PENTLAND PANTHERS were hit by a cold blast from the north of Scotland in their Dunfermline Building Society Scottish Youth FA Cup tie at Campbell Park, with their visitors from Aberdeen, Hilton Roma, handing out a 6-1 hammering to the Edinburgh club.
The only crumb of comfort on a very cold day for Panthers in this under-15 tie came when Martin Smith scored a great solo goal to square the game at 1-1 in the first half.
It was a lovely goal from the Pentland No.9 and it should have given his c
olleagues the confidence boost they needed to compete against what was a better football team.
Ryan Leask had deservedly put Hilton 1-0 up when he opened the scoring with a good shot following a free-kick from Scott Andrews.
The game was played in an excellent fashion by these two sporting sides and it was a wee bit against the run of play when Smith levelled the game with his goal.
That came just before half-time and the home side should have made sure they were still level at the break - but they allowed Hilton to take advantage of slack defending a minute later and Leask again punished Pentland with yet another well-taken goal to make it 2-1 for the visiting side.
Shortly after the restart, it was 3-1 with Hilton skipper, Rthys Gray, powering a great free-kick into Pentland keeper Lloyd Hall's top right-hand corner of the net.
Pentland were working very hard at this stage and it was a real blow to them to lose another goal.
The Edinburgh club did, however, keep up their bid to claw back, but the Hilton outfit were playing with much more confidence and they took control of the game with further goals coming from Gray, then a wonderful Lewis Johnston goal from a ferocious shot on the run that smashed into the back of Hall's net to take the scoreline to 5-1.
Gray added another before the final whistle to increase the winning margin to a cruel 6-1.
Considering the amount of effort put in by the home side, that score was, possibly, not a true reflection but the busiest player on the pitch was Pentland Panthers' good, young keeper.
Hilton were much the better football side and they were bigger and more powerful, too, than the home combine, but Pentland Panthers are another very good community football club in the making.
Club spokesman, Barry Campbell, said: "We are now based at Campbell Park and we have ten teams in the club, now. The latest is another girls' team.
"We hope to continue to improve the facilities at the park and it is nice to be able to offer supporters of visiting teams food and refreshments in the pavilion.
"We have made great steps forward in the short time the club has been in existence."
The excellent attitude of the coaches and officials at Pentland Panthers was reflected during the game against Hilton Roma, and the standard of behaviour both on and off the pitch was exemplary.
Pentland Panthers: Lloyd Hall, Ian Mortimer, Colin Campbell, Richard Fraser, Stuart Shand, Ross Chinnery, Ross Irvine, Sam Campbell, Martin Smith, Kriss Hemmingway, Euan Moffat, Daniel Bruce, Craig Dunlop, Chris Threfell, Andrew Bright, Stuart Steel.
Hilton Roma: Callum Foster, Ryan Leask, Ryan Fraser, Matthew Maitland, Paul Johnston, Scott Anderson, Rthys Gray, Fraser Robb, Gavin Walker, Shaun McCann, Martyn Kidd, Ryan Crearer.
Referee: Ian Parsons.
Tomorrow, Edina Hibs under-16s travel to Erskine to play Parkmoor BC in a third-round Dunfermline Building Society Scottish Youth FA Cup clash.
Two replays in this age group feature Duns Juniors v Colony Park and Formatine v Roseburn Colts in Aberdeen while Edinburgh City will be in Glasgow to play Everton BC in an under-14 third-round tie.
The top game of the day in Edinburgh, however, is due to take place at Double Hedges in the morning, when Ellon Meadow FC are the visitors to play Inch Colts in an under-13 Scottish Cup replay.
Intending spectators at this game should check the starting time to allow the visitors extra time their travelling time. Replays are also played to a conclusion.
CIS Insurance Cup sponsor, Co-operative Insurance Society (CIS), is on the look out for local youth/school football teams who feel that they are not achieving their full potential.
One lucky team will receive a programme of professional coaching for the start of the new season and CIS will also send the team manager on an SFA coaching course. The lucky winners will also receive a brand new set of football kit and a bag of training equipment with everything they will need to put their new skills into practice.
Kits are available in sizes 32in/34in or 34in/36in and teams should be in the 13 to 16-year-old age band.
All you have to do is write in and tell us why your team deserves and/or really needs to win this fantastic prize.
Entries should be sent to: CIS Adopt a Team, James O'Brien, Account Executive, The Sports Business, Capital House, 20 Park Circus, Glasgow G3 6BE.
Don't forget to include your name, contact details and the size of kit you require.
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