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Mark Tomassi 0131 468 1354

Sunday 11th October 2009.

Leith Athletic 4, Edina Hibs 2, in under-13 Lothian Buses League fixture at Leith Links.

LEITH Athletic played great football on their way to a thoroughly deserved 4-2 win against the crack Edina Hibs side in their Lothian Buses under-13 league fixture at sunny Leith Links. The home side looked really up for this game against John Hall’s highly regarded squad and Leith Athletic never looked back after going in to a 3-1 lead in the first half. Edina were never allowed to get their own passing game going as the eager home players attacked the ball in every area of the big pitch at the Links. It was a terrific show from the local club’s under-13s and they were fortunate enough to have better players on the day. They opened their account when they went 1-0 up in the 3rd minute when Ryan Currie, who had a wonderful game for Leith Athletic, fired a brilliant shot past Edina Hibs keeper, Christopher Burt. Three minutes later, the rampant Leith side were on target again, with Kai Wilson picking up a quite exceptional pass out of defence, before running free of his marker to stick the ball in the back of the Edina net. What was happening here, I asked myself? Edina were being outplayed and oufought by Leith Athletic and even worse was to come for the visitors. After going 2-0 behind, Edina did well to take the game to the other end of the big pitch with Ryan Smith prominent in the attacks on the home goal, but the Leith defence looked well up for the challenge from the wee Hibees! Edina continued to mount good attacks but they ran in to a virtual ‘brick wall’ when they reached the Leith goal. Home goalie, Ben Falconer was in great form and the Leith defence were outstanding in this game. Edina Hibs just could not get past them to notch a goal of their own, although they were unlucky when Josh Inglis sliced the ball wide from a good position. Another Edina attack in which Ryan Smith and Connor Dyet were prominent was sent packing by the no-nonsense Leith defenders. Ben Falconer then did well to keep the ball out in another raid on his goal, with Ryan Smith combining with Connor Dyet again - but they were left disappointed once more. Edina had a good spell of play but they always looked suspect in defence when Leith mounted their quick breaks out of their own half of the pitch. Kai Wilson was in terrific form as the front runner and he had another chance to score again, but his shot went straight at Christopher Burt this time. The very busy Edina goalie then had to sprint off his line to boot the ball clear to deny Kai Wilson yet again. It was super play from Leith with Ryan Currie outstanding on the right when he set off on runs at the Edina goal. In the 26th minute Ryan Currie won the ball again and he simply outpaced Jake Owens to cut in from the right in to the 18yd box to blast the ball past Ben Falconer to take the score to 3-0 for Leith Athletic. Ryan Currie was in rampant form and he raced in again from the right, but slammed his shot in to the sidenet instead of passing the ball to a waiting team-mate in front of goal. William Noble headed a free-kick over the Leith goal as the visitors mounted a fight-back and they got their reward for their hard work when they scored a very good goal to make it 3-1. The ball was switched from Paul Kennedy to Jake Owens then on again for Alex Fotheringham to set up Cameron Jeffrey to knock the ball past Ben Falconer. That was a very well created goal but Edina were let off the hook again when Ryan Currie went off on another searing run in from the right, but the ball went behind for a goal kick in this move and it was still 3-1 at half-time in a game expertly controlled by James Sim, a very popular referee indeed. Edina had the advantage of the wind in their favour in the second half, but it did not do them much good it has to be said. Leith were much the better side in this game. Ryan Smith went close to adding another goal to the tally of the Leith side with a magnificent left-foot curling shot from the right of the goal that skimmed over the bar. When Edina got near the Leith goal, they found Mason Duncan waiting for them and the Leith No 4 was another star in the home ranks, with brilliant reading of the game. The home side looked very confident when on the ball and they went in to 4-1 lead in the 7th minute of the second half with Jake Barclay hitting the target to finish off another excellent passing move by the home combine. Edina again hit back and a great corner on the right from Colin Parrott in to the danger area of the home goal, brought out a very good save from Ben Falconer who dived low to his right to deflect the ball away - but there were no Edina Hibs players up to take advantage. The visiting side were caught offside several times before Cameron Jeffrey won the ball on the right, but the move ended with another corner kick. This all-action game continued with a shot from Edina’s Alex Fotheringham being blocked, while the ever-dangerous Kai Wilson sent another shot wide of the Edina goal. That was followed by another good effort from the same player and it was well held by Christopher Burt. Colin Parrot continued to send in good crosses from corners on both sides of the pitch, but none of them caused any problems for the home defence. But Edina did get another goal near the end when a super free-kick from Lewis Mackay - nice name, that - was finished off by Aarron Hogg to make it 4-2. Would Edina score again to set up a grandstand finish to a great game? Well, Ben Falconer again had to come off his line to clear the danger once again and, at the other end, Ryan Currie delivered a great ball in to Kai Wilson and the Leith marksman looked set to score another goal for the home side, but he took too long this time to make up his mind and Christopher Burt managed to win the ball and clear. That was the last action of a smashing under-13 game of football between two very good squads and in front of a great turnout of spectators at the Links. It was,, indeed, an excellent way to spend a Sunday morning in the sunshine in Leith.

Leith Athletic - Ben Falconer, Mason Duncan, Jake Barclay, Kai Wilson, Peter Tillwright, Daniel Tomassi, Patrick Ryan, Tthan Nicolson, Aaron Murrell, Chris Robertson, Jack Smith, Matthew Graham, Chris Slater, Ryan Currie.

Edina Hibs - Christopher Burt, Colin Parrott, Brandon Torrance, Maurice Marwood, Tom Alexander, Paul Kennedy, Ryan Smith, Cameron Jeffrey, Connor Dyet, Josh Inglis, Aaron Hogg, Jake Owens, Lewis Pugh, William Noble, Lewis Mackay.

Referee - James Sim.