Robbie lob does the job in u14s Willie Bauld Cup Final win

Posted on Wednesday, May 18th, 2016

Spartans Under 14s lifted the South East Region Willie Bauld Cup with a dramatic last minute Robbie Walker winner at Tynecastle Stadium on Tuesday evening against Hutchison Vale.

The two in-form sides locked horns at the home of Hearts in what turned out to be a fantastic advert for youth football in front of a sizeable crowd.

Spartans, who reached the final after a 3-1 win over Tynecastle BC, were looking to get their name on the rather splendid piece of silverware for the first time whilst Hutchie were keen to add to their trio victories.

Both sides came out the traps showing intent to put on an evening of frantic, fast flowing football with the ball being stroked about the vast surface with an appreciation of the occasion.

It was Hutchie who seized the advantage a quarter of an hour into the opening half when Rory Hamilton showed great pace to race into the Spartans box before sending a shot across keeper Harry Stone which nestled in the corner of the goal.

That lead was to last a full five minutes.  A dangerous in-swinging corner from Keir Russell appeared to outfox Dean Beveridge in the Vale six yard box and the goalie could only assist the dead ball effort into the net.

HT: Hutchison Vale 1-1 Spartans

A quick turnaround at the break saw the sides get back into the thick of it and that they did.

Both sides started to utilise the space as the game opened up with the youngsters having to cover a lot of grass on the Premiership League surface.

With the game edging towards the end of the regulatory seventy minutes of play, Spartans came close courtesy of the boot of Kieran Moyles who looked on agonisingly as his hooked effort went inches over the bar.

The sides looked like they were at a deadlock, until a defensive lapse saw the ball break to Robbie Walker who showed tremendous maturity on young shoulders to lob a stranded Beveridge who came out to deny the Spartans player from finding the net, despite the best attentions of the backtracking defender who was desperately close in clearing off the line.

Walker’s joyful celebrations at netting his side’s winning goal on the cusp of the final whistle saw him wrestle with his jersey to get it back over his head – in time to pick up a yellow card.  That couldn’t dampen his, or his side’s elation at the end of what was a hard fought victory over a talented Vale team.

FT: Hutchison Vale 1-2 Spartans

Our man in the stand took some pictures – they can be found on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.999703276744298.1073741861.468126723235292&type=1&l=f8be017c08