Award goes to whole team after gutsy show

Syngenta ............... 4 Riverside Athletic.. 2

Riverside U17s were in Scottish Cup action on Saturday with the unenviable task of facing last season’s treble winners Syngenta.

The home side started strongly and immediately called Kyle Middleton into action in the Riverside goal, however the big keeper saved well.

Syngenta were passing the ball around well, however Riverside’s midfield trio of Harry Thomson, Lewis Morrow and Jordan White were taking control and Cammi Cirilo and Garry Laird were pressing the full backs on the flanks.

And on 15 minutes it was White who played Laird through to cross for Kobe Furzer to give Riverside the lead.

Riverside could have gone twoup but the home keeper saved well from a Morrow shot in 20 minutess. However number two arrived shortly aftr when Cirillo’s cross was headed home by Furzer.

The favourites were reeling but in a five-minute spell just before the break, Syngenta grabbed two goals to keep the tie alive.

Syngenta were marginally the better team in the second half as Riverside tired and two further goals gacve them a 4-2 lead.

Riverside refused to buckle and in the closing minutes Furzer was unlucky when a great chance to set up a grandstand finish passed him by while in the last minute Morrow lobbed the keeper only for the ball to be cleared off the line.

Manager Grant Stobbart refused to single out one player for man of the match and instead awarded the GDWM award for this week to the entire team for putting in a great shift and magnificent performance.