YFS
Spartans U13's took on Hutchison Vale U13s for a chance to get in to the SPORTSassist cup final. The game started brightly with both teams battling for possession. James Gordon of Hutchison Vale showed early on that he was to have a big impact on this game. “Hutchie’s” number 12 was involved early on as he attempted to thread a through ball towards Davies, only good defending from Spartan’s Pearson stopping a real chance from forming.
As the game progressed both teams exhibited good passing moves, Kyle Dempster and Jack Crombie were particularly impressive. Their interlinking play created a good chance for Spartans when Dempster, having created some space for himself down the wing, played a clever ball to Crombie who shot just over the Hutchie bar.
As both teams wrestled for possession of the ball there was good team defending from both sides. There was also strong battling in the midfield, in particular from Pearson of Spartans and Stewart of Hutchie, who both chased down the ball and looked to frustrate the opposition keeping the score level. Chances would however fall for both teams towards the end of the first half.
First it was Davies for Hutchie who was unlucky not to put Gordon in to a scoring position with a great through ball, which moved just too fast for the forward and was collected by Stone in the Spartans goal. Spartans responded well however stringing some good passes together in the midfield before the ball was picked up by Jordi Yewdale who made a darting run along the left side before delivering a great zipped cross in to the box. Yewdale can count himself unlucky that on that occasion there were no takers for Spartans, the ball instead being blasted clear by Jonny Gordon in the Hutchie defence.
Hutchie were to create the best chance of the game shortly afterwards with danger- man James Gordon latching on to a ball played up from the midfield and hitting a powerful shot at Stone in the Spartans goal. The goalie blocked the effort but had Troup to thank as he cleared off the line for Spartans to keep the game level.
With chances created for both sides it was Spartans who finished the half strongest and this led to the opener just before the half time whistle. A well worked set piece saw a corner delivered low, the ball falling to Spartans Robbie Walker who tested Hutchie keeper McFadden and made no mistake with the rebound to make it 1-0 Spartans going in to half time.