Vale make up for last year’s heartache in emphatic style

Hutchison Vale romped into the final of the SYFA under 14s Scottish Cup after defeating Cavalry Park 7-1 at Ainslie Park.

Three goals in the opening 15 minutes saw the match peter out as a contest, as seven different Hutchie players got their name on the score sheet. Roan Turkington grabbed a consolation goal for Cavalry Park in the second half. Hutchison Vale will now face Dundee United Sports Club at Airdrie United’s Excelsior Stadium in May.

Hutchie coach Tam Smith said: “The game went well . We got off to a good start with two goals in the first five minutes which gives you the platform to relax and move on.

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“I’ve not seen Dundee United Sports Club play but anybody who gets into the Scottish Cup final must be a good side, so we will just need to see what happens. It is just about enjoying the moment for the boys because we got knocked out at this stage last season. They wanted to make sure this time and I think that’s why they came out of the traps so fast.”

The finalists scored their first goal of the match after just two minutes, when Cameron McAlpine shot into the centre of the net after a shot from the left side of the penalty area was parried by Cavalry goalkeeper Kerr Robertson.

Their lead was doubled two minutes later. Sean McKirdy’s corner fell to Lewis Swaney who smashed the ball into the net from close range.

Cavalry had their first opportunity after ten minutes but Andrew Taylor shot over the bar after Adam Watson’s shot was saved by Hutchie goalkeeper Byron Gibb.

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Gibb was called into action again three minutes later. Sean Gilroy played an excellent chipped through ball into the path of Watson, but Gibb rushed out to gather the ball with the striker bearing down on goal. With only 15 minutes played, Hutchie added a third goal as Regan Hendry powered his shot past Robertson from the left side of the penalty area.

Ethan Feachan added his name to the goal tally with a fourth minutes later, placing the ball into the centre of the net and past Robertson after receiving it inside the penalty area from Hendry.

Cavalry did manage to create two decent chances before the interval. A Gilroy free kick from the left wing was tipped wide by Gibb, and from the resultant corner, Alexander Simpson headed the ball over the crossbar with the goal at his mercy.

Hutchison Vale kept pushing for goals in the second half, and Sam Birch shot over from the edge of the area. Birch, however, did grab a goal 12 minutes later in bizarre circumstances when his deep cross evaded the players in the box and nestled into the left side of the net.

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Cavalry had a brief period of pressure and a brilliant passing move nearly resulted in a goal of their own. Calum Eastwood and Jack Kidney combined to set up Robbie Conway, whose shot bounced off the right post and rolled agonisingly across the face of the goal.

The Duddingston side did put the ball in the net two minutes later, however, as Turkington hammered his strike into the top right corner from 12 yards after a corner from the right wing.

After 57 minutes, a quick free kick caught the Cavalry defence off guard and McKirdy shot into the bottom left corner from ten yards.

Murray Sutherland nearly added more to Hutchie’s total three minutes later, but his shot was brilliantly saved by goalkeeper Robertson. Innes Goodall completed the scoring with two minutes left, volleying into the net from a Feachen corner.

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Cavalry Park coach Matthew Eastwood was particularly pleased with the cup run his side have had this season.

He said: “We’ve had a good cup run and I do feel that the latter part of the first half and part of the second half we matched up to Vale, and we look forward to playing them again later in the season. But congratulations to them for reaching the final and all the best to them.”