Youth Football: Hunterfield hold on to lift League Cup

WHEN a referee falling over elicits the biggest cheer of the evening from the touchlines, you know the football itself has been low on entertainment.

In a match uncharacteristic of both teams contesting the South East Region under-16 Division 2 League Cup final, Hunterfield led Leith Athletic Colts 2-0 at half-time and held on despite being under the cosh for the latter part of the game.

The Gorebridge side's top scorer for the season, Kenny Johnstone, was the star of the show, gleaning two goals from a flawless performance in his attacking midfield position.

Johnstone, who has notched 33 goals in 27 games in a prolific season, said: "We played well. I hope we can stay in the hunt for trophies next season."

This was Hunterfield's first taste of glory in what coach Ross McCormick described as an "unlucky" season for the club.

"This is our first trophy," he said. "We've been unlucky in games this year, but this result justified our season and the commitment the boys have put in."

The management have decided to reward their players for ten months of toil by taking them on holiday to Blackpool ahead of their advance to under-17 level.

Life was a beach early on for the Hunterfield boys, Johnstone chasing down a short backpass in what was only the side's second attack, giving Schneeberger no chance with the finish.

Hunterfield were coasting by the 20 minute-mark. The ball spun off the head of Andrew Stewart in the box, and Callum Stewart pursued the ball on the six-yard line under pressure from goalie Schneeberger, both ending up prone on the ground as the ball broke to striker Christopher Barnes. His cross-cum-shot was then diverted in at close range by an onrushing Hall.

Hunterfield maintained their two-goal advantage throughout the second half, Kyle Kennedy clearing Colts' Sean Elvin's header off the line before Stuart Adams struck the crossbar.

With the goalscoring complete, it was left to the man in the middle to provide the entertainment in the latter stages of the match. Like Leith had done in conceding two quickfire first-half goals, the referee fell twice in quick succession, leaving Hunterfield to pick up the spoils and the crowd with a collective smile on its face.

Hunterfield: Conar John Ramsay, Andrew Stewart, Craig Whyte, Gregor Steven, Victor Duran Smith, Calum Dalgliesh, Kyle Kennedy, Kenneth Johnstone, Christopher Barnes, Declan O'Ray, Aaron Evans, Neil Wright, Jo Jo Catterson, Callum Goron Hall.

Leith Athletic Colts: Danny Shneeberger, Connor Ingles, Jamie Fairbairn, Kerr Reid, Anthony Kerr, Philip Duncan, Stuart Adams, Alistair Fleming, Connor Bremner, Sean Elvin, Fraser Andrews, Nicky Djordjevic, Andrew Haldane, Alex Brown, Aidan Tuohy.