SPARTANS FC under-19s buckled under a
second-half onslaught from a very good Hibs outfit in their SFA
Youth Cup clash at City Park, with the Easter Road outfit
running out deserved 4-1 winners.
Despite the result, the Spartans squad played
to the best of their ability and they brought out the biggest
cheer of the game when Mark Boyle scored a consolation goal in
the last minute from a spot-kick awarded by good young referee,
Alan Hogg. The side representing the East of Scotland club in
this third round tie in the national event for teams from
professional and semi-professional clubs produced a very
determined display kicking up the slope at City Park, with
goalkeeper, David Livie, in outstanding form as he denied Hibs
an opening goal with several outstanding saves.
In fact, Spartans gave as good as the got in
the first half and they were denied in what appeared to be a
stone-wall penalty when Euan Black was felled in the box from
behind in the 11th minute, but the well-placed match referee
waved play on to the disbelief of everyone in the ground.
Despite taking the game to Hibs on occasions, the Easter Road
players always looked the more dangerous when on the attack,
although they struggled to get the ball past the inspired Livie
in the Spartans goal.
John Park, the Hibs youth supremo, said: "We
expected Spartans to make it difficult for us as they are well
coached. But we started to pass the ball better after the break
and we went on to score four goals!" With the score 0-0 at the
interval, it appeared that Spartans would benefit from playing
down the slope after the break, but it was Hibs who upped the
pace of the game with crisp passing and good movement that had
Spartans defence in all sorts of problems.
The first goal for Hibs came in the first
minute of the second half, with Ross Chisholm well placed at the
back post to fire home a great cross from the right wing to make
it 1-0. After making the breakthrough, Hibs went all out to get
another goal and the home defenders were pushed to the limit, as
the visiting side fully showed the skill expected from a
top-class professional youth combine. Former Leith Athletic
star, Ross Tolmie, pushed forward up the right at every
opportunity and huge spaces opened up on the Spartans left flank
and it was from there, again, that Hibs got a second goal of the
game.
Gerrard Rossi did great work in creating the
chance and he delivered a perfect ball in to the middle for
Damon Gray to smash it past Livie to take the margin to 2-0 in
Hibs' favour. With Spartans struggling to cope with the surging
passing moves from Hibs, a third goal looked on the cards and it
duly came and it was Paddy Deane, this time, who created the
move on the right, again, before cutting the ball back for
team-mate Keegan Ayre to bury it in the back of the net from
10yd out.
All credit to the game Spartans side, they
fought for every ball and did go on to worry the Hibs' defenders
on a couple of occasions. Scott Clapperton had a glorious chance
to open Spartans' acount but his fiercely hit shot went straight
to Hibs keeper, David Grof, and he knocked the ball away for a
corner. Hibs then went 4-0 up with another lovely goal, created
by Nial Crawford (on the right) and finished off expertly by
Jack Wilson.
Then came Spartans moment of glory when they
got a consolation goal from the spot. That gave the home fans
something to cheer about and Spartans FC captain, Craig Graham,
was full of praise for the club's young squad, adding: "It is
great for our club teams to play at this level in front of a
good turnout of fans from both clubs! Next year, our new stadium
at Ainslie Park should be ready to use for games such as this!"
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