‘Burne are up for the cup
Capital side are hit for five as McClure nets stunning hat-trick
Craig Ritchie
Kelburne Men’s second side clinched the District Cup with a well-deserved victory over Grange.
In front of a large home support, Kelburne started off strong and determined to get the first goal.
Youngster Niall Taylor scooped the ball away from two fallen Grange players keeping it in play and stormed up the wing to a sprinting Alan Walker who took a shot but the ball went wide.
The first goal came soon after with great link- up play between Finn Galloway and Rory McClure, allowingthe latter to score his first goal of the game.
Grange pushed for an equaliser and shortly afterwards earned a short corner from the left side of the D, which they slotted home past goalkeeper Logan McClure to draw themselves level.
The equaliser sparked the home side into life and it was one-way traffic with McClure and Galloway linking up before halftime to score another goal each.
The whole team dominated in midfield linking in with all the forwards and overlapping runs from Connor Bain, Fraser Scott and Adam McInnes as full backs.
The second half saw the Kelburne forwards run amok with the Grange defence.
A loose ball in the Kelburne half was secured by McInnes, whose pass picked out Andrew Duff. Duff then spotted McClure in the D and he calmly lifted the ball over the goalkeeper on his reverse stick to secure his hattrick.
Grange, now chasing the game, withdrew their goalkeeper and opted for a kicking back, only to give away a penalty stroke which was swiftly slotted away by Galloway, making it 5-2.
Youngster Cameron McIntyre and a change of goalkeepers saw Matthew Retson enter the field for the last portion of the game.
Retson duly stepped up to the plate as he pulled off some unorthodox saves before eventually being beaten by a drag flick from a resulting short corner, proving just to be a consolation prize for the capital men.
The cup was collected by Stuart Robin and his young boy on what proved to be a great family day for the team and the club.