Gretna kids are too strong for United

Nov 14 2007 Ayrshire Post

AYR United Football Academy’s under 19s crashed out of the SFA Youth Cup when they fell 5-1 at home to Gretna in the third round on Sunday.

Gretna’s full time training made the difference as two goals in the final five minutes gave the scoreline a deceptive angle. Until then, the United kids were very much in the game.

Ayr took a deserved lead in 12 minutes when new United signing Alastair Woodburn ran on to a superb through ball from Graham Mushet to fire home.

Gretna struck back twice and United were dealt a further blow when Graham Armstrong went off with an injured knee to be replaced by James McLaughlin.

United recovered their composure and Stevie McMillan went close with an angled drive that flashed wide from the edge of the box.

Then just before the break, only a last ditch tackle denied Keir McSorley as he ran onto a Dalziel pass.

United came out in determined fashion at the start of the second half and only three minutes after the restart Woodburn capitalised on a defensive slip but the visiting keeper came to his side’s rescue.

However, Gretna showed them the way and three goals, including one from Maybole boy Nicholas Faulds, swept them clear.

On Sunday, it’s back to league business with a trip to high flying Montrose.

United: Caldwell, Kinnaird, Donaldson, Fletcher, Paterson, Armstrong (McLaughlin 32), McSorley (Thomson 65), McMillan, Dalziel (McDonald 74), Mushet.

The under 16’s fixture against St Johnstone on Sunday was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.

The under 14’s turned in another fine display against Raith Rovers, a side who earlier in the season had given them a difficult match at Maybole.

The improvement was evident for all to see as Marc Dyer hit a hat-trick, Cameron Marlow a brace with single strikes from Jake Simpson, Gary Griffin but the pick of the bunch came from Danny Naismith who scored direct from a corner.

The under 15s played well in their match against Raith but for the second week running paid the penalty for not taking their chances.

Roddy Paterson and Andy Cunningham led the line well and both had good games other than putting the ball in the net. Gareth Armstrong was a stalwart in central defence.

Sunday’s fixtures: SFL U19 League: v Montrose (away); SFA Youth Initiative: U14: free; U15: v Arbroath (a); U16: v QOS (a).