Jobreth, Chris Norris and a late Frazer Roy brace secured a cup double for the West Lothian side, as they lifted the second oldest amateur trophy in Scotland.

Lochend replied in the second half with a Scott Coventry header, but it was Stevie Clark’s Uphall who emerged victorious. Clark said: “After losing 4-0 to Lochend in the last cup final, the boys knew they had to be up for it. I put about a dozen copies of the newspaper report from the last cup final on the dressing room wall, just to give the boys a kick up the backside and remind them that it’s not nice to lose a cup final.”

The opening period saw Uphall prove the dominant side and they took the lead on five minutes.

Centre-forward Frazer Roy picked the ball up 25 yards from goal and linked-up well with strike partner Jobreth, slipping him through before Jobreth cooly poked the ball home past LBC ‘keeper Chris Robertson.

LBC did muster some attacking threat in the first half, but it took them until after the half-hour mark to create their first goalscoring opportunity. Wide-man Martin Cairney showed excellent skill down the left-flank, jinking past Uphall skipper George McGregor on the byline, only to see his near post effort well saved by man of the match Robert Sinclair.

Uphall responded immediately and would take a deserved 2-0 lead into the second-half courtesy of a stunning Chris Norris strike.

After the ball was cleared out by the Lochend defence, midfielder Norris found himself in acres of space 30 yards from goal and unleashed an unstoppable left-footed strike at goal that smashed off the underside of the bar and bounced over the line.

The second period would prove entirely different, as a revitalised LBC came onto the pitch and began to show some of the qualities that has seen them win three cup finals this season.

Tricky forward Craig Rankin had a couple of early chances, but could only find the wrong side of the crossbar and the gloves of Sinclair in his attempts to peg Station back.

Uphall should have gone three goals to the good soon after Rankin’s strikes. Jobreth beat the offside trap to find himself one-on-one with Robertson, but could only find the goalkeeper’s left-hand post as he failed to bag his second of the match.

Lochend made their opponents rue their missed opportunity when they pulled a goal back immediately after. Again it was Cairney who was the creator, delivering a fantastic inswinging cross from the left-wing that met the head of striker Scott Coventry, who rose highest to power his header into the corner of the Uphall goal.

Not dishearthened by conceding a goal, Uphall continued to attack their opponents but again Jobreth spurned a great opportunity for a third goal. His effort from Gary White’s cross looked harder to miss, but somehow the ball ended being blocked by Robertson in the LBC goal.

But Uphall were not to be denied their cup final revenge and Frazer Roy, affectionately known as ‘Frosty’, sealed the victory with a double in the last five minutes.

First, the No.9 slotted past Robertson after cleverly swivelling round his marker, before his looping headed effort found a way to goal to secure his brace and a well-deserved 4-1 triumph.

At full-time, LBC gaffer Jason McCrindle was proud of his team’s effort throughout the season. He said: “We were superb in the second half, but you can’t afford to start a match 45 minutes in. Every single one of those boys should be proud of themselves.”

Uphall Station: Robert Sinclair, George McGregor, Robert McGregor, Frederick Coyle, Charles Wright, Paul McCracken, Gary White, Keith Robertson, Frazer Roy, Bamba Jobreth, Chris Norris, Derek Drummond, Scott Gillies, Liam Whyte, David Miller, Kevin McGee.

LBC Lochend: Christopher Robertson, Stuart Smith, Simon Riley, Lee Pyrkosz, Colin Waddle, Marc Lothian, Martin Cairney, Craig Hume, Scott Coventry, Craig Rankin, Ean Gilhooley, Craig MacIntosh, Gary Low, Scott MacIntosh, Michael Smith, Stuart Martin.