Balloan Thistle produce five-star show to reach SYFA Scottish Cup semi final as they defeat Spartans in Edinburgh
BALLOAN Thistle produced a five-star performance as they thrashed Spartans 5-1 to reach the SYFA Under-18 Scottish Cup semi finals for the first time in their history.
The Under-18 Highland League North outfit outclassed their opponents with a ruthless performance at Ainslie Park in Edinburgh to make the final four of the competition.
However, they had to thank their goalkeeper Harvey Fitzgerald, who pulled off a tremendous save in the opening minutes of the game to stop them falling behind.
But Balloan went in front after just six minutes when Bodhan Campbell connected with a cross from Lewis Gibson to fire past the goalkeeper.
In a tight first half, Fitzgerald was called upon again to make some vital saves to ensure they went into the break with a one-goal lead at half time.
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Balloan stamped their authority in the second half and doubled their advantage in the 53rd minute when captain Aiden Gibb sent in a pass which found Gibson to fire home.
Campbell then made it 3-0 in the 71st minute when he stole the ball off an opposing defender before driving into the box and fired past the goalkeeper into the bottom left corner.
Balloan then killed the game off with three minutes remaining when Ryan Rutherford won the ball in his own half and ran the whole length of the pitch in a counter attack before finding the net.
Frazer Barnie made it 5-0 in injury time with Spartans grabbing a consolation in the dying seconds of the game.
Balloan Thistle will face Rossvale Inter in the semi finals at a neutral venue to be confirmed.
Assistant coach Liam Paterson says it is an incredible achievement for a team from the Highlands to reach the last four of the competition.
He says they are remaining focussed and only looking at who they could face in the semi final before dreaming of lifting the trophy for the first time.
He said: “I don’t think Spartans were expecting that level of performance from us.
“This is a huge result for Balloan, no Highland team has ever been this far in the SYFA Under-18 Cup. It means the absolute world to everyone at the club. Our chairman James Fraser was on the phone afterwards in tears as it means everything to everyone associated with the club.
“To get that far and beat last year’s finalists Westdyke and Thorn Athletic on the way to the semi finals and then beat a team like Spartans, whose senior team is in League Two is an incredible achievement.
“We are not getting too far ahead of ourselves, we will take each game as it comes. We are not looking at the final yet as we are enjoying the occasion.
“But with the team we have got, there is no reason we can’t make the final.”
