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Bathgate Thistle win Under-13 Tony Macaroni Cup after stunning penalty shootout success over Broxburn Athletic

Broxburn Athletic Colts 3

Sheddon 8, 52, Hamilton 64

Bathgate Thistle 3

Baldock 39, Ross 42, 70+2
  • 3-3 (3-4 on penalties)
  • Sunday, 03 June 2018
  • The Falkirk Stadium
  • Under 13´s
  • Tony Macaroni Cup

Corey Brown was the hero as his penalty save in the shootout saw Bathgate Thistle win the Under-13s Tony Macaroni Cup in a 4-3 penalties win against Broxburn Athletic Colts.

The shootout came after a stunning 70 minutes that saw the entertaining clash finish in a 3-3 draw, whilst the sides also couldn't be settled in extra-time.

Cameron Sheddon bagged a brace as Shay Hamilton scored the other for Broxburn, whilst a double from Matthew Ross added to a Toby Baldock penalty at the start of the second half.

Bathgate started the game looking bright and constantly looking for the run of Ross in behind the Broxburn defence. Twice in the first 10 minutes did the young attacker nearly get in behind, but Broxburn marshalled him well early on.

And it would actually be Broxburn who fired themselves into an early lead on eight minutes. Liam Crook showed some flashy footwork down the left before spotting Sneddon on the edge of the area. Sneddon took a touch before firing low under the arms of Brown and in.

Bathgate responded positively. Ross and Ben Drummond almost burst through, but touches let them down, before Ross slashed an effort wide on the turn in an impressive spell for Bathgate.

As Thistle just couldn't get the ball under control in front of goal in the first half, Broxburn nearly made them pay with 10 minutes remaining in the opening half. Ethan Grant created an angle for himself in the box. He sent a powerful low effort towards the far corner that was well parried by Brown and tapped home on the follow-up by Crook. However, unfortunately for the forward, he was flagged for offside.

And just moments later it should've been 1-1. The lively Toby Baldock collected a deep Evan Curtis free-kick. After darting past his man, Baldock then sent a teasing ball across the face of goal that was nearly met by Ross, but he miss-hit the ball and it went wide.

Bathgate continued to try and apply some late pressure before the end of the half, but other than a Ross strike on the turn, credit must go to Broxburn's defence for keeping Thistle relatively quiet.

  • Half Time:
  • Broxburn Athletic Colts
  • 1-0
  • Bathgate Thistle

If Broxburn made a quick start in the first half with their opener, Bathgate certainly did as they sensationally turned the game on its head within just seven minutes of the second half getting underway.

A corner from Thistle into the area seen the whistle blow after Adam Duncan won a front post header. Despite initial confusion, it seemed to be due to a hand-ball from Duncan's header. Baldock stepped up to send Darryl Little the wrong way.

And just minutes later, the turnaround was complete. Ross and Baldock combined superbly to see the former dart through on goal, and there was never any doubt when Ross powered through as he slotted home with huge confidence.

Broxburn never allowed the heads to drop, and immediately got back to playing football on the deck to try and get back into the game quickly. Kyle Bryce made a lovely pass through to Crook, but he could only find the side-netting after getting an opening on his right-foot.

Bathgate were still getting forward themselves, but the increasing danger of the counter-attack was evident. Broxburn nearly nabbed their equaliser from a swift counter, as Sheddon sent Hamilton away down the right. Crook had made an impressive run into the box, and when the delivery fell to him, he was guilty of miss-hitting the ball wide.

The pressure was growing, but the quality of the equaliser couldn't have been foreseen. There didn't appear to be much on for Sheddon as he collected the ball 25 yards out. However, the attacker spotted the goalkeeper off his line and sent a looping effort over Brown and in for a stunning equaliser.

And that goal would be matched, if not bettered, by a stunning Hamilton strike that put Broxburn back in front 12 minutes later. Grant was one on one against Bathgate's Euan Ospedale, and despite Ospedale doing well to nip it away from the Broxburn attacker - Hamilton was on hand to send a curling effort in at the far post to turn the game around again.

It would be a long six minutes for Broxburn to hold out, and chances came for Bathgate to try and level. It would appear the best of the lot had come and gone when Baldock flicked over a corner from six yards.

However, the individual quality of Ross secured extra-time for Thistle. A long-range effort was parried by Little and straight to Ross. The forward took a couple of touches to set himself up, before hammering low and in at the near post to take this incredible contest to 3-3.

  • Full Time:
  • Broxburn Athletic Colts
  • 3-3
  • Bathgate Thistle
Extra-time would generally come and go without too many incidents. Players started to tire and the pitch started to look big in what was a nervy occasion for all taking part.

There was one moment for Bathgate on the stroke of half-time, when Ross curled an optimistic effort wide from outside the area.

Zane Hall would nearly assist the winner, as his cross for Broxburn went across goal and was scooped over the bar by Grant.

Broxburn would have two further late chances to win it, but a slashed Blair McGinn strike and a Harry Brash curler both flew off-target as penalties loomed.

In the penalty shootout - Ross, Baldock, Ospedale and James Hunter all scored for Bathgate.

For Broxburn - McGinn, Sheddon, and Brash all scored.

Andrew Cormack would unfortunately send his penalty low to Brown's right, who kept it out superbly whilst Duncan would fire well over the bar for Bathgate.

The winning penalty came from Brown's terrific save from Finlay Taylor's well-hit spot-kick. Taylor struck it to Brown's right-hand side, but the Bathgate goalkeeper jumped to his right to beat it away and win the Tony Macaroni Cup for Bathgate.

Final Result: 3-3 (3-4 on penalties)

Lineups

Broxburn Athletic Colts
Bathgate Thistle
1. Darryl Little
2. Logan Beagley
3. Andrew Cormack
4. Fraser Morrison
5. Finlay Taylor
7. Cameron Sheddon
8. Giuseppe Ciacciarello
10. Ethan Grant
11. Blair McGinn
12. Kyle Bryce
14. Shay Hamilton
16. Liam Crook
17. Harry Brash
18. Zane Hall
1. Corey Brown
2. Evan Curtis
3. Rothnie Kinsman
4. Ryan Watson
5. James Hunter
7. Adam Duncan
8. Sean Johnston
9. Matthew Ross
10. Charlie Fry
11. Toby Baldock
12. Adam Bryce
14. Euan Ospedale
16. Ben Drummond
Star Player
Broxburn Athletic Colts
Bathgate Thistle
Cameron Sheddon - Broxburn's star-man was at the double with a couple of terrific goals, and generally led with a battling display that was a constant thorn for Bathgate to deal with.
Matthew Ross - Without Ross, Bathgate wouldn't have won the cup. He led tremendously well from the front with terrific hold-up and combination play. Not to mention his two goals which were clinically taken - especially his late equaliser that kept his side in the cup.
Magic Moment
Broxburn Athletic Colts
Bathgate Thistle
Shay Hamilton's goal is probably the pick of the bunch from a Broxburn perspective. The number 14 was alert to the loose ball from 25 yards out, and he made no mistake when his expertly taken effort flew into the top corner - giving Little no chance.
It would be easy to say Brown's cup-winning penalty, but there was something special about Ross' late equaliser. The game looked dead and buried for Bathgate, but Ross showed incredible composure on the ball to create half a yard for himself and slam home to set-up extra-time.
  • Match report and photos copyright Youth Football Scotland.
Published in National Competitions
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