THE only way to describe the under-13 Scottish Youth Challenge Cup second round replay between Salvesen BC 94 and Carrick Colts (Maybole) at Forrester High School Playing Fields would be to justly say that it was a 'truly magnificent wee game of football!'

This tie which developed in to a tussle to almost titanic proportions was not over until the very last ball was kicked, with both these young teams providing a spectacle that was an absolute credit to competitive youth football. The visiting side clinched their place in the third round in a 3-2 win, but how they had to fight for their success against a very unlucky to lose Salvesen combine.

While the Ayrshire side will now go on to entertain Bonnyrigg Rose in the third round in Maybole, Salvesen will look back on a game in which 'lady luck' deserted them, big time!

The home side 'gifted' Carrick Colts the first goal of the game in the 2nd minute, when a wild clearance from a Salvesen defender soared backwards over the home keeper, Jackson Bell, and in to the net. It was a terrible blow, but the Salvie boys tried to hit back immediately and they created several half chances to get the equaliser, but on this day of all days, their luck in front of goal had deserted them, with Ross Tipton, even denied in a 1-to-1 with visiting keeper, Steven Clarke.

To compound Salvesen's misery, the visiting side then broke away and in a rare attack up the left, John Russell made it 2-0 with a tremendous strike.

In a series of attacks on the Carrick goal, the ball was cleared off the line, while at the other end, the Ayrshire side went close to scoring a third goal. Salvesen were lucky to escape on that occasion. Then Bell went down bravely at the feet of a Carrick attacker to deny them again. Following a corner for Salvesen on the left, Kieran Glen headed wide from a good position and it was still 2-0 at the break.

Excellent match official, James McLaughlin, got the game underway again after a short break and it was Salvesen, again, that went all out to reduce the deficit. Finlay Matthews fired a shot over the Carrick crossbar, before the home side got the goal they were looking for and what a beauty it was. In a surging attack up the right, Aaron Foster showed great skill to make space for himself to fire a great ball in to the Carrick goalmouth, where Tipton swept it in to the back of the Carrick net to make it 2-1!

With incredible support from both touchlines, the game went in to overdrive and what a game all of us fortunate enough to be on the sidelines were treated to! The play surged back and forward on the rough surface and it was the Ayrshire contingent's turn to jump about in ecstasy when Connor Wylie raced away up the right before cutting in to hammer a tremendous shot in to the roof of the Salvesen net to make it 3-1.

Even then, when most sides would have thrown in the towel, this exceptionally brave Salvesen outfit got themselves back in to the game with a stunning second goal from Tipton to make it 3-2.

The scenes in the final minutes were breathtaking as both sides went at it even harder than ever, with Salvesen putting in the most incredible finishing spurt to square the game and force extra time. Sadly, for them, they did not get the break they so deserved and it was Carrick Colts and their wonderful fans who were celebrating a great win at the close of play.

Throughout the game, the standard of sportsmanship was exceptional and the encouragement for both sets of players from the respective touchlines was brilliant. The players, all of them, responded positively and it resulted in one of the most exciting and enjoyable cup ties for all of us watching from the touchlines.

Exciting? Carrick Colts official, John McKissoch, said at the finish: "I think we all need pacemakers to calm us down after that! My heart is still thumping! It was a wonderful game and a credit to youth club football!" A disappointed Crawford Matthews, speaking on behalf of the losers, said: "Everything possible went against us. It was not our day!"