Youths: Tynecastle 16s hold nerve to claim cup

Tynecastle 16s celebrate after beating Hutchison Vale to lift the South East Region Cup at Dunbar

The final at New Countess Park, Dunbar was decided from 12 yards – Tynecastle emerging 4-3 winners after the sides couldn’t be separated in the 80 minutes of normal time and 20 minutes of extra-time.

Tynecastle probably felt they should’ve put the match out of sight before penalties, given the number of chances they created.

It was Hutchie, however, who started on top as they forced an early corner which didn’t cause Tynie goalkeeper Jamie MacPherson any problems.

Tynie striker Dale Skinner engineered the first opportunity for his side after eight minutes. He struck his shot well, which took a deflection off a yellow-and-black shirt, and goalkeeper Bryan Cairns had to be alert to tip over.

Hutchie were presented with a free hit at goal some 25 yards out on 17 minutes and winger Kieran Jack took full advantage. He couldn’t have struck the free-kick any better as it arced over the Tynie wall and nestled in the top corner.

Cameron Watson almost added a second minutes later when his effort from a similar distance came back off the woodwork.

Tynie were clearly rattled but they regrouped and grabbed a spectacular equaliser six minutes before half-time. There appeared nothing on for Matthew Brown as he cut in from the left, but he let fly with a stunning strike which flew past Cairns and into the back of the net.

Both sides struggled to carve out chances with the match bogged down in the middle of the park after the break.

Owen Winnick was close to putting Tynie ahead on 56 minutes as he poked an effort just wide of the post with Cairns beaten.

The final was lacking in tenacity which is usually evident in a meeting of these two rivals, with referee Robert White having little to deal with.

Russell Cairns was inches away from putting Tynie in front for the first time with a free-kick from 30 yards out – the ball just dipping over namesake Cairns in the Hutchie goal. The same player could have grabbed the glory four minutes from time. However, his volley from Lewis Gill’s long throw went the wrong side of Cairns’ goal.

Neither side were able to hit a winner in extra-time so the final was decided on penalties where Tynie player Brown scored the decisive kick.

Tynecastle 16s: Jamie MacPherson, Andrew Lickley, Lewis Gill, Ciaran McKenzie, Callum Bremner, Jordan Purves, Gregor Lamb, Daniel Purves, Owen Winnick, Martin Maughan, Matthew Johnston, Russell Cairns, Matthew Brown, Dale Skinner, Todd Teviotdale.

Hutchison Vale 16s: Bryan Cairns, Sean McFarlane, Liam Dalgetty, Ryan Batchelor, Steven Mackay, Ryan Moffat, Jack Temple, Cameron Watson, Grant Rose, Ryan Borthwick, Samuel Walker, Shaun Farrow, Kieran Jack, Jack Murray, Max Gordon-Tennant.