Tynecastle under-17s claimed the Prisoner Officers Cup after a dominant performance saw them cruise to a 4-1 victory over Edinburgh City at Patie’s Road on Saturday afternoon.
The Saughton side settled into the match almost immediately as central midfielders, Lewis Gill and Ciaran McKenzie, started a flowing passing move which resulted in an inviting ball being sent into the box, calling the Edinburgh City goalie into early action – a warning for City and a sign of things to come from Tynie.
City were given another warning as a move orchestrated by the impressive Findlay Paxton saw Martin Maughan’s cross fly narrowly over the head of fellow wide-man, Daniel Purves.
Tynecastle only had to wait 10 minutes before their bright start was rewarded with a goal.
Paxton fed a delightful ball through the left for Maughan whose initial effort from just inside the box was blocked by Dean Shearsby, but the keeper was unable to stop the winger’s follow-up strike.
A strong Wallace Jennings run a quarter of the hour in won City their first corner of the game as they sought to draw even. Alistair Hogg delivered from the right but his ball was dealt with at the near post by Daniel Purves.
Shearsby was quick off the line to deny Owen Winnik after he was fed by Paxton, as Tynie looked to add a quick second. Paxton and Winnik combined well again twenty minutes in only for a vital Ryan Foggo interception to snuff out the danger.
At the other end, City appeared poised to call Tynecastle keeper Ross Coats into action after Jennings made a run into the box but Ciaran McKenzie tracked back well and put in a tackle to deny the City man a clear shooting chance.
James Parker shot straight at Coats before hardworking frontman Jason Whitehead fired wide with City beginning to create more scoring opportunities.
With 10 minutes remaining in the half, Paxton’s excellent display was rewarded with a goal.
The quick feet of Maughan took him past a couple of City defenders before he delivered a ball into the six-yard box for Paxton to coolly tap in.
The second goal put Tynie in firm control of the game and their confidence was evident in the way the entire team, goalkeeper included, appeared very comfortable with the ball at their feet. Three minutes before the break, a solo effort from Purves came crashing off the inside of Shearsby’s near post before being cleared to safety.
Tynie’s third goal did come before the half when center-back Andrew Lickley finished off a move he had started himself. The defender ventured with the ball deep into the City half and played a ball out wide to Maughan. The winger got his second assist of the game when Lickley, in true poacher style, tapped in the cross for Tynie’s third.