Youth wrap: Hutche 14s and Leith 15s bag semi spots

A South East Region Cup semi-final spot was the prize for Hutchison Vale 14s as they beat Spartans 3-0 at Meadowbank.

Vale 14s were impressive, although Spartans were convinced the second goal should not have stood. Pic: TSPL

Malik Zald, Sam Kilboy and Taylor Steven were on target as the Division One leaders kept up their impressive form.

Bruno Davidson threatened early, but Zald hit the net first on 14 minutes when the ball landed at his feet following Lewis Foster’s attempt and the midfielder tucked it away.

Jacob Comerford almost made it two with a spectacular effort from just beyond the halfway line, before Kilboy did score a second six minutes ahead of half-time. It was hotly disputed, with Spartans claiming that Jack Egan had cleared off the line from the winger after he had been picked out at the back post by Davidson.

A lovely move minutes into the second half, involving Kilboy, Comerford and Steven, ended with Zald being thwarted by Shaun Azam.

Brilliant play from Davidson allowed him to burst away from two defenders before showing awareness to slide across for Kilboy, but he slipped at the decisive moment.

Spartans came into it and Elliott Miller had two opportunities to pull them into contention. First, he worked space for a shot which was heading on target but Lucas McGarry got his head in the way.

Then the winger flicked an effort just past the post from Kyle McEwan’s low centre.

After surviving those scares, Hutchie punished them with a third goal after 23 minutes. Davidson was the supplier again, crossing from the right for Steven to steer a shot past substitute goalie Ben Sinclair.

Vale will now take on Musselburgh Windsor in the last four, to be played in February.

• Leith Athletic 15s also made it to the semi-finals of the South East Region Cup, with Rory Hunter leading the way with four goals in a 4-3 win over Tynecastle. In a fantastic match for the neutral, Somina Dublin-Green, a penalty converted by Bailey Simmons, and Gary Robertson scored Tynie’s goals. Jamie Smith made a vital save from another penalty to contribute to Leith’s victory. Edinburgh City Blacks will be their semi-final opponents.

• Two teams who like to play football served up a cracker as AC Oxgangs edged out an eight-goal thriller to beat Leith Athletic Colts 5-3. 
Four-goal hero Ahmedisam Ahmed gave them an early 2-0 lead, the first being a screamer, but James O’Hara pulled one back. Ahmed then made it three for both he and his team but Jack Mckinnon’s goal for Leith meant a pulsating first half ended 3-2. Ahmed was set up by Pablo Avendano to regain a two-goal advantage and, with both teams having a real go towards the end, it was the home side who managed to get their all-important fifth through Didi Dublin-Green, ensuring they moved within two points of their visitors.

• In a match where both teams had lots of chances, Edinburgh City 19s took three of theirs to beat Leith Athletic 3-1 in a league fixture. Ryan Borthwick twice and Tommy Walker were the scorers for City, while Andrew Dempster scored a late free kick for Leith. Athletic gave as good as they got in a competitive fixture and created plenty of chances, but after conceding early they were always open to the counter attack. The result leaves Leith in third while City, who have only lost once, are back in ninth but have several games in hand on all the other teams.