County Cup

Bathgate Thistle CFC 2002s v Linlithgow

Starting 11: Ciaran, Jamie, Callum S, Gaham, Adam, Jack, Shaun, Aidan, Callum G, Owen S, Shea.

It was back to winning and scoring for the Bathgate boys. From the kick off they were on the offensive.

The first goal came in the third minute. Aidan picked a loose ball up in the centre midfield, then released Shea. Shea, as alert as ever, simply drifts past two defenders, rounds the keeper and slips the ball in from a tight angle: 1 – 0.

A minute later, Adam and Graham combined on the left. Graham confidently took on a defender and shot to the keepers near post. However, the ball blasted into the side netting.

Shaun, who has been carrying an injury, brought the game to life in the 10th minute. Demanding the ball on the left side of midfield, Shaun drifted past 4 defenders, then released Adam on the wing. Adam sent a superb swinging ball across the goal, which Callum G only just missed with his flying left foot at the back post.

Owen S, on the right wing, flights the ball to Shea who headed the ball just wide of the stoppers left post.

In 15 minutes, Callum G picked up a loose ball on the  left goal line an passed to Adam who took on 3 defenders inside the box, then let fly with his left foot. The ball broke loose on the left side of goal and out to Graham. Graham shot straight and true and the ball flew past the keeper and into the goal, 2 – 0.

Callum G picked up the ball from defence in the 20th minute. He ran upfield towards the left wing for 30 yds before releasing Adam on the touchline. A perfect pass from Adam landed at the feet of Shea, who shot across the face of the goal and into the net, 3 – 0.

A minute later, Aidan, working hard again in midfield, released Adam who slipped the ball on for Callum G. A quick interchange between the two and Adam slams the ball left footed for 4 – 0.

In 25 minutes a ball that was bouncing around the front of the Linlithgow box, was headed by Shea towards goal. It looked like the keeper had been stranded and goal number five was to be claimed by Shea. However, the ball hit the face of the bar and, to the relief of the keeper, bounced back into play and thumped upfield by a determined defender. However, the cleared ball was picked up by Callum S in his own half. Callum S released Shaun in the centre of the park. Shaun saw Callum G free on his left and slipped the ball straight through two defenders. Callum G then cut inside, picked up Shauns’ perfect pass, took on the advancing stopper and stroked the ball in for 5 – 0.

Three subs, Owen T, Nathan and Lewis came on in 29 minutes. The three immediately combined as soon as they appeared, with Lewis shooting just wide of the keepers right post.

A minute later Nathan, on the left, cut the ball back to Lewis in the centre. Lewis cleverly clipped the ball past the keeper for 6 – 0.

Lewis turned goal scorer into goal provider in the 34th minute. Picking up a loose midfield ball, Lewis cut the ball back for Owen S, who simply slipped the ball into the net for 7 – 0.

HT 7 – 0.

The second half started as the first half finished, withe the Bathagte boys camped in the Linlithgow half.

In the 2nd minute, Lewis, just to the front right of the box, shot towards goal from 20 yds out. A determined defender managed to block the shot, However, the blocked shot looped over the keepers head. Nathan, alert as ever, kept running past the defenders. His determination was rewarded as he tapped the ball in just before the defender could clear it from the goal line, 8 – 0.

Owen T showed some considerable skill in the 5th minute. Taking a run up the right, Owen T spotting the keeper off his line chipped the ball over his head and into the net for 9 – 0.

In 8 minutes, Nathan took a run up the left wing. Cutting in towards goal, Nathan let fly with a fine shot which beat the keeper. However, the keeper took some of the sting out of the shot. An alert defender ran in to clear before the ball crossed the line, however, the ever eager Aidan ensured the goal by tapping in before the defender could clear, 10 – 0.

Shaun, who had been unusually quiet, decided he was going to be more involved. Picking up the ball in the 10th minute on the halfway line, he jigged past several outstretched legs and let loose with his left foot. The ball was drifting just past the post and out for a goal kick. However, Lewis ensured this wasn’t going to happen, as he back heeled the ball in for 11 – 0.

Shaun was obviously determined to score and the 12th minute brought him his goal. His mazy run through the centre of the field, past more outstretched legs and fine shot past a stranded keeper, brought the score to 12 – 0.

Jack who was looking assured in midfield, picked up a ball in the centre of the park. Running forward, Jack slipped the perfect ball to Owen S, who took it in his stride. Without breaking stride, Owen S slotted in a fine shot which nestled in the net for 13 – 0 in 13 minutes.

The ball was 95% in the Linlithgow half of the field, however, when any ball broke into the Bathgate half, Jamie, Callum S and Luke ensured no dangerous ball slipped through as far as Ciaran, or Daniel when he came on, in the Bathgate goal.

In 15 minutes, the Linlithgow keeper was seen off his line by Shea, who chipped the ball over his head and into the net for 14 – 0.

Lewis, in 17 minutes, ran past 2 defenders on the right, cut inside and slotted in for 15 – 0.

Callum G, on the right, takes on several defenders and cuts the ball back to Lewis, who taps in for 16 – 0.

Right on the final whistle, Owen S ran throughout the centre of the defence and slams in for 17 – 0.

FT 17 – 0

By keeping their structure and concentration throughout the game, producing a clean sheet and a fine performance the boys showed they had listened to their coaches.