Portobello bring down the Villa in SPORTSassist Cup

Portobello CFA U-16s went through with goals from Aidan MacKenzie (2) and from Tadgh Flanagan-Woodhead

Despite a strong opening from Longniddry, a brace from Aidan MacKenzie and a successful penalty from Tadgh Flanagan-Woodhead were the difference in this match.

The teams took a while to settle down during the opening exchanges, with both sides surrendering possession cheaply in midfield.

Once they had found their rhythm, it was an end-to-end affair with Longniddry arguably looking the more likely to open the scoring, Matthew O’Connor heading just wide from a Kieron Douglas corner.

However, the hosts took the lead near the half hour when a game of head tennis in the box ended up at MacKenzie who was able to loop his header over the exposed Cameron Sandilands. Flanagan-Woodhead doubled the advantage from the penalty spot after Russell Bowers was felled in the box.

The match ended as a contest shortly into the beginning of the second half when the hosts appeared to ghost through Longniddry’s defence, leaving MacKenzie to finish into the bottom left corner.

•Whites clean through

A goal in both halves from Edinburgh City Whites was enough to see the visitors through to the next round of the SPORTSassist South East Region Cup in this match where they could have won by a more generous margin against AC Oxgangs.

City created a raft of opportunities but were not able to break the deadlock until ten minutes before the end of the first half. A sweetly hit 25-yard dipping volley from Ory crashed off the crossbar while Heggie had his goal-bound effort cleared off the line.

Callum Arnott eventually opened the scoring for City, but the home side were by no means out of the game. Alex Hamilton was forced to make a goalline clearance himself as Oxgangs went in search of an equaliser, taking City’s keeper out of the equation with their only real scoring opportunity.

Callum Simpson doubled the lead for the visitors shortly after the hour mark, as City were able to largely neutralise Oxgangs attacking threat while being unlucky to not pull ahead any further ahead.

•Five for Fauldhouse

Fauldhouse United coasted into the next round of the SPORTSassist South East Region Cup with a dominant 5-0 display against North Merchiston.

Goals from Liam Page, Ben McGee and Kyle Wilcox were capped off with a brace from Cameron Geddie.

Despite being all over the visitors in the first half, Fauldhouse were not able to convert any of their opportunities until after the opening 30 minutes as Liam Page’s low effort from 22 yards took a favourable bobble to beat the keeper to open the scoring.

A beautiful piece of build-up play shortly into the second half saw the ball come to Reece Thomson whose cross appeared to be deflected in past the keeper by McGee to double the lead.

Wilcox added a third as North Merchiston failed to clear their lines effectively, leaving him able to score from inside the box.

Geddie’s first goal was a sublime piece of skill where he took the shot first time from a tight angle when he had plenty of time to control the ball.

The fifth goal came when Geddie was able to get between the keeper and a defender as a cross came in. He rose the highest and was able to guide his headed effort home to complete the scoring.