Braidhurst 5 Largs Academy 1
Braidhurst under 15s moved into the last 8 of the Scottish Shield after a fine display against a well organised Largs team.
The game started off with both teams sizing each other up, which saw the majority of the play taking place in midfield. The home team finally broke the dead lock after some fine play by Jake Hastie which led to him darting into the Largs’ penalty box only for him to be brought down. The same player picked himself up and calmly slotted home the awarded spot kick.
Braidhurst were missing two of their regulars in defence due to injuries but their replacements, Dillon McCreath at centre half and Darren Wilson at right back slotted in well keeping the Largs strike force at bay.
The Scottish Shield holders soon doubled their lead when Ryan Watt played a high ball over the defence which the goal keeper fumbled and dropped right at the feet of Watt who had followed in behind the ball giving him an easy finish.
Largs Academy started to come more into the game and were causing problems for Braidhurst in the middle of the park. To try and counter this the home team switched formation to the classic 4-4-2 with Ryan Watt and the lethal Dylan Falconer leading the line. As Braidhurst were settling into the new structure Largs managed to find the breakthrough they were looking for and just on the stroke of half-time they made it 2-1.
The second half saw Braidhurst starting to look surer of themselves and soon settled into their trade mark passing moves, one of which saw a ball knocked through to Falconer. Despite the Largs’ defender having a three metre start on him, Falconer’s amazing pace soon saw him pass the defender before he cracked the ball low and hard into the keeper’s right hand corner restoring the home side’s two goal advantage.
From this point on Braidhurst were never troubled and Falconer soon doubled his own tally with an impressive diving header from a Jake Hastie corner.
With the game in its dying moments the unlucky Largs keeper spilled a long range shot which Nick Mullen raced onto and helped himself to a goal and seal Braidhurst’s place in the Quarter-finals.
