Star turn as Redhall go joint top

While Boca leapfrogged Abbey Athletic to jump to first place, Redhall ensured they themselves also hit the 12-point mark with a convincing victory over East Craigs United at Saughton 3G.

Four goals to the good at half time, Redhall piled on the misery for United with a further half-dozen strikes after the break, conceding just one on their way to double figures.

The opening goal arrived in spectacular fashion after ten minutes, as full back Keith Kinnaird picked up the ball just beyond the halfway line and crashed an effort from fully 40 yards into the top right-hand corner of Stuart Blair's net.

Redhall's second arrived in more muted circumstances three minutes later. A misleading call from a fellow defender had clearly unsettled East Craigs defender Stuart Addison as he attempted to deal with a high ball into the box, and the No. 4 was numbed as his header looped over his own goalkeeper Blair, who had advanced off his line, and into the net.

With the United defence all at sea, Redhall inflicted further punishment on their opponents on 17 minutes. Alan Sheriff strode on to a forward ball and into space on the left and, far from being bewildered by the absence of any East Craig resistance, he ran on into the penalty area before rolling the ball into the net.

East Craigs failed consistently to smother any Redhall threat, meaning their opponents were afforded countless opportunities to add to their advantage. Scott McCarry shot narrowly over the East Craigs crossbar from 30 yards out after Blair Smith's lay-off, and Paul Suddaby struck his shot just wide after a sweeping move into the box involving Jamie Laing.

Shortly before half time, Star hit their fourth with a penalty after Sheriff was scythed down eight yards out as he shaped to shoot. The same man was allowed a second bite, this time from the penalty spot, and dispatched his dead-ball effort high into the net with sufficient power to leave Blair without a hope.

After the interval, it took Redhall just ten minutes to further expose the all-too-obvious frailties of East Craigs. Suddaby played McCarry into the box, and the latter fired the ball into the right-hand corner of the net.

McCarry found himself in exactly the same shooting position just seconds later, and this time chose the left-hand corner as Star continued their free-scoring at will. Sheriff again caused trouble in the East Craigs defence on 62 minutes, holding off defender Ross McLeod before claiming Star's seventh with a rolled strike past Blair.

Three minutes later, the Star tidal wave gained even more momentum. Gavin Liddell faced United goalkeeper Blair in a one-on-one and might have shot himself, instead unselfishly squaring the ball for the unmarked Sheriff to convert into the empty net. East Craigs, it is to be remembered, still had all eleven players on the pitch but their indiscipline in defence eased Redhall's path forward no end. Star's No. 9 grabbed goal number nine on 72 minutes. Chris Seery lobbed a high ball over the goalkeeper from the right-hand edge of the penalty area and it settled in the far corner of Blair's net.

With 12 minutes to spare, Gavin Liddell came up with a contender for goal of the game - he will no doubt debate the award with Kinnaird, the scorer of the first - with a beautifully struck drive from the edge of the "D" that saw the ball skew into the bottom right-hand corner at great pace.

East Craigs' late consolation strike in the face of ten goals conceded can have been of little comfort to the home side, but Geoff Williamson's penalty after a foul in the box was nevertheless well struck into the bottom left-hand corner.

East Craigs United: Stuart Blair, Ross McLeod, Grant Baird, Stuart Addison, Greg Peterkin, Ally Dredge, Geoff Williamson, Ally Brown, Ian Inch, Ian Ferguson, Aaron Neill, Ross Lennie.

Redhall Star: Neil Wilson, Keith Kinnaird, Bobbie Dickson, Jamie Laing, Scott Cowan, Paul Suddaby, Alan Sheriff, Gavin Liddell, Chris Seery, Steven Kane, Blair Smith, Stuart Wightman, Craig Sheppard, Paul Hamilton, Gordon Abbott, Scott McCarry.