A second half hat-trick by forward Travis Spencer topped off a superb performance by Ayrshire SFA in the final of the National Trophy at Ochilview Park on Tuesday night.
This looked to be an exciting final. Forth Valley were defending the Trophy they won last season and had won three of their four previous games, scoring 15 goals on the way. Ayrshire had won all four of the qualifying games, scoring 15 goals as well. So, the odds were high for a high scoring game?
A hot, sunny night greeted both sides onto Ochilview Park. Water breaks were certainly needed.
Forth Valley kicked off and started the game on the front foot, pushing Ayrshire back into their half right from the kick off. Calum Gemmill was using his pace to get down the right side and behind the Ayrshire back line.
Slowly Ayrshire began to get back in the game. They increased the intensity of their press and put pressure on Fourth Valley in the middle third of the pitch.
Ayrshire’s Joe Spencer was beginning to get space down the left wing and delivered a number of penetrating crosses into the heart of the Forth Valley six yard box. However, the Forth Valley back line stood up to the challenge.
Ayrshire opened the scoring in the tenth minute when Spencer stepped onto a pass and hit a low shot into the corner of the net from 16 yards out.
Then both sides had to makes substitutions when two played collided and had to go off.
On the 30th minute mark Forth Valley were reduced to 10 men when Sneddon brought down an Ayrshire forward 20 yards from goal. The referee deemed it was a denying a goal scoring opportunity and produced the red card.
A minute later Kay, in goal for Forth Valley, pulled off a superb save diving low to his right to prevent an almost certain Ayrshire goal.
The referee blew for half time with it all to play for in the second half.
Half-time: Ayrshire SFA 1 Forth Valley SFA 0
With the extra man, it was inevitable that Ayrshire would dominate possession in the second half, especially in the heat of a warm night at Stenhousemuir. And that is what happened. Forth Valley had to sacrifice a midfield to plug the gap in their defence by the sending off and Ayrshire exploited that reduction in numbers and began to stretch the Forth Valley side.
Ayrshire doubled their lead in the 57th minute with Johnston scoring from inside the box.
Eight minutes later Travis Spencer scored the first goal of his hat-trick when he fired a shot in from the edge of the six yard box. Keeper Kay got his hands to the ball but couldn’t keep it from crossing the line. Spencer added a second five minutes later.
Despite being four down, Forth Valley kept going and tested the Ayrshire keeper on a number of occasions.
Three minutes from time McDonnell made it 5-0 to Ayrshire when he stepped onto a through ball and lifted it over the advancing Forth Valley keeper into the empty net.
Spencer got his third goal of the night right on time when he outjumped the Forth Valley defenders to head to ball past the keeper into the net.
Full-time: Ayrshire SFA 6 Forth Valley SFA 0
Ayrshire: Corey Armour – Kilmarnock Academy, Joe Spencer – Grange Academy, CJ Johnston – Irvine Royal Academy, Charlie Brown – Belmont Academy, Euan Bowie – Kilmarnock Academy, Bruce Strachan – Grange Academy, Shaun Donnelly – Grange Academy, Nathan Smith – Kilmarnock Academy, Travis Stracey – Largs Academy , Aaron Fairbairn – Kilmarnock Academy, Lennon McDonnell – Kilmarnock Academy, Lewis Allan – Grange Academy, Rohan Harkins – Kilmarnock Academy, Logan Burgess – Kilmarnock Academy, Rhys Ritchie – Belmont Academy , Lennon McBeth – Grange Academy, Evan Edgar – Grange Academy
Forth Valley: Thomas Kay – Graeme High School, Josh Moore – Wallace High School, Finlay Barr, – Wallace High School, Ruraidh Cant – Dunblane High School, Joel Sneddon – Bo’ness Academy, Liam Brown – Dunblane High School, Loui Johnstone – Larbert High School, Calum Gemmell – Dunblane High School, Greg Harrower- Balfron High School, Paul O’Hara – St. Modan’s High School , Callum Scott – Stirling High School, Lachlan Hunter – Dunblane High School, Keiron Northfield.- Dunblane High School, Ross Pincombe – Stirling High School, Rory Currie – Balfron High School, Keevan Brown – Alloa Academy, Lewis McFarlane.- Wallace High School
Ayrshire SFA Starting Eleven
Forth Valley SFA Starting Eleven
