U17’s League and Rotary Cup winners Threave Rovers were crowned Ryedale Cup champions after a tense penalty kick victory over Heston Rovers following a 2-2 draw at the David Keswick Centre in Dumfries.

The match started tentatively with both teams winning corners in the early minutes and defences coping well.  Hugh McDavid in the Threave goal made the first save of note as Jack Coupland drove into the area before having his effort saved. 

Heston started to take control of the match and created a couple of half-chances before Threave’s Robert Middleton managed to wriggle free after a corner before blazing his shot high and wide.

This was to be Threave Rovers’ best effort of the half as Heston dominated for much of the first period.

The Heston pressure finally told as they took the lead through striker Kieran McKie.  Connor Paterson hit a long pass over the top of the defence which was taken down nicely by Elliot Kirkwood who then played in McKie, the striker took the ball around the goalkeeper before slotting home.

The goal gave Heston confidence and they continued to test the Threave backline with McKie having another couple of efforts before Elliot Kirkwood had a real chance stopped by McDavid in the Threave goal.  A Threave defender was slow to clear the ball and Kirkwood nipped in to steal the ball and find himself one-on-one with the ‘keeper but he couldn’t find a way past.

Half-time was nearing as another promising attack by the Dumfries side found Jack McQueen in down the right but his low effort could only find the side-netting.

As the half-time whistle went, Heston were very happy with their performance so far as they had made nearly all of the running and really deserved to be more than one goal ahead whilst Threave Rovers had yet to turn up.

Threave started the second half in better form and after Heston’s Connor Paterson had tested the goalkeeper with a free-kick they began to play their way into the game.  Robert Hughan was found in the box with a cross from the left but could only head wide before Robert Middleton’s cut-back gave Hughan another opportunity but Callum Latimer in the Heston goal blocked well before the ball was cleared.

The Castle Douglas side continued to press and got their reward after a corner was cleared and ended up at Nathan Taylor’s feet, the substitute had an effort from the edge of the box which found its way past the goalkeeper.

The pace of goalscorer Taylor was worrying the Heston defence and he was in behind again soon after his goal but his volley sailed over the crossbar.  Threave were really starting to turn the screw and Middleton had another chance as he found his way through the defence on the right but his shot was smashed into the side-netting.

Both teams had half-chances before the final whistle but neither could find the winning goal and extra-time beckoned.

The match was the definition of a game of two halves and both teams might have felt they had done enough to win the trophy.

End of 90 minutes: Heston Rovers Under 17s 1-1 Threave Rovers Under 17s

Extra-time started in the same fashion as the second half had ended with Threave pressing as Middleton was played in on the keeper right at the start but his attempted lob was stopped by Callum Latimer and then the same striker fired an effort wide of the post soon after.

Heston managed a few shots but all from range and none really threatened McDavid in the Threave nets.

The second half of extra time began with Threave again threatening this time from a corner and then taking the lead with Taylor scoring his second of the game after coming on as a second half substitute.  Liam O’Shaughnessy played the ball over the top for the pacy striker to run onto before firing a first-time left-foot shot into the far corner.  It didn’t look like Heston were going to be able to get back into the game but the goal brought them into life.

Connor Paterson found the ball at his feet in a crowded penalty area but after moving the ball onto his right-foot he fired his shot over.  Heston Rovers might have thought this would be their last chance but the resulting goal-kick was blocked by Bryce Wilson who remained calm to slot the ball into the corner.  It was a stroke of luck for the Dumfries side as Wilson had been sent up from the back to act as an extra forward to get his team back into the game and he did just that.

Threave attacked straight from the kick-off and almost regained the lead but the shot was blocked and Heston survived.

Heston Rovers’ Kieran McKie had the best effort of the remaining time as he jinked his way past two defenders before firing his long-range effort straight at the goalkeeper.

Full Time: Heston Rovers 2-2 Threave Rovers (AET)

The teams could not be separated after two hours of football and so the game headed to penalty kicks.  Threave were up first and Robert Middleton fired in the opening kick before Liam Kerr evened it up for Heston.  Both teams scored their second penalties before Hugh McDavid in the Threave goal made up for his extra-time blunder to stop Jamie Sneddon’s spot-kick after Nathan Taylor had buried his effort.  Each of the fourth kicks were slotted home before Jamie Galloway stepped up to win the Ryedale Cup for Threave Rovers.