Tennis: Schoolboys hold nerve

Dec 3 2009 by Eric MacKinnon, West Lothian Courier

WEST Lothian Schoolboys under-18 side earned a hard-fought victory over Ayrshire in their final group match to clinch a place in next month’s quarter-final line-up.

Glasgow had already been confirmed as group winners and only a catastrophic result could deny West Lothian second spot in the group where a draw or even a two-goal defeat would be enough.

So the county football stars took to the impressive 3G pitch at Almswall Sports Centre in Kilwinning in confident mood but within two minutes they had fallen behind.

The opening goal was a calamity of errors with a wind-assisted throw sailing beyond the West Lothian back line and into the net via the hands of keeper Andrew Murphy.

Michael Davidson should have levelled quickly for the county side but his weak shot was easily cleared off the line by the covering defender.

The visiting bench were also insistent they should have had two penalties following two clumsy challenges inside the Ayrshire area including one where Steven Harley was dragged to ground by the last defender with two full handfuls of his shirt.

Worse was to follow for West Lothian as they fell 2-0 in the final minute of the first half meaning just one more goal against them could see them sent spinning out of the Scottish Cup.

The Lothian players were read the riot act at the break and also had a change in personnel with Armadale Academy pupil Ryan Meechan coming on.

And what a substitution it proved to be with the midfield man playing a superb one-two before rounding the last Ayrshire defender and slotting coolly under the keeper.

The goal meant Ayrshire now needed to score another two and it seemed to deflate those in the home camp.

West Lothian drew level 20 minutes from the end when the Ayrshire No.1 spilled a speculative shot from Linlithgow Academy man Andrew Murison which squirmed over the line.

The equaliser meant qualification was now surely secured and as West Lothian relaxed and began to play the ball around they scored a third goal 10 minutes from the again.

Supersub Meechan was again involved as his pinpoint cross was headed home by Darren Downie of St Margaret’s Academy.

In the quarter finals West Lothian will be away to Aberdeen, Lothian (the pair won their respective groups) or the winners of group four who are still to be confirmed.

West Lothian Squad: David Campbell (St. Margaret's), Michael Davidson (James Young), Darren Downie (St. Margaret's), Lee Fairley (Broxburn), Andrew Gould (St. Margaret's), Chris Graham (Whitburn), Steven Harley (Deans), Billy Hutchison (Whitburn), Craig Mahood (James Young), Chris Marshall (Whitburn), Callum McQueenie (West Calder), Ryan Meechan (Armadale), Andrew Murison (Linlithgow), Andrew Murphy (Armadale), Sammy Watson (Deans).

West Lothian Schools' FA would like to thank Ayrshire Schools' FA in general and Bob McWilliams in particular for outstanding match arrangements and post-match hospitality.

Under-15 Inter District Scottish Cup

WHILE the senior West Lothian Schoolboys were making life difficult for themselves in Ayrshire, the under-15 side were on cloud nine in nearby Troon.

The county juniors were in action against their Ayrshire counterparts at the home of Troon Juniors needing just a single point to be sure of topping their group.

But the classy schoolboys showed their hosts no mercy by slamming home nine goals without reply to qualify in dramatic style.

It took the West Lothian boys only 90 seconds to show their desire to qualify with a 100 per cent record when Jay Doyle of St. Kentigern's outpaced the home defence and put the visitors ahead.

Mark Tighe, also from St. Kentigern's, added a second in the 14th minute and West Lothian ended any Ayrshire hopes of a recovery with a further four goals before the break putting the tie beyond any doubt.

Shaun Duncan, the third St Kentigern’s pupil in-a-row on the scoresheet, made it 3-0 before Doyle grabbed a quick-fire hat-trick, taking his first half tally to four.

Shortly after the break John Baylis from St. Margaret's made it 7 - 0 and the West Lothian coaches then made a number of changes partly in order to keep the score down and partly to see how boys would cope with playing in other areas of the field.

Sub Sean McLaughlin from Linlithgow Academy then made a spectacular debut with a goal of outstanding quality to push his claims for a place from the start next time out.

Then Zak Williams of James Young High, the youngest player in the squad, capped a terrific personal contribution by additionally scoring his first-ever representative goal to bring down the curtain on an outstanding West Lothian performance.

West Lothian Squad: Michael Adams (Linlithgow), John Baylis (St. Margaret's), Andy Black (Inveralmond), Andrew Davidson (St. Margaret's), Dean Donaldson (St. Margaret's), Jay Doyle (St. Kentigern's), Shaun Duncan (St. Kentigern's), Jordan Hamilton (Linlithgow), Richard Hutton (James Young), Sean McLaughlin (Linlithgow), Jay Strang (St. Kentigern's), Liam Teirney (St. Margaret's), Graeme Thomson (Inveralmond), Mark Tighe (St. Kentigern's), Zak Williams (James Young).

West Lothian Schools' FA once again thanks Ayrshire Schools' FA in general and Bob McWilliams in particular for outstanding match arrangements and post-match hospitality.