NEWCRAIGHALL Victoria Amateur FC underlined their attitude to helping others in the community when granting use of their excellent pitch and facilities for the under-16 league playoff to the East & Midlothian Schools FA – and what a brilliant game it was between Newbattle High and Musselburgh Grammar School!

The huge well-grassed and well-groomed pitch is perfect for playing football and it was the better passing of the Newbattle High that enabled them to go on and claim the title with a stunning 2-1 triumph. There were many good players in these two top-class school squads but none of them equalled the performance of Newbattle goalkeeper, Ryan Law. It is not the first time I have been at a game and seen the Hutchison Vale boys club goalie perform miracles and he did again to thwart Musselburgh time and time again in an outstanding performance.

Big Kris Renton must have wondered what he did to upset Law, as the Newbattle goalie came out on top in his own personal duel with the Musselburgh Grammar striker, who is bound for Norwich City in the summer. While Ryan was ‘laying down the law’ in the Newbattle goalmouth, Darren Flynn produced two stunning first-half goals that were to prove to be title-winners for Newbattle! Flynn, who plays in the successful Musselburgh Windsor under-16 outfit in the Eatern Region Youth FA opened the scoring when he outwitted opposing keeper, Ewan Skinner, nipping in to beat the keeper to a great left-wing cross from Mark Moncrieff – another fellow player with the Windsor team – to guide the ball with the inside of his foot in to the empty goal.

That early goal was followed by another from Flynn in the 20^th minute of a game so well controlled by match official, David Manson. Flynn’s second counter came from a great lob over the keeper in to the net. Musselburgh’s tactic of sending long passes out to Renton on the left resulted in attack after attack on the Law’s goal, but the Newbattle hero was in magnificent form, saving twice from point-blank range to frustrate Musselburgh even more. T

here was no lack of action in this game, however, and Newbattle looked a very good side, too, with a much more controlled and accurate passing game. Craig Jack saw another wonderful strike scrape over the Musselburgh bar but it was the Midlothian outfit that got the goal they deserved before the break and it was Renton who claimed it, too, showing great control in the box to crack the ball in to the Newbattle net and get the better of Law at long last! It was 2-1 at the break and, although the second half did not produce any more goals, it was non-stop action from start to finish.

Law continued to defy Musselburgh throughout the second half, but those on the sidelines will testify just how often the goalkeeper stood up to the Musselburgh onslaught! The Newbattle defence also performed heroics and, believe me, they had to as the fit young players in the Musselburgh side threw everything at Newbattle in a bid to get back on level terms. At the other end, on a rare Newbattle attack, Flynn set off on a wonderful run at the Musselburgh goal, but his finishing shot was blocked and eventually cleared. Mr Manson’s final whistle was followed by a mass Newbattle celebration but, to the credit of all the players taking part, it was handshakes all round to give a sporting end to a great season in the East & Midlothian Schools FA.

Newbattle teacher, John Frame, said: “ Thanks again for organising everything for the game at Newcraighall Park  and please pass on our thanks to the Newcraighall people.   I hope we can use this facility again next year for some of our big games.  Naturally we were delighted for our  boys  in winning the league crown.  We have played well all season  and have a very young side  -  six of them are under-15. To be honest,  when we started the season we would happily have settled for a top-half finish.  But  they gelled together and had a great team-spirit which is what we work hard on at Newbattle. I thought it would be tight  as we drew the league game earlier  and the cup tie  which Musselburgh won was  very tight as well.  In some ways they had an advantage going into the league decider as they had won that match and then showed real character to win their last three league games, all tough ones,  to force us into the play-off. I thought  we played some great  football in the first half, with the first goal being worthy of winning any game, and had we gone in at 2-0  then the second-half might have been a bit easier.  Kris Renton’s goal right on half-time  lifted Musselburgh  and  with our midfield tiring on the big pitch  they put us through the mill for parts of the second half   but  we defended well and Ryan Law was magnificent  in goals. Looking at the trophy, only  once has a school defended the under-16 league title before this  -  St Augustine’s  in 1991  and 1982!

Newbattle – Ryan Law, Glen Marshall, Graeme Aitken, Gavin McInnes, Dale Syme, James Watson, Craig Jack, Gordon Ramsay, Mark Moncrieff, Darren Flynn, James Guy, Colin McConnell, Owen Lean, Sean Gillies, Kevin Moyers.

Musselburgh – Ewan Skinner, Lewis Mein, John Porteous, Scott Syme, David Boyle, Cameron Olton, Sean Patterson, Lawrie Cannon, Steven Yuill, Daniel Dobson, Chris Tervitt, Kris Renton, Blair Montgomery, Jonathan Kinnear, Brian Wells, James Conway, Paul Coutts.

Referee – David Manson.