Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Ferry edge out Forfar West End to lift trophy
FERRY Athletic U/19 came from behind to lift the George Kerr/ Maryfield Cup with a 3-2 win over Forfar West End recently.
Goals from Andy Kelly, Rory Faulkner and Jay Foran separated a double from Forfar’s Owen Wilson.
Manager Stuart McCara was delighted at the mentality his side showed to come from a goal down.
He said: “The boys did well to come back from a goal behind again. We’ve made a habit this season of going a goal behind and coming back to win games.
“Recently we’ve been a goal or two goals down and managed to win, so it shows there’s a good fighting spirit between the guys.
“All credit to Forfar, I thought they made it a good final, like we knew they would. It was a close game when we last played, so it was a great result in the end.”
Forfar keeper Kyle Millar had to be at his best to keep out a snapshot from Arran Smith after 10 minutes. The Ferry midfielder looked to have broken the deadlock but Millar produced a fine save to keep the score level.
Forfar struck first when Wilson met Rhys Fraser’s in-swinging free-kick. The big striker’s header looped over Stewart Linton in the Ferry goal, giving Forfar a deserved lead.
Their good work was nearly undone three minutes later when Alistar Wilson turned a low cross against his own crossbar.
Kelly brought Ferry level in first-half injury time when he converted Smith’s cross from close range.
Millar produced his best stop of the afternoon to deny Kelly after half-time. The Ferry midfielder looped a header towards goal from close range but Millar managed to tip it away to safety.
However, t he keeper was beaten after 54 minutes by Faulkner when he got on the end of a Foran cross to guide the ball into the far corner past the diving Millar to give Ferry the lead.
Foran converted Tom Barnyard’s low cross to extend Ferry’s advantage before Wilson headed i n his second of the afternoon 12 minutes from time. However, Ferry held on to clinch their first piece of silverware of the season.
With a second cup final against Fairmuir Violet to look forward to, McCara is hopeful this success is not a one-off.