Livingston FC v SERYFA U15s Regional Squad Match Report

Date: Friday 9th October 2015

Venue: Almondvale 3g Pitch

SERYFA u15s Regional squad went down 4-3 to Livingston at Almondvale with goals from John Robertson, Luke Small and Luke Dixon for the home side with Declan Fulton and Jordan Locke replying for the visitors.

The game was played over three thirty minute periods with the home side dominating the opening third. The first real chance of the game came five minutes in when Fraser Blackie picked the ball up on left side of the box for the visitors and fired in a low drilled shot which was well saved by the feet of Jonathan Wilson in the Livingston goal.

Livingston opened the scoring with their first real attack of the game on eight minutes when John Robertson latched onto a through ball and drove in on goal. He then from the edge of the 18 yard box, lobbed the outrushing Shea Dowie who did manage to get a touch to the ball but could not divert it away from goal.

The Regional squad who were playing their first game together were struggling to get any fluency against a well organised Livingstone side who passed the ball well and had the visitors chasing shadows at times.

The home side doubled their lead on 22 minutes when Luke Small collected his first goal of the game lashing home from 18 yards out after the ball was played back to him by his team mate inside the box.

Two minutes later and the Regional squad found themselves three down when a ball in from the right was met by Small but his goal ward shot was tipped brilliantly onto the bar. As the ball dropped Livingston’s Luke Dixon reacted the quickest at the back post to head home injuring himself in the process.

Livingston went into the interval with a comfortable three goal lead leaving the visitors with a fair bit to do to get back into the game.

Into the second thirty minute period and several changes in the Regional squads personnel certainly made a instant impact in the game. The visitors were certainly more competitive with players working hard to close down the opposition and more willing to challenge for the 50/50 balls.

The hard work paid dividends when Declan Fulton pressurised Wilson in the Livingston goal into an error allowing him to nick the ball and fire into an empty net to get his side back into the game on 32 minutes.

The visitors looked a different side now and were upping the pace putting the home side slightly on the back foot. Livingston had a couple of efforts but never really tested Dowie in the Regional squads goal. Robertson put a 25 yard free kick high over the bar, Finlay Connor had a speculative shot from distance but like Robertson previously he put his effort over the bar.

The Regional squad had a couple of good chances latter in the period with the best effort forcing Wilson into a fine save low down from Fulton’s well struck low driven shot from the edge of the 18 yard box.

A far better display from the visitors who had the better of the period reducing the deficit with the final thirty minute period to come. The home side came flying out of the blocks and restored their three goal lead a minute into the final period with Small collecting his second of the game slotting home in the centre of the goal leaving Dowie rooted to the spot.

Both sides were creating chances with Luke Bain firing a shot wide of the left hand upright for Livingston and after some good combination play between Leon Kaye and Blackie set up Matt Dillon inside the box for the visitors. His first time shot unfortunately was straight at Wilson who saved comfortably.

Slightly against the run of play the Regional side claimed their second goal of the night on 71 minutes after a great ball in from Liam Edmonston wide on the left found Fulton free inside the box, who with the Livingstone defence rooted to the spot side footed the ball home from close range.

The visitors then had their keeper to thank two minutes later when he denied Bain getting on the score sheet for the home side with a fine block. Livingston came close again when a corner in from Dixon found Ryan Steel who put his header just over the bar.

The Regional side should have reduced the deficit to one on 85 minutes when good work by Billy Wight saw him chase down a lost cause, keep the ball in play and fire a low driven ball into the box. Edmonston should have scored when the ball fell perfectly for him with only the keeper to beat from six yards out but he put his shot straight at Wilson in goal. The blocked shot then saw the ball fall for Blackie but he saw his shot deflected away from goal.

With minutes remaining the visitors made up for the earlier missed chance when Blackie found Jordan Locke on the right side of the box and as he drove in on goal he forced the ball home between the keeper and his near post to make it 4-3.

Livingston saw out the remaining seconds with the final whistle bringing a hard fought match to an end with both teams being able to take many positives from the game.

Full time: Livingston Fc 4-3 SERYFA u15s Regional Squad

Livingston Fc: Jonathan Wilson, Sean Ward, Ryan Clark, Derek Montrose, Greg Prentice, Gregor Morgan, Taki Hirooki, John Robertson, Luke Small, Luke Dixon, Fynlay Connor, Josh F, Luke Bain, Ryan Steel.

SERYFA u15s Regional Squad: Shea Dowie, Steven King, Leon Kaye, Cameron Swift, Shaun Byron, Jordan Keenan, Lewis McCann, Charlie Green, Liam Edmonston, Stevie Bidwell, Fraser Blackie, Michael Reilly, Callum Page, Matt Dillon, Declan Fulton, Jordan Locke, Billy Wight.