St Cadoc's bring Scottish Cup to Newton Mearns
Syngenta Juveniles 2 St Cadoc's YC 4
Two goals apiece for Kieran Boubekri and Ross MacDonald fired St Cadoc’s to Scottish Cup glory in Airdrie at the weekend.
The under-19s lifted the Scottish Cup with an early goal in each half to bring the silverware back to East Renfrewshire.
A defensive blunder between Syngenta defender Grant Forrester and keeper Mark Gordon allowed Boubkeri to slam in the opener just seconds after the game began.
Syngenta kicked it off and were doing likewise a minute later one goal down.
Bustling forward Boubkeri caused problems for the Grangemouth-based Dyes, but it was a complete performance from St Cadoc’s.
Syngenta’s best chance came from a clipped free-kick after 19minutes by Robbie McCafferty but it struck the crossbar with Kalvin Graham rooted to the spot.
McCafferty would go one better later in the game, but not before St Cadoc’s had extended their lead.
The sides went in with the Eastwood-based side ahead through the fortuitous early strike, but their fluid, and at times patient play more than merited their lead.
Seconds after the restart it was 2-0 for the Saints, with Ross MacDonald tucking in past Gordon and wheeling away with arms outstretched with the second half whistle still ringing in the air.
The Dyes had barely had time to begin their second half fightback to being a goal down when they were two behind, but they did – and quickly.
A sweet strike from Declan McQuillan was an emphatic response and McCafferty followed it with the equaliser, going one better than his free-kick by nutmegging Graham for 2-2.
However, St Cadoc’s patience was rewarded and they calmly regained their lead just after the hour with McDonald’s second of the game. Michael Blues was creator and he thread in a perfectly weighted through ball to match McDonald’s run and he tucked it away.
Back in the lead and comfortable St Cadoc’s held off everything that Syngenta could muster and Blues went close himself before the bustling Boubkeri tee’d up McDonald for a hat-trick chance that went just wide and high of the goal.
He sealed the win late on though, directing the ball beyond Gordon at a strecth and earning St Cadoc’s the under-19 Scottish Cup.