YFS
Nairn Bonnar’s second half goal sealed Fairmuir’s place in the final of the Scottish Youth FA Cup as they edged out Ferry Athletic at Tannadice.
Both teams came into the match looking to do what no Dundee team had done since Dundee United SC in 2013 and reach the Scottish Cup final. Not even an early morning sleet storm could put a dampener on two of the city’s top sides.
With a place in Airdrie at stake a repeat of the sides 5-4 league meeting in August was unlikely as both teams searched to assert themselves early on. Ferry’s first chance fell to Mitchell Smith who cracked a volley wide from the edge of the box inside the opening minute.
Nairn Bonnar has been a standout for Fairmuir this season and the pacey forward made his intentions clear when he drove from inside his own half into the Ferry box, but he saw a well hit strike matched by a smart diving save from Ferry’s Connor Milton.
Ferry were getting a lot of joy in the wide areas early on, but Owen McColgan failed to trouble Cammy Hendry with an overhead kick.
For all their possession Ferry were failing to test Hendry in the Fairmuir goal. A low ball across the face of the Fairmuir goal looked certain to provide the opener, but nobody in a yellow shirt was on hand to turn the ball in.
At the other end, Alex Stewart’s ball was collected by Ross Hazel, who looked to have broken the deadlock with a dipping volley from inside the box until Milton leaped to tip the ball over the bar.
Ferry continued to see plenty of the ball but Fairmuir continued to pose a threat on the break. A long ball released Jake Grady down the right only for his cross to not quite fall for Bonnar, who eventually teed up Mark McCrory only for the Fairmuir captain to lash the ball wide from 25 yards.
After a cagey opening the game was beginning to open up and Ferry thought they had broken the deadlock when Jake Stewart swept home from McColgan’s pass only to see the linesman’s flag raised for offside.
Fairmuir went close through a dipping strike from Bonnar before failing to capitalise on a poor goal kick from Milton. Hazel and Grady appeared to leave the loose ball for each other before Hazel played in Grady, who failed to hit the target with his effort.
With half time approaching Fairmuir’s Alex Stewart brought the ball out of defence before shooting wide after neat interplay with Jamie Timmons.
Ferry’s final chance of the first half fell for Greg Breen who swept his shot wide from the edge of the box after good play down the Ferry right. In injury time Rory Jagusinski teed up Grady, but he dragged his effort wide.
