Hutchison Vale survived a first-half pounding from Currie Boys Club to snatch a sensational goal from Lloyd Robertson midway through the second half from a cross from Mathew Skene to go on and lift the Steve Maskrey Cup.

Winning this final was as much as test of character as this Hutchison Vale outfit are ever likely to survive. Their success and also Currie’s failure to score a goal was largely down to the tremendous performance from Vale keeper, Ross Burns. This young goalie will remember his performance, particularly in the first half, when he brought off save after save to deny Currie a goal they so deserved on pressure, alone.

Darren Linton could have had a hat-trick on any other day for Currie, but Burns it was who denied the good young Currie striker time after time in the first half. The first period of this final was full of good football from both sides, with Currie having the bulk of play. It was totally refreshing to see these young honest players surging all over the big pitch at the Enclosure and the action was non-stop leading up the half-time whistle from an excellent young referee in Andrew Jack.

Vale came more in to the game in the second half, with their neat passing football a real treat to watch. Currie continued to threaten to score, but that was as far as it got. The well-organised and talented Hutchie defence kept them out, with Burns waiting on the goal-line to clear up anything that came his way. This is a gifted young keeper, indeed!

With both sides putting tremendous hard work and no lack of skill in to this cracking game of football at this level, Hutchison Vale produced the goal that was to win them the silverware and it came from a cross from the right and Robertson showed a lovely first touch to control the ball at the back post, and the Currie defenders could not get to him in time to prevent him picking his spot in the net to make the vital breakthrough for Vale.

That goal was greeted with almost incredible fervour by the Hutchison Vale players and their supporters in the big crowd at the Enclosure. Burns continued to excel in the Vale goal and he brought out spontaneous applause when he quite casually clutched a good effort at goal from the Currie attack. The last few minutes of this final were tension filled for the Vale camp with team secretary, Les Trotter, agonisingly counting the seconds off as they ticked slowly by, saying: “It feels like the final whistle will never come!” But it duly did and the reaction from the Vale contingent was as much as relief as anything else.

It was a great win for them, but Currie will look back at a game they could have won – if only Ross Burns had not been in goal for Hutchison Vale. He was a real hero in this success for his side!  

Hutchison Vale – Ross Burns, Liam Day, Michael Finlayson, Lee Orr, Fabio Donofrio, Matthew Skene, Lee Burnett, John McIlwanie, Alex Harkness, Leslie Trotter, Rory MacArthur, Dean Millar, Lloyd Robertson, Jordan Clifton.

Currie Boys Club – Connor Muir, Scott Butler, Christopher Downie, Owen Jarvie, Ross Hume, Darren Linton, Christopher Lynch, Sean MacIvor, Calum McCulloch, Dean Strang, Calum Nicholls, Dale Murphy, Gregor Spence, Niall Strickland.  

Referee – Andrew Jack.