Youths beat police in 12goal battle
The inaugural police vs youths five-a-side football match was so successful that there are plans to start a league.
Organised by Kin- tyre’s new youth engagement officer, Karen Cairns, in a bid to promote better and positive relationships between Campbeltown’s youngsters and police officers, the match was played in glorious sunshine last week.
With ‘managers’ PC Cairns for the police team and Mandy Robertson, development worker at the Kintyre Youth Café’s Hub, for the youth team on the sidelines offering support, the match kicked off.
The youth team’s flying start took the game to the less youthful police and they were at least a couple of goals up early on in the first half.
But it was the eldest player on the pitch, Allan Wallace, who broke the police squad’s bad luck, to score their first goal, in competition with his son, Ruairidh, playing for the youth team.
Fantastic footwork from both teams resulted
in several more goals but ultimately the strong feet of the law plodded through the game as the youths held on to their lead to win 7-5.
The youngsters enjoyed the event so much that they want to make these friendly fixtures monthly, and hope to start playing games against Campbeltown’s fire fighters as well.
PC Cairns said: ‘I believe that this is community policing at its best and I hope that
through activities such as these we can build positive relationships with the young people in our community.’
A spokesperson for the Hub added: ‘Huge thanks to the police officers who gave their time for some positive engagement with the young people. Looking forward to the rematch and also a game against the local fire officers.’
To see more of PC Cairns youth engagement work, see page 18.