East of Scotland: The future's bright for leaders Leith

Leith Athletic winger Lewis Tracey praised the impact of the club's latest emerging crop of youngsters as the reigning East of Scotland League champions finished the first half of the season with their 100 per cent record intact.
Lewis Tracey scored twice for Leith in their 7-0 win over PeeblesLewis Tracey scored twice for Leith in their 7-0 win over Peebles
Lewis Tracey scored twice for Leith in their 7-0 win over Peebles

Their latest victory, a 7-0 thrashing of Peebles Rovers on Saturday, ensured Leith will finish 2016 top of the league, having reeled off seven straight wins since August.

And 24-year-old Tracey, who notched a brace against the Borders outfit at Meadowbank 3G, says the club are in an incredibly fortunate position to have so many able bodies ready to step in.

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Teenagers Jordan Smith and Brodie Mackenzie, making their first-team debuts, made telling contributions with a goal apiece in the second half.

“It’s great to see the younger ones chipping in,” Tracey explained.

“It takes the pressure off a lot of our regular guys and, because we have been stretched a little bit lately with injuries and having had a few guys away, we’ve managed to get through the games pretty well as we’ve been able to call in some of the guys from the 19s. We’ve trained with the 19s a few times and it looks as if they’ve got a few decent players in their squad. But that really epitomises the whole ethos of the club as there are a lot of younger ones really starting to come through which can only benefit us in the long run.

“The guys that came in on Saturday played really well and certainly took their chances when they came along. It’s great to be top of the league at Christmas so we’ll be raring to go again when everything kicks off again early next month.”

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Second-placed Heriot-Watt University were 3-0 winners over Eyemouth United at Riccarton whilst Ormiston slipped to a 2-1 home defeat to Coldstream – the Recreation Park side’s seventh defeat of the campaign.

Louis Swanson’s excellent free-kick was enough to secure Tynecastle all three points from their match with Tweedmouth Rangers.

Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale made short work of bottom side Burntisland Shipyard at Saughton Enclosure, running out 6-1 winners.

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