BEING favourites to win the under-17 age group of the Scottish Youth FA Challenge Cup at Airdrie seemed to affect the brilliant young Leith Athletic squad and it wasn't until late in the second half before they finally got the better of Johnstone Burgh to win 3-2 in a tremendous final at the Excelsior Stadium in Airdrie.
This was a classic game of football between two good passing teams and both the Leith and Johnstone outfits were backed with a terrific following.
It was a game full of excitement and tension and that showed among the Leith players in the first h
alf.
Johnstone Burgh were forced to defend their goal in the opening stages but the Leith defence were in action too, with Liam Rafferty showing up well and he went on to be one of the stars of the day.
Johnstone Burgh cleared a Darren Lavery net-bound header off the goal-line while Chris McLaughlin was prominent in raids on the Leith goal.
In another tremendous attack on the Johnstone goal, a Michael Lynch free-kick from the left was met at the back post by Johnny Coleman but his header was again cleared off the line. The passing from both teams was exceptional, with good movement too.
Leith striker Jack Combe brought a wonderful save from goalkeeper Patrick Doherty as he hammered a volley towards goal.
In another brilliant passing move, involving Jamie Burstow and Steven Dignan, the ball was again played into Combe in the 18-yard box in front of goal and this gifted young player turned his marker brilliantly to fire in another great effort that deserved a goal, but his shot went just over the bar for a goal kick.
Another free-kick from Burstow went ever so close to producing the opener for Leith, but they then found themselves 1-0 down from a penalty given against Rafferty for using an arm to control a bouncing ball on the edge of the 18-yard box in the 19th minute. McLaughlin gave Mark Tait no chance from the resultant spot-kick.
The Capital outfit did regain their momentum with Dignan causing havoc in the Johnstone goalmouth after a great run and shot. Leith had more work to do in defence but duly got the goal they thoroughly deserved in the 37th minute when Combe laid the ball back into the path of Lynch who scored with a great shot from 16 yards out.
After bossing the beginning of the second half Leith found themselves 2-1 down after six minutes, the goal coming from James Penders who fired a terrific shot past Tait.
It was a nervous time for the Leith fans but the introduction of substitutes by team boss, Derek Liddel, turned the game.
Johnstone Burgh's defence had performed heroically up until then, but Leith really turned it on and they squared the game at 2-2 in the 32nd minute of the second half with a wonder goal from substitute Stuart Lord who scored with a header – his first touch of the ball after coming on – following a tremendous cross from the right from Jason Stevens.
Athletic then took control of the game with wave after wave of attacks on their opponents' goal.
Big Scott Sime, another of the inspired Leith substitutions, was immense in midfield and his powerful challenges proved vital.
The winner came in another all-out attack on the Johnstone goal, with another quite exceptional cross from the right, deep towards the far post being headed home brilliantly by Rafferty in a ruck of players to make it 3-2.
It was sheer bedlam after that. The game went into time added on and it took a good save from Tait to calm the nerves on the terracing among the, by then, bouncing Leith contingent.
The final whistle sparked off the most amazing celebrations among the Leith players, their officials and spectators.
This was a quality final and it was graced by the presence of SFA Chief Executive, Gordon Smith.The emotionally-drained Leith coaches had the smiles on their faces, with Derek Liddel sporting the biggest grin of all when he said: "It was a wonderful second half from our team. It is another great day for Leith."
Leith Athletic: Mark Tait, Antony Marziban, Steven Dignan, Neil Lowson, Christopher Barrie, Johnny Coleman, James Robson, Jason Stevens, Jack Combe, George Gibson, Stuart Lord, Steven Philp, Scott Sime, Darren Lavery, Stephen Barrie, Liam Rafferty, Michael Lynch, Jamie Burstow.
Johnstone Burgh: Patrick Doherty, Aidan Thomson, Jordan Agnew, Stuart McCann, Sean McInally, John Hutchison, John McLister, Chris McLaughlin, Stephen Wright, Paul McCormick, James Penders, Mark Priess, David Cunningham, Anthony Hopkins, Steven Dickie.
Referee: William Geekie.
