Colts mount a first-half blitz as rivals Rose wilt

SPARTANS COLTS staged a first-half master-class in clinical finishing to blow away Bonnyrigg Rose Reds and claim the South East Region Youth FA's under-14 Pilmar Smith Cup at New Dundas Park.

A crowd of around 200 witnessed brilliant individual displays by Kieran Spiers and Jordan Andrews – the latter hitting a hat-trick – as Colts ran their league rivals ragged with a superb showing in the first 35 minutes.

The two are neck-and-neck at the top of the under-14 Division 3 table and remain the sole contenders for the league title.

A win apiece in games against each other earlier this season – Spartans scored a 5-2 win at Bonnyrigg before Rose replied with a 3-1 victory in North Edinburgh – suggested a close encounter was on the cards for the trophy named in honour of the former Heart of Midlothian vice-chairman.

But rampant Spartans rattled their opponents to the tune of four goals in the opening 27 minutes – amassing an unassailable lead.

The first goal, in stark contrast to the others, was something of a scrappy affair.

After just eight minutes, Colts' Brendan Scott floated a high ball into the Bonnyrigg box from the left.

As the ball sailed goalward, Spartans' Mason Stade made sufficient mischief merely through his lively presence in front of Bonnyrigg No.1 Hamish McNaughton to upset the goalie's concentration and allow the ball to hit the net.

Whether or not Stade got the slightest of headed touches on the ball remains doubtful. Nevertheless, six minutes later, his team-mate Spiers was decidedly more assured in his shooting.

Picking up the ball 30 yards from goal, the No.7's sheer audacity to run directly at goal was enough to disconcert the Rose defence, who stood off the attacker, allowing Spiers into the penalty area and giving him plenty of time to plant a rising shot over the goalkeeper and into the roof of the net.

On 23 minutes, the Rose defence again paid the price for their noncommittal nature, as a forward ball was chased down by Colts striker Andrews before the defenders decided to try to deal with it.

Andrews, in a prime position to shoot ten yards from goal, was hauled down by Bonnyrigg defender Aaron Moyes, and dispatched the resultant penalty.

The trademark Andrews cartwheel celebration came again only four minutes later, as the No.9 doubled his tally and made it 4-0.

Once more, it was his pace that took him behind the Bonnyrigg backline and, although McNaughton advanced from his goal line to close down the striker, Andrews prodded the ball beyond the Rose goalkeeper, rounding him, before coolly slotting the ball into the net from an acute angle. McNaughton displayed the best of his abilities shortly before the half-time whistle to stop Spartans extending their lead, as he blocked a shot with his legs when it looked as if Andrews had the beating of the goalkeeper at a one-on-one.

Spiers, unbelievably, spurned a chance on the rebound with the goal gaping.

Spiers, who shone throughout the game and showed great vision from midfield in picking out the forward runs of Andrews and strike partner Andy Gray, was denied a goal again in the second half as Rose captain Jack Graham cleared his goal-bound effort, but not before Spartans had rounded off the scoring with their fifth of the final.

Spiers picked out the busy Andrews with a perfectly-weighted pass into the path of the striker and, although McNaughton showed good judgement again by racing from his line to halt the progress of the Colts frontman, the ball ricocheted and sat up conveniently for Andrews, who lofted the ball over the goalkeeper and a back-tracking defender and into the net.

Spartans Colts coach Michael De Angelis was glowing in his praise for the two standout performers and saw the silverware success as reward for his team's efforts this season.

He said: "Kieran and Jordan have been brilliant all season and have scored 80 goals between them. The whole team works hard at training, and it pays off on days like today.

"We started well and took our chances, and matched them physically – something we haven't done earlier in the season. We passed well, which was pleasing, and Bonnyrigg played well, too. They're always a tricky team to play against."

Spartans Colts: Ryan Forsyth, Scott MacKenzie, Gregg Watson, Ewan Russell, Brandon MacFarlane, Mathew Davitt, Kieran Spiers, Pierre Leen, Jordan Andrews, Andy Gray, Brendan Scott, Fraser Millar, Ross Rutherford, Stewart McMillan, Mason Stade, Toni Beisel.

Bonnyrigg Rose: Hamish McNaughton, Daniel McMahon, Adam Bird, Christopher Hackland, Cameron Raeburn, Aaron Moyes, Sean Norris, Ben Lannan, Lewis McLaren, Connor Wylie, Alexander White, Elson Muarenga, Dean Johnson, Jack Bain, Michael Murphy, William White, Jack Graham, Jack Thomson.