St Peters lifted the Scottish Youth FA Cup despite being three goals down with just 15 minutes of normal time left to play. The remarkable comeback saw the Saints defeat a bitterly-disappointed Syngenta Juveniles, who cannot help but wonder at what could have been.

Syngenta kicked off but it was St Peters who would dominate the opening 15 minutes. The first chance of the match fell to Saints’ Darren Rafferty following a short corner. Rafferty turned his defender and fired a shot straight at opposition keeper Ryan Dick.

Rafferty then came close from another corner, this time taken long. Lewis McGregor floated the ball into the box where Rafferty headed narrowly over from eight yards.

Immediately after Rafferty then showcased his impressive athleticism with a powerful run from the left-back position, driving through the Syngenta midfield before firing a tame effort from 30 yards.

The next chance fell once again to Rafferty after he sprinted down the left wing, cut inside at the edge of the box before fizzing a right-footed shot wide of the far post.

Syngenta’s first chance manifested when centre-forward Finlay Malcolm charged from midfield into the St Peters box, sliding in Jamie Stewart who tamely prodded the ball towards Jacob Pazikas.

Syngenta then took the lead when Malcolm sprinted through for a one-on-one with Pazikas who parried Malcolm’s effort wide, when Stewart tapped the ball into an empty net from a tight angle. Until this point, St Peters had conceded a solitary goal in their entire cup run.

Jamie Lapsley came close to doubling Syngenta’s lead after a high corner from William Seagust fell at his feet but the ball struck his standing leg and rolled out harmlessly for a goal kick.

The Saints then came close to equalising shortly before half-time. McGregor got on the end of a long ball down the left wing and passed infield to central midfielder Robbie Scullion, who then slipped an inviting ball across the face of the Syngenta goal but the defence managed to clear the ball to safety.

St Peters got the second half underway but it was Syngenta who scored just minutes after kick off. Malcolm got on the end of a through ball into the box when he rolled the ball past the onrushing Pazikas into the bottom right corner.

The Syngenta celebrations would prove to be short-lived however, as just two minutes later St Peters pulled a goal back. Left winger Blair Devine chipped the ball into the box from the left and Saints striker Taylor Fadian demonstrated great composure as he rounded the goalkeeper and prodded the ball into the empty net.

Malcolm then restored Syngenta’s two-goal cushion following a one-on-one with Pazikas. Lapsley weighted a lovely through ball when Malcolm received it and calmly slotted the ball into the bottom left corner with the outside of his left foot.

The young striker then sealed a perfect hat-trick following Seagust’s corner. Malcolm used his superior height to head the ball into an unguarded goal after Pazikas missed the ball.

With just 15 minutes left, St Peters fans could be forgiven for thinking the match was over. In what proved to be the game-winning decision, Saints manager John Dalziel moved Rafferty from left-back to centre-forward.

Rafferty used his superior height and strength excellently and tormented the Syngenta defence throughout the match, and was rewarded with a goal after showing impressive composure. The forward got on the end of a chipped ball into the box when he lightly lifted the ball over the keeper and tapped into an empty net.

A set piece ten minutes from time reduced the Syngenta lead to a single goal as St Peters were roared on by their fans. McGregor played a corner short to Rafferty, who the returned it to McGregor at the corner of the box. The winger took one glance at goal before firing a high curling shot that hit the inside of the post, rolled agonizingly across the line then going in off the other post.

The extraordinary comeback was completed with just two minutes left on the clock after St Peters were awarded a free kick on the right side of the pitch 25 yards from goal. Left-footer Devine curled a high cross into the box that beat everyone and sailed into the Syngenta goal.

Saints players and fans were overjoyed and two players were booked for over-celebrating in the aftermath of the goal that sparked pandemonium in the stand.

Syngenta then came close to winning the cup following a messy stramash in the box. The ball eventually fell to Malcolm, who cut inside but fired his shot over the bar.