Two late strikes give West Lothian schools’ the points

Nov 19 2009 by Eric MacKinnon, West Lothian Courier

Glasgow Schools ............................... 4 West Lothian Schools ........................5

SHAUN Duncan of St Kentigern’s and Andy Black of Inveralmond were the West Lothian Schools’ heroes this week as they bagged a goal apiece in five frantic final minutes to defeat Glasgow Schools.

West Lothian were trailing 4-3 with the clock counting down before Black levelled for what everyone felt would be for a share of the points.

But Duncan hadn’t read the script and the St Kentigern’s Academy pupil pounced in the final minute to earn all three points and take West Lothian to the top of Group Three.

The two sides were tied at the top of the table going into this match which took place at the Toryglen Regional Football Centre in Glasgow and it only took 120 seconds for the first, of what proved to be nine goals, to fly in.

It was Glasgow who drew first blood when they nodded home a free header from barely six yards.

As the hosts had put ten without reply past Ayrshire in their previous match there were a few concerned faces on the West Lothian bench.

But they refused to buckle and roared back into the match, spurning a couple of decent chances before they did draw level when Duncan was sent scampering clear of the chasing defence and he arrowed the ball home from the edge of the box.

Mark Tighe, another St Kentigern’s pupil, came within inches of giving West Lothian a half-time lead but his drive cannoned back off the post.

Glasgow exploded out of the traps at the start of the second half and grabbed an early goal.

This one came from the penalty spot after keeper Jordan Hamilton, a Linlithgow Academy pupil, hauled down a Glasgow frontman.

West Lothian were back on level terms within four minutes when Jay Doyle, another player from St Kentigern’s, steered home.

West Lothian took the lead for the first time on the hour mark when Doyle pounced again for his second goal inside ten minutes.

It was end to end stuff and Glasgow scored their third of the afternoon with just 12 minutes left to play via a spectacular volley from 10 yards.

Things went from bad to worse for West Lothian as they then fell behind on 81 minutes with another unstoppable 20-yard thunderbolt which seemed to condemn the visitors to defeat.

But up stepped Black to level the match at 4-4 with just five minutes to go before Duncan slammed home a last minute winner for West Lothian.

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 Kentigerns), Shaun Duncan (St Kentigerns), Jordan Hamilton (Linlithgow), Richard Hutton (James Young), Paul Muir (Linlithgow), Blair Robertson (Broxburn), Jay Strang (St Kentigerns), Liam Tierney (St Margaret's), Graeme Thomson (Inveralmond), Mark Tighe (St Kentigerns), Zak Williams (James Young).