EDINBURGH City Colts were hit by a hammer blow in extra time in their Kenny McLean Cup clash against Pentland Panthers, with a tragic own goal ending their hopes of forcing the game into a penalty decider they richly deserved.
The two well-matched under-14 youth club teams had battled every inch of the way in a game that ended 1-1 at the end of normal time and it was the home side that were celebrating a 2-1 triumph at the finish.
The total honesty of both teams made i
t such an engrossing game and it was the City Colts outfit that finally broke the deadlock in the tenth minute of the second half, when Jason Kydd took advantage of some crazy defending in the Panthers’ goalmouth to knock the ball into the net from close in.
It was a bizarre goal for the home side to lose, but what a boost it was for the visiting team and their new coach, Northern Ireland Women’s internationalist, Julie Dalziel.
Under her guidance, the City Colts looked to be much better organised and, when they went in front, Julie was jumping as high as the players on the touchline.
Enthusiasm such as she has for the game rubs off on the players and how well her team responded.
But Panthers are another of these sides in youth club football that enhance the game at this level and it was their sheer enthusiasm for the game that brought them the equaliser near the finish, with little Craig Dunlop squeezing the ball into the net in a frantic charge on the City Colts goal.
That made it 1-1 and the tie went into extra time and that was when the visiting side found out to their cost how cruel the game of football can be.
The home side went ahead for the first time in the game when a corner from the right was headed towards goal and City keeper Martin Pyper was left completely wrong-footed when the ball hit off one of this defenders and over the line for the winner.
While the home side celebrated their lucky break, the visiting team and their coach were left gutted.
That is football, however, and to their lasting credit the sportsmanship which was a feature of this game was continued at the close of play with handshakes all round. Pentland Panthers are starting a girls’ section with an age range of nine-14 inclusive. The team will play in the ESSDA League on a Sunday morning with home games taking place at Campbell Park.
If you are interested in attending their first trial tomorrow at 2.30pm, contact 445 3758 for more details.
Meanwhile, Panthers will be hoping their good luck continues tomorrow at the Civil Service Sports Ground in Muirhouse for their City Financial Edinburgh Eastern Region Cup tie against the Strollers Youth under-14 team.
Other ties in this top domestic cup event include Tynecastle FC v Fernieside at Saughton and Hutchison Vale Hornets v Inverkeithing Hillfield Swifts at Clovenstone.
There is an intriguing cup clash at Wardie, where Hutchison Vale BC take on Hutchison Vale Colts in the Bill Sheridan Cup.
Topping the bill in the under-13 age level is the Dunfermline Building Society Scottish Youth FA Challenge Cup fifth-round clash between Middlefield Wasps and Musselburgh Windsor in Aberdeen.
What a tough task that represents for the Windsor party and they will have to pull out all the stops to get over this hurdle.
In the City Financial Edinburgh Eastern Region Cup, North Merchiston will have Tynecastle FC as their guests at Harrison Park, while Hutchison Vale Colts and Hutchison Vale meet again at this level in the Tom Welsh Cup at Edinburgh Academy.
It should be a very interesting day all round.
