IT was a long time in coming from Leith Athletic under-15s, but they eventually scored a second goal against a brave and determined Cavalry Park outfit that late goal was just enough for the Leith side to lift the Lothian Buses Second Division League Cup at Olive Bank.

Leith had already won the second division title and this latest success also marked the end of the season in the Eastern Region Youth FA. Leith brought down the curtain, not in sensational style, but as the result of sheer hard work and determination. They needed both of these attributes to get the better of an equally committed Cavalry Park outfit that never allowed themselves to be dominated by a much more fancied combine and it took a late goal in the second half from John Gemmell to secure a 2-1 win.

Cavalry Park had to endure prolonged pressure on their goal at the start of the game and they hit Leith with a real ‘sucker punch’ in the 28^th minute when the big and powerful Chris Tervit broke through the centre and he continued his run in on goal to slot a very good shot in to the corner of the Leith net to open the scoring. The fact Leith were behind in this final was their own fault as they had chance after chance to put the ball in the Cavalry Park net. The pattern of the game continued, with Leith creating good chances but they just could not get the better of Graham McEwan in the Cavalry Park goal – until the 43^rd minute. Leith got back on level terms when a great ball from the right was headed home in spectacular style by Stuart Lord to bring the sides back level at 1-1. What a wait the Leith fans had before seeing their team score this goal! It appeared that it would never come.

At the start of the second half, it took a very good block from Leith goalie, Neil Cochrare, to deny Cavalry Park a second goal. At the other end of the pitch at Olive Bank, McEwan was at full stretch to palm away a difficult cross ball in to his goalmouth and it fell perfectly for Gemmell, but he wasted another great chance to score for Leith. It was one of several such chances spurned by the Leith player in this final. While McEwan went on to show what a good goalkeeper he is, he was lucky on several occasions with the Leith side guilty of some shocking misses. Josh Godfrey did get a good shot on target for Leith, but the impressive McEwan clutched the ball confidently. With the game seemingly heading for extra time and a possible penalty decider, Gemmell provided the highlight of the game when he scored a sensational goal to put Leith 2-1 up.

The Leith striker won the ball when it bounced over a Cavalry Park defender and he set off on a good run that took him to the left of the 18yd box, finishing off the move with a brilliant lob over the advancing goalkeeper in to the net. It was a great strike by Gemmell and that goal, coming five minutes before the final whistle, was to prove to be the one that clinched the silverware for Leith Athletic.  Cavalry Park did go close to scoring an equaliser when Mark Smith had a chance to find the back of the net, but he hit his shot in to the side netting at the right-hand post. When play switched to the other end, Godfrey laid the ball on for Gemmell to score a third goal, but he delayed too long and lost out in a challenge with the Cavalry Park keeper.

The game ended with Leith just in front at 2-1 and that was enough to see off the challenge of Cavalry Park. Coach of the losing side, John McKenzie, said: “I keep telling my players not to let the ball bounce but they do not listen to me. Leith’s second goal came when our defence allowed the ball to bounce off the hard ground and that set up Leith for the winner.” Leith spokesman, Gerry Freedman, added: “The winner took a long time in coming, but I think we deserved to win, given the number of chances we created during the game!”

Leith Athletic – Neil Cochrare, Joell Dickie, Blair Kerr, Neil Lowson, Chris Barrie, James Robson, Stuart Lord, Jason Stevens, John Gemmell, Johnny Coleman, Lee McKenzie, Darren Law, Ally Adams, Josh Godfrey, Shaun Moffatt, Jon Sargeant, Connor Reid, Adam Tait.

Cavalry Park – Graham McEwan, Mark Smith, Stuart Southwell, Liam McKenzie, Graham Southwell, Robbie Duncan, Steven Philp, Denholm Lyall, Stephen McGlinchey, Josh Stewart, Chris Tervit, Jason Easton, Stephen Ferguson, Greg Hay.

Referee – Alan Downie.