Dalkeith Miners 16s defeat Redhall Star 16s 4-1 in League Cup final.

Dalkeith Miners 16s celebrate their victory at New Dundas Park

Bradley Barrett put Dalkeith ahead on the half an hour and they never looked back. He added another early in the second half and goals from Liam Cassidy and Keiran Williamson cemented victory for the boys in black and white. Redhall pulled a goal back late on through Marc Hannah’s penalty but the damage was done and Dalkeith lifted the trophy after dominating the final.

Dalkeith coach Tam Yuill said: “I thought both teams started out very nervous but after we got the first goal we settled very well. The score was a fair reflection with the possession we had. I’m totally proud of the 16 lads that were involved. They deserve to be winning trophies every season because of the hard work they put in at training. They’re a great bunch of boys to coach and I hope there will be more trophies next season for them.”

On a bright and blustery afternoon at the home of Bonnyrigg Rose, Dalkeith got the final underway and they quickly settled as Redhall struggled to keep the ball. After some patient probing in the final third of the field, Dalkeith tested Redhall goalie Ryan Green with eight minutes gone. Euan Mitchell took aim from just outside but his shot was blocked, allowing Ryan Green to make a straightforward save.

Dalkeith continued to knock on the Redhall door but to their credit Redhall were keeping it tight at the back. By the 30th minute their defensive resistance was broken with a lapse in concentration allowing Dalkeith time in the area. Morgan Rutherford switched the play from left to right, allowing Barrett time to compose himself before dispatching an effort into the top left corner from just inside the box.

Redhall had been soaking up pressure from their opponents throughout and the same pattern of play continued in the second half, eventually leading to a second goal for Barrett. Green had made a handful of good stops to deny the striker early on after the interval but he was powerless to prevent the striker again with 50 minutes gone. Cal Doogan burst down the left flank for Dalkeith and cut the ball back into the box. Redhall failed to clear their lines and Barrett was left with the task of smashing the loose ball into the goal to double the advantage.

The momentum was all with Yuill’s boys and they made it count ten minutes later, with Redhall struggling to fashion any kind of meaningful response. Doogan was the creator again as he again bust a gut down the left wing before whipping a cross in for Cassidy who headed in from close range unchallenged.

There was no stopping Dalkeith, who had dominated the final in some style, and they added a fourth with 15 minutes remaining. Barrett this time was the creator as he skipped past his marker on the right of the area before teeing up Williamson to slide the ball in from inside the six-yard box.

Redhall did at least have a goal to celebrate late on in the final. Hannah made a driving run into the area when he was taken out by Dalkeith’s Matthew Scotland. The referee pointed to the penalty spot and Hannah stepped up himself to take it, calmly dispatching a consolation goal past goalkeeper Lee Anderson.

Dalkeith Miners 16s: Lee Anderson, Sam Devlin, Robbie Yuill, Matthew Scotland, Melvin Muturi, Cal Doogan, Keiran Williamson, Jack Burrows, Connor Hamilton, Bradley Barrett, Cameron McBeth, Morgan Rutherford, Euan Mitchell, Aiden Gillespie, Taylor Rogan, Liam Cassidy

Redhall Star 16s: Ryan Green, Adam Robertson, Calum Henderson, Ewan Mitchell, Marc Hannah, Grant Doyle, Lewis Blues, Jack Anderson, Robbie Campbell, Josh Slow-Clayton, Thomas Steedman, Tommy Hendry, Adam Shortiss, Sam Donachie, Nathan Robertson, Antony Little