Youths: Last-gasp Currie Star 14s salvage point against Salvesen

Currie Star 14s were repaid for their never-say-die attitude at Forrester High School

It was a tentative start to the game at Forrester High School from both sides as Salvesen and Currie took time to settle into the league game. Initially, Salvesen looked the slightly more threatening of the two teams. Jordan Toni went closest in the opening ten minutes as he ran through one-on-one with goalkeeper Matthew Laidlaw to beat. But with just the Currie No.1 standing in his way, the striker’s effort was well saved by Laidlaw down low to his right.

As the half progressed there was little to separate the two. Currie started to come more into the game with 20 minutes played and they started to string some well-worked passing moves together. Struan Martin and Zack Neil looked lively in the final third but just as it looked like an opening would come, Salvesen shut Currie out with some determined defending.

It looked like Currie would struggle to get on the scoresheet with Salvesen keeping it tight at the back but they had a golden opportunity to break the deadlock before half-time. A low ball in from Martin fell to Callum Walker in the area. With little time to react he hit an instinctive shot at goal but keeper Reece Purves was alert to match the shot with a save.

With the opening 35 minutes almost up Salvesen looked the more likely to open the scoring. However, in the final third they just lacked a cutting edge pass when it mattered and so Currie weren’t going to go behind before the interval.

It was still all to play for, for both sides, going into the second 35 minutes. The first half had shown encouraging signs from Salvesen and Currie in attack but they both just lacked that little bit of quality in the final third.

It was a similar tale in the opening stages of the second half with both missing that cutting edge when it mattered. Ten minutes into the second half it looked for all the world that Currie would get themselves ahead, however. From a Salvesen attack, Currie broke forward with pace as Ben Flockhart charged down the left past player after player. He delivered a low cross into the opposition box but somehow, from five yards out, Martin put his shot over the crossbar.

With 15 minutes remaining the game was still firmly in the balance with either team looking likely to score. There had been a lack of quality up front when required from both sides but into the closing stages Salvesen produced a bit of magic when it mattered. Aiden Kay received the ball on the edge of the Currie box and he hit a majestic strike that flew into the roof of the opposition net, to make it 1-0.

With a goal to their names, Salvesen looked keen to add another but twice they were denied by some fine saves by Currie keeper Laidlaw. First, Christopher Spence was denied by the man between the sticks before Kai Haigh forced a second fine save from Laidlaw.

It looked like Salvesen would hold on for the win but late on the saves from Laidlaw would prove to be crucial as Currie picked up a point with the last kick of the game. A free-kick in from the right fell to Reece Marjoribank at the back post and he hammered in a late equaliser. With that, referee Green called time on the game to ensure both sides would settle for a point.

Salvesen 14s: Reece Purves, Kai Haigh, Ryan Cornet, Connor Currie, Michael Jamie, Callum Maccusker, Scott Liddle, Dylan Callander, Jordan Toni, Daniel Haugh, Zach Mutch, Ross Byrne, Christopher Spence, Martin Watt, Aiden Kay

Currie Star 14s: Matthew Laidlaw, Jack Sutherland, Reece Marjoribank, Max Donaldson, Coll Dracup, Calum McKendry, Cameron Elmslie, Ben Flockhart, Zack Neil, Josh I’Anson, Cameron Scaife, James Vair, Michael Cantle, Callum Walker, Calum Gourlay, Struan Martin, Tom Borley, Steven Logan