Cumnock U17s 2 Largs Thistle U17s 6

Thistle teens won a good footballing game at Townhead Park against a Cumnock team boosted by the arrival of several new players.

Largs deservedly took the lead after ten minutes when Iain Bell drove down the right wing and his cross was controlled and volleyed into the back of the net by Robert Jack.

Thistle threatened the home teams goal every time they went forward, but were unable to add to their lead.

Cumnock then hit them with an equaliser on the break midway through the half and within two minutes the home team had gone ahead when they converted a soft penalty.

Largs continued to press and equalised ten minutes from the break. Reece Allen saw his strike smash off the post, when it broke back to Jamie Grant, he saw his shot blocked on the line by the hand and body of the Cumnock defender. The referee was spared a decision when the rebound was fired home by Cameron Ferguson.

The second half was only two minutes old when another Bell cross found its way to Greg Kean, who placed a right foot shot into the bottom corner of the net.

It was then Largs time to be awarded a soft penalty. Bell won the ball on the right and crossed for Jack, who was pushed in the back as he waited to apply the finish. The usually reliable Kean blasted his spot kick over the bar, stand and trees.

Thistle doubled their lead 15 minutes from time when Allen shifted the ball to his left on the edge of the box and drove home a low left foot shot.

Largs had been solid at the back with Daniel Herrero-Redden and Cameron Florence repelling the flurry of long balls as Cumnock went more direct to try and get back in the game.

Crawford Kenefick had had little to do the Largs goal but pulled off a class save from point blank range to maintain Thistles two goal advantage.

Largs superior fitness was evident and they rounded the game off with two goals in the last three minutes.

Firstly Allen won the flick on to set Ross Devine off down the left wing. His driven cross was bundled in at the back post by Bell. Then the scoring was rounded off by Allen, his second of the gave, when he was set up by Jamie Grant before smashing the ball into the roof of the net from just inside the area.

Team: Kenefick, Stewart, Kean, Florence, Herrero-Redden, Mills, Jack, Grant, Allen, Ferguson and Bell. Used subs: Devine and Mauchlen