TYNECASTLE East faced the most daunting task at Hallhill when they faced up to the winners of the British U13Tesco Cup and the Scottish Youth Cup, Hutchison Vale – but the underdogs in the Eastern Youth FA Cup final did themselves proud against their all-conquering opponents.

There was little to choose between the sides in the first half of one of the best of the seven finals sponsored by City Financial Edinburgh over two days at Dunbar United’s lovely stadium. In fact, it was the physically smaller Tynecastle outfit that created the first chance, a great passing move involving Paul Fergie, Scott Aitken and Gavin Pettigrew early in the game ended with a superb cross from the right across the face of the Vale goal, but Paul Keiller just failed to get his foot to the ball in the goalmouth. The Tynecastle side kept playing passing football backed up with a well organised defensive lin-up in which Jack Ramage, playing in a sweeper role, excelled.

 As the two sides settled down to most of the play in the first half took place between the two 18yd lines, but what a super game it was to watch. Scott Coleman did get a shot in at Daniel Duffy in the Tynecastle goal with the keeper clutching the ball confidently on the goal-line. Then influential Vale midfield star, Conor Devaney, let fly with another effort that flew high and wide of the target. At the other end, Pettigrew had a go at breaking the deadlock, but his shot was easily held by Vale keeper, Connor McGrotty. Half-time came with no goals to cheer in an excellent first half of good passing football, with the Tynecastle side surprising everyone with their standard of play.

At the start of the second period, Fergie forced a great save from the Vale keeper to stop what looked to be a certain goal. In a Vale attack at the other end of the big pitch, Devaney saw another good effort knocked away by Duffy as the brilliant game went in to overdrive. Then Vale made the vital breakthrough, a lovely little pass from Coleman in to the path of Chris McLeod giving the Vale striker the chance to slot the ball in to the Tynecastle net at the left-hand post to put his side 1-0 up. This was a well created and equally well taken goal, but it was still a tough one to take for Tynecastle. What it did do, however, was open the game up and what followed had the big crowd cheering their heads off. Another sweeping move from Vale up the right saw McLeod fire over a cross from the right wing to the back post and Damian Orr shot in to the side net with the Tynecastle defenders desperately trying to crowd him out.

Then Calum Donaldson broke out of the Tynecastle defence to send a cracking shot at McGrotty to roars of encouragement from his side’s fans. It was then Vale’s turn to attack at the other end and it produced the second goal of the game for the Hutchison Vale contingent to celebrate, with Chris Roxburgh sending a brilliant strike in to the Tynecastle net following a superb cross.  That goal did look good enough to clinch the silverware for Vale, but when Fergie smashed the goal of the game past McGrotty from fully 25yd out it set up a wonderful finish to a great final.

It was Hutchison Vale, however, who went close on two occasions to adding to their total and the Tynecastle defence were still defending their goal when match official Alistair Cleeton brought the game to a close. Vale are heading for a clean sweep of all events entered for this season, but they will not have a tougher game in the closing weeks of the season than the one they got from Tynecastle East at Hallhill in Dunbar.

It was a great game to watch, played in the most wonderful atmosphere created by the noisy fans on both touchlines. Tynecastle’s No 6, Jack Ramage, was chosen as ‘Player-of-the-Match’ by Brenda Rennie, who represented Edinburgh City Youth FC who sponsored these individual awards.  

Hutchison Vale – Connor McGrotty, Cameron Scott, Michael Noble, Andrew Togneri, Jack Verth, Scott Coleman, Sean Joyce, Ryan Tennant, Chris McLeod, Kenny O’Brien, Jordan Thomson, Damian Orr, Chris Roxburgh, Stuart McGregor, Jack Blaikie, Conor Devaney.

Tynecastle East – Daniel Duffy, Paul Keiller, Jamie Anderson, Connor Horribine, Calum Donaldson, Jack Ramage, Gavin Pettigrew, Danny Hubbard, Scott Aitken, Paul Fergie, Craig Robertson, Ryan Russell, Zachary Shapero, Stuart Duncanson, Calum Dalgliesh, Grant Stuart.

Referee – Alistair Cleeton.