SALVESEN Boys' Club were Edinburgh City's guests at Sighthill on Easter Sunday in a South East Region Youth FA league fixture, and the visiting side were made to work hard for their 3-1 success.
Salvesen are already through to the final of this season's Willie Bauld Cup and the game at Sighthill was a warm-up for this weekend's semi-final in the Kenny McLean Cup – but it was quite sad to be told prior to kick-off by Salvesen coach Jason Gi
rdwood that they have lost three players to a Fife professional club.
At this time of the campaign it must be hard to take for the Salvesen coaches.
Of course, parents have every right to let their sons go to other clubs, but what about loyalty to the youth club they have played for throughout this season?
In the circumstances, it was the remaining Salvesen players who showed they are still a very good side, particularly in a first half in which they scored three goals without reply.
These two clubs are among the most liked in Edinburgh for their commitment to community-based football and it was the boys in the famous Salvesen colours who looked fired up for the game, with Edinburgh City goalkeeper, Chris Binnie, under constant attack for most of the first half.
When the home side did break out of their own half, No.7 Mark Aitken looked to be a very good player.
But most of the action in the first half was in Binnie's goalmouth, with shots coming from all angles.
The breakthrough for Salvesen came from the very good Grant Stuart who ran through the middle to score, and that was followed by a tremendous strike from Jack Hood from the right of the 18-yard box with the ball crashing into the net behind the helpless Binnie to make it 2-0.
The City goalie was the busiest young player on the pitch as the attacks kept coming from Salvesen and their third goal of the game came from a powerful free-kick away out on the left taken by big Connor McDonald.
It was a superbly-hit shot and it crashed down over the line off the underside of the Edinburgh City crossbar, with Binnie making a vain effort to scoop the ball back before it crossed the line. But excellent match official Ian Taylor was perfectly placed to award the goal.
It was still 3-0 at the break but Edinburgh City looked like a team transformed on the restart and they reduced the deficit with a lovely goal from Dean Crabbe, the son of former Hearts star Scott. The goal was set up for Crabbe by Sean Higgins who laid the ball on for his team-mate to fire the ball past Salvesen goalkeeper Corey Gilmour.
The play was much more even in the second half, with the home side looking good on the attack and making the Salvesen defence work hard.
Stuart broke on the left for the visitors but his shot went well wide of the target. At the other end, Gilmour had to come away off his line to clear a loose ball from the in-rushing Aitken.
When play was switched to the Edinburgh City end, McDonald bore in from the wing, but shot into the side netting when other Salvesen players were waiting for him to lay the ball off.
Again, Gilmour beat Aitken to another loose ball as play raged back and forward.
Jordan Smith then fired two great free-kicks into the Salvesen goalmouth without any pay off.
In freezing conditions, the efforts of the young players on the pitch helped to warm up the shivering spectators on the sidelines, including Scott Crabbe, who showed just a wee bit bias when City scored their goal, saying: "That's my boy!" But Salvesen were deserved winners and their three goals in the first half proved to be more than enough to earn them the three points.
It was a great match to watch, and enjoy the efforts and commitment from the young players on the pitch, while referee Taylor had a trouble-free game.
Edinburgh City: Christopher Binnie, John Dickson, Connor Pont, Scott Edmond, Jordan Smith, Mark Aitken, Craig Sutherland, Connor Black, Mark McConnell, Ruaridh Smail, Murray Dobie, Sean Higgins, Dean Crabbe, Garry Dunn.
Salveson: Corey Gimour, Chris Deignon, Connor McDonald, Douglas McKenzie, William McArthur, Scott Ferguson, Glen Parker, Grant Stuart, Lewis Campbell, Jack Hood, Liam Walkingshaw, Chris Cairns, Jamie Lawson.
Referee: Ian Taylor.
REDHALL STAR football club, currently playing in the Lothian & Edinburgh Amateur FA, are planning to set up a youth section in time for the new season.
The club, based in Redhall Park and heavily sponsored by Ian McDonald, IME Ltd, Cost Effective Property Solutions, are currently looking for more coaches to run the youth teams.
Redhall were formed in 1971 and they are a successful club with a very good setup.
Anyone interested in applying to be a coach within this progressive club is asked to contact Bobby@redhallstarfc.co.uk or visit the club website on www.redhallstarfc.co.uk
The full article contains 868 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
