YFS
Bridgend Boys Club in a red top, black shorts and red socks were at home to Stonehouse Boys Club in a blue and white striped top, blue shorts and socks. It was a Central Lanarkshire YFA mid-table clash and the venue for this game was Chryston High School. The visitors came away with the three points after a 5-3 win.
Bridgend set up in a 4-3-3 formation and Stonehouse set up in a 4-4-2 formation. Both captains were rallying their teams as they awaited the referee’s whistle to start the game.
It was a nervy start from both teams and for the first five minutes or so neither team could keep possession of the ball for very long. Bridgend got an early free kick in a promising area. Leo Kelly took it short to Jack Fagan who turned inside and hit a shot but it was blocked and cleared away.
Bridgend kept up the early pressure as Leo Kelly struck a volley behind for a goal kick to Stonehouse.
Stonehouse went in search of the opener as Jack Perry tried a promising ball through to Grant Mitchell but Cameron Campbell slid in and won the ball back for Bridgend before Mitchell could pull the trigger.
Stonehouse broke the deadlock when the ball was cut back across goal for Dean Anderson who finished it off nicely to put the away side ahead.
Stonehouse kept the pressure up as Kyle Hamilton was causing problems for the Bridgend midfield with stepovers, but he couldn’t pick out a pass.
Jonathon Kelly got the ball into feet, turned and cut inside to get a clear shot at goal, but it flew over the crossbar.
Bridgend won a corner, which they took short. Jack Fagan twisted and turned into the box and flicked the ball into the air in hope that a teammate would get onto the end of it but the keeper was first to it.
Hamish Boland tested Sam Williamson by hitting a shot from outside the box but the keeper dealt with it easily.
It was Hamish Boland who seemed dangerous. He was out wide and whipped the ball towards the back post, but a scramble in the six-yard box allowed the goalkeeper Sam Williamson time to pounce onto the loose ball.
Stonehouse went in search of a second goal as Kyle Hamilton won the ball just inside the Bridgend half with a terrific tackle, but he was unable to pick out either of his strikers.
Grant Mitchell picked out Angus Middlemas with a long ball. Middlemas hit the byline and drilled a pass across goal but it was missed by everyone and ran out for a throw in to Bridgend.
Bridgend looked to get an equalizer when they had a corner. Jack Fagan floated the ball towards the head of Hamish Boland, who got a strong head on the ball but Sam Williamson somehow managed to react quickly and get a hand on the ball to stop it from crossing the line, the ball fell to Conlan Maher and he hit a first time shot but Williamson was their once again to make another spectacular save.
Bridgend looked determined to get a goal before the half time break. A great cross form Jonathon Kelly met the head of Conlan Maher but Sam Williamson was able to pull off a brilliant save and keep Stonehouse in lead.
Stonehouse had felt the pressure of Bridgend and wanted some insurance of getting a second goal. Lewis Picken played the ball inside to Grant Mitchell, he cut inside and hit a shot but Ciaran Shaw did well to get down and save it.
Grant Mitchell had the ball for Stonehouse deep inside the Bridgend half. He got the ball to Mathew McFadyen and he cut inside onto his stronger foot and hit a thunderbolt of a strike that flew into the top right corner to double the visitor’s lead right before half time.