Five-star performance by Pupils Under 17s side
Last Sunday the Pupils Under 17s travelled to play Giffnock SC Blacks in their first away tie of 2022 in the Glasgow and District Youth Football League Division One.
A five-star performance by the team and a five-goal scoring spree by top goal scorer Calum Ellis saw off the challenge of the Glasgow side.
With a couple of late calloffs, Scott Oman started in goal with Lorne Paterson playing centre half while Kyle Paterson made a welcome return to right midfield after three months out with injury.
With 18 minutes gone the home side took the lead when a quick interchange of passes at the edge of the box caught the Pupils defence napping and the Giffnock midfielder rushed in to show the ball home.
Scott Oman then produced a superb save from a 25-yard free kick to keep the deficit to one.
A through-ball from Euan Dott found Calum Ellis who outpaced the Giffnock defence before rounding the keeper and slamming the ball home from a tight angle.
With 10 minutes of the half remaining the Glasgow side made it 2-1 from the penalty spot before Ellis made it 2-2 within three minutes.
A free kick awarded to the Ardshiel Hotel-sponsored side 20 yards out was expertly lifted up and over the wall and into the net giving the home keeper no chance.
The Pupils started the second half more positively and began to dominate spells of the game and were rewarded with a penalty in the 61st minute after a hand-ball in the box.
Ellis stepped up and slotted the ball home to grab his hat-trick.
Five minutes later it was 4-2 with an excellent team goal building from defence into the midfield finding Ellis, who played a lovely one-two with Ryan Shields that sent him clear and the Pupils striker made no mistake once again.
Credit to Giffnock who never gave up and made the last 15 minutes a nervy affair when they pulled one back.
K Paterson and L Paterson were unlucky not to score for the Pupils with fine efforts but it was Ellis who grabbed the fifth that killed the game.
A great free kick from Scott Graham resulted in what will no doubt be the most fortuitous goal this season as the keeper rushed out to punch the ball only for it to cannon off Ellis’s back and into the goal.
Another fantastic win which sets up another massive game this Sunday (January 30) for the 2005s as they welcome Cambuslang Rangers 2005s to Campbeltown for the first time.
Another stern test after the Kintyre side won the earlier exchange in the season fighting back from 5-2 to beat the Glasgow side 6-5 with 17 minutes to go.
Kick-off is 2.15pm on the 3G AWP Kinloch Green.