Sixes Success for Morton Youth

Last Sunday saw the Leagues annual Soccer Sixes Competition held at the Queen of the South Arena. Nineteen teams entered and a feast of football was on show. Group A went to the wire in the morning, with FC Annan B beating Annan Town 3-2 in their last match to top the group and Town finished runners up, Group B saw Loreburn Thistle win all four of their matches to win the section, Morton Youth B shook off the 3-2 defeat to Loreburn to win the rest of their games and go through a runners up. In the afternoon session Palmerston Colts lost to Scaur in Group C but won their other three games and topped the group as Scaur were held to draws by Five Arches Bombers and Park Thistle B and in Group D, defending champs Normandy Star were showing they meant business as the scored 18 goals to top the group with Summerhill also progressing to the quarter finals. The first two quarter finals went the way of the group runners up as Morton Youth B saw off FC Annan B by 6 goals to three, and Loreburn Thistle tasted defeat at the hands of Annan Town in a seven goal thriller. Palmerston Colts then smashed Summerhill for 12 and Normandy Star saw off Scaur by five goals to one. Normandy added another five in their semi with Annan Town, who hit three in reply, and in the second semi final Morton Youth B and Palmerston played out a 1-1 draw before Morton went through 3-2 on penalties. The final was a match to fit the tournament. Normandy drew first blood with a well struck shot from the right side of the pitch, but Morton came back and levelled five minutes later with a volley. Morton keeper Andy Hollingsworth denied Normandy on a couple of occasions before Islam Kadyrov fired Youth ahead and then a quickfire third looked to have won the tournament. Normandy threw everything at Morton and saw shots come back off the woodwork twice before they made it three two with hardly any time left on the clock. There was enough though as Normandy continued to press and took the game to penalties when Kris Shannon turned in the equaliser at the death. Morton were up first and scored, and then Andy Hollingsworth saved the first Normandy effort to give Morton the advantage. The second penalties were duly converted and Morton made it three from three to win the tournament. Tough on Normandy who top scored and went unbeaten in normal time, but a deserved win for a Morton side who played some great football on the day.