CUP kings Tynecastle East taught Roseburn Colts a footballing lesson by beating them 8-0 in the final of the under-15 John McConnell Memorial Cup at Saughton Enclosure.
The cup winners never wasted a pass throughout the game, and their fast-flowing style of football, orchestrated by playmaker and captain Conor Edmunds in the middle, was simply a joy to watch.
Tynie didn't waste any time in showing how good they
were, showering the Roseburn defence with a wave of attacks straight from the kick-off.
Tynecastle went ahead after ten minutes. A good corner from Michael Elder from the left led to a goal-line scramble, before Brad McKay sneaked in and toe-poked the ball past Roseburn keeper Steve MacDonald.
And, before Roseburn could even think about a response, Tynie hit a second.
Full-back Jamie Anderson took the ball down the left side past the halfway line, before hitting a magnificent pass into the box for Gavin Pettigrew. The winger timed his run perfectly before dinking a header into the back of the net.
Great vision from Anderson, and a brilliant run from Pettigrew to put Tynecastle 2-0 up in the space of 12 minutes.
Roseburn's only real chance of the first half came on the half-hour mark. Fraser Neave used great skill to twirl past two Tynecastle players before he slotted a pass down the wing to Michael Lennon. He ran into the box and crossed for James Cuthbertson, who was unlucky to see his header saved by Daniel Duffy.
Tynecastle were now creating lots of openings,
especially on the left wing and it was Elder who managed to utilise that space in the 32nd minute, when his cross curled to the back post and Anderson rose to nod the ball home to make it 3-0.
Soon after, Tynecastle sealed the Cup with another great strike. Roseburn were going all out attacking for a goal, and on this occasion had left too few men at the back. After losing the ball they were immediately on the back foot, with Tynecastle springing in to the counter-attack. Conor Edmunds ran half-way up the pitch before sliding a through ball to Craig Sinclair, who sliced the ball in from a tight angle.
Tynecastle looked impossible to outsmart and, within ten minutes of the game re-starting, they had scored a fifth.
A brilliant cross from Pettigrew was swung into the middle of the box, where Andrew Jones was lurking to head in.
The discipline and sheer determination of the Tynecastle players was perhaps best summed up in the 64th minute when Edmonds smashed a shot at goals from outside the box.
Remembering that his side was five goals ahead and cruising, the Tynecastle captain still cursed himself and looked like he had missed a deciding chance when his thunderbolt went wide.
Fortunately for Edmonds, he would get his goal ten minutes later. This time a little closer to goal but still outside the box, he blasted a shot into the bottom corner of the Roseburn goal.
With the Roseburn players looking understandably demoralised and praying for full-time, they were caught out with yet another great headed goal moments later.
This time it was Andrew Jones who jumped well to dink his header over the keeper for his second of the game.
It's a pity that Roseburn never really got going in this match, because they showed in small flashes that, on another day, they could have tested their opponents. But it was testament to Tynecastle that they never allowed Roseburn to play their game, and always had control.
A professional display from Tynecastle was rounded up in the final minutes when Scott Aitken converted a penalty and put his side eight goals to the good.
Tynecastle East: Daniel Duffy, Craig Robertson, Jamie Anderson, Conor Edmunds, Stuart Duncanson, Brad McKay, Gavin Pettigrew, David Liddle, Scott Aitken, Andrew Jones, Kenny O'Brien, Craig Sinclair, Ruaridh Donaldson, Michael Elder, Conor Bremner.
Roseburn Colts: Steven MacDonald, Jordan Butler, Arron Coutts, Greig Innes, Ben Stobbart, David Honjigawa, Micheal Lennon, James Cuthbertson, Calum Nicholls, Jon Robertson, Stefen Ross, Greg Wilson, Alex Borthwick, Fraser Neave.
The full article contains 701 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
