THE sight of a leg broken in two places would be enough to make even the strongest of stomachs churn, so it was little wonder that Hutchison Vale under-17s seemed to lose their appetite for the City Financial Edinburgh South East Region Cup after watching the influential Keir Blaikie snapping two bones in his lower leg during the game against Leith Athletic at New Countess Park in Dunbar.
Blaikie, the strapping Vale midfielder and by some measure the most well-built player on the pitch, ran full-blooded into a 50-50 challenge with a Leith defender after 17 minutes, doctors saying later that it was his choice of footwear that was to c
ontribute to the fracture of both his fibula and tibia.
With Blaikie having favoured blades rather than studs on the sole of his boots, it was suggested by medical staff that little lateral movement would have been allowed in the tackle, meaning the foot of the Vale No.12 remained rooted to the ground and caused his lower leg to give way. He was reported to be recovering well at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh. As something of a minor aside, Leith, already 1-0 up at that point, went on to cruise to a 5-0 win against last season's winners of this prestigious trophy.
Leith assumed an early lead when, on three minutes, Steven Dignan's low cross from the left wing whizzed across the penalty area and Darren Lavery nipped in front of the static defence to powerfully side-foot the ball past Adam Lewis.
The subsequent injury to Blaikie led to a one-hour delay in the game while waiting for an ambulance to attend the scene before the match resumed in a somewhat subdued atmosphere.
On 20 minutes, man of the match Jack Combe got the better of Vale's Steven Quinn en route to goal before drawing a good save by Lewis, but the goalkeeper couldn't keep hold of the ball and the predatory Lavery was on hand to strike the game's second goal with his knee.
Lewis then saved well from Neil Lowson's header in what proved the game's last clear-cut chance of the first half.
After the interval, Leith's Combe hit a third and fourth within two minutes as Vale longed for full-time. Combe found himself in the clear on both occasions, firstly showing great composure to stroke the ball past Lewis and into the top left-hand corner with Vale's rearguard posted missing.
Then a poor defensive clearance was returned towards the Vale goal by Jamie Burstow, Combe latching on to the ball and this time picking the bottom left-hand corner. Vale's Norman Lawson served up his side's best attempt on goal, taking the ball on his chest before firing a half-volley that Mark Tait saved well low to his right.
Combe, having led the line superbly with Lavery, both scoring a double, turned his penalty box prowess into an assist for Leith's fifth and final goal on 61 minutes. Steven Philp was the beneficiary, side-footing past Lewis from a central position.
Paul Adams, the winning coach, said after the game that his side's win was down to a superb team effort.
"I'm absolutely delighted – the football was magnificent and, for me, Johnny Coleman in the middle of the park was incredible."
Leith's win secured four pieces of silverware this season and are still in the hunt for more.
Leith Athletic: Mark Tait, Christopher Barrie, Jamie Burstow, Neil Lowson, Liam Rafferty, Johnny Coleman, Jason Stevens, George Gibson, Jack Combe, Darren Lavery, Steven Dignan, Steven Philp, Stuart Lord, Scott Sime, James Robson, Stephen Barrie, Anthony Marziban, Michael Lynch.
Hutchison Vale: Adam Lewis, Steven Quinn, Ross Sheilds, Challum Manson, Ross Milne, Steven Loughrie, Norman Lawson, Mark Law, Mark Weatherburn, James Guy, James Watson, Keir Blaikie, Calum French, Paul Cameron, Keir Blackwood, Sean Gillies.
• THE lucky programme winners' numbers for the City Financial Edinburgh South East Region Cup weekend at Dunbar were: first prize: 222; second 105; third 371. Contact Allan Archibald 0131-334 0135 to claim your prize.
