SUPERB SEVENTEENS CRUISE TO VICTORY

Hutchison Vale 17s 4-0 Edinburgh United

League Division 1, Round 6.

Hutchison Vale 17s vs Edinburgh United, Wardie, 3^rd November 2007, 2pm kick-off.

If this were a boxing match it would never have occurred as the difference between the teams was akin to a heavyweight champ taking on a flyweight amateur. Hutchy produced one of their best displays in an already impressive season to leave United reeling long before the end.

Referee James Simm got proceedings underway on a cold afternoon and Vale didn’t take long to warm up whilst United appeared sluggish from the start and struggled throughout to make an impression on the match.

Hutchy’s first crack at goal came from Ross Milne who saw his shot clip the base of the post after a fine run, although Vale were slow to get back and relied on a fine Challum Manson tackle to neutralize the threat posed by United’s Stephen Griffin.

Paul Cameron attempted an ambitious looping effort from 30 yards out but failed to test Daniel Mackenzie in the United goal who held easily. Vale’s concise passing was threatening to tear open United’s pedestrian defence.

James Guy burst into the opposing box and after taking a touch saw his shot slide across the face of goal where a defender came millimetres away from putting through his own net.

Edinburgh United almost had the temerity to score the opening goal after 15 minutes. United’s long ball approach was causing little concern to Vale but on this occasion Craig Dunlop collected a long ball and shot wide from a few metres under pressure from the Vale defence.

Challum Manson almost scored a wonder goal after 20 minutes. He picked up the ball inside his own half and set out on a powerful run and after evading three tackles unleashed a great shot from the edge of the box that Mackenzie did well to push out for a corner.

Hutchy were starting to dominate and their irresistible passing play could not be denied for long. Both wingers, Weatherburn and Guy, were stretching the United rearguard. Guy was terrorising United down the right channel and after some slick passing the ball broke to Paul Cameron who spun in the box to send a shot past Mackenzie and give Vale the goal their play merited.

The disparity between the coaching philosophies of both teams was evident. Where as United continued to launch long hopeful balls Vale kept it on the deck and some of their one touch passing was scintillating.

Vale’s whole team was working as a cohesive unit and were rarely troubled by United’s tactics although Griffin posed a threat when he had the ball at feet. He saw a strong shot well saved by Adam Lewis after 40 minutes after latching onto a long ball and shooting from a tight angle.

The start of the second half saw a chance fall to Edinburgh’s Christopher Ross who glanced wide from a cross ball. Then moments later another United chance went begging as Griffin blazed over when through on goal. It was to prove a false dawn for United as Vale exploded and United imploded in five spectacular minutes.

Hutchy scored their second after 48 minutes when Steven Loughrie shot low past Mackenzie from 10 yards after some good midfield play from Vale.

This was just the start as only two minutes later the ball was once again nestling in the United net. Loughrie picked up a pass from Cameron and showed a cool head to round the keeper and roll the ball in from a tight angle and make it 3-0.

He wasn’t finished there and must have really wanted the match ball because the hat-trick wasn’t long in coming. Loughrie surged into the box and collected a neat pass to shoot past the keeper and cap a memorable five minutes in which he capitalised on good team play to emphatically end the match as a contest.

United’s players appeared shocked at the speed of their collapse but didn’t in fact do too much wrong except have the misfortune to play a Hutchy side that was flying and their manager must have been pleased at the manner with which they dismantled United.

Vale were not content with the 4-0 score line and continued to press for more goals. James Guy came closest with an audacious effort from an acute angle near the goal-line. His shot rebounded off the post to Cameron who saw his thunderous effort blocked.

Vale should have had a penalty after an hour when Mark Weatherburn was pushed whilst attempting to get a head to the ball. A clear scoring opportunity had been denied them and it is interesting to ponder what the referee’s decision would have been had it occurred at the other end. Vale’s healthy lead prevented too much complaint.

Norman Lawson switched to attack when Cameron came off and along with Guy continued to cause problems for the away team. Guy in particular was unlucky not to score because his overall play deserved a goal.

Jordan Said almost snatched a goal for Edinburgh in the final seconds of the game. He hit a tremendous shot from well outside the box that dipped viciously but was well held by Adam Lewis.

It was a despondent United who trudged off at the end whilst Hutchy were justifiably ecstatic with the score line and their performance which was brilliant at times and showed just how effective it is to adopt a style of play that emphasises passing and mobility.