Page 106 - Herioter 2020

an altogether different proposition, to tip an excellent effort over the bar. then suspended until further notice.
however, with a number of the players As Heriot’s/Watson’s began to gain a Irrespective of how or indeed whether
on both sides very familiar with one foothold and enjoyed good possession things proceed from here, this has been
another from club football, although we it was Charlotte who once again opened a truly outstanding cup run (twenty-
were strengthened by the availability the scoring with a superb effort from three goals scored and only one
of those Watson’s players who had range following an assist from Eilidh. conceded speaks for itself), with the
missed the first round tie. In what was Crucially, we built on this with Charlotte coaches from both schools unanimous
a quite superb controlled performance adding another, meaning that we went in their view that this is the best
at a bitterly cold Saughton, Heriot’s/ into the halftime break two goals to the squad with which they have ever been
Watson’s dictated the game against good. involved in twenty years of coaching
strong opposition, limiting them to With the message about the importance school football.
barely a foray into our box or a direct of the next goal ringing in their ears,
shot on goal. Once again, however, right on cue Charlotte proceeded to Regional and national
outstanding goalkeeping proved to be produce yet another wonderful finish representation
the biggest challenge to our forwards into the top corner from range to This has once again been a season
as we ran out 3-0 winners courtesy of extend our lead, with Eilidh coming in which a number of players have
strikes from Eilidh, Charlotte and Anna agonisingly close to giving us a fourth, achieved representation at both regional
and thus progressed to the third round.
thwarted only by an outstanding and national level; as always, our
Next up in the last week of term was a finger tip save from the Boroughmuir warmest congratulations to them all.
home tie versus Grange Academy keeper. It was now that our favourites
of Kilmarnock, whose status as an showed their true mettle, however, SISFA U16 national squad
SFA performance school had us well as Boroughmuir piled on the pressure Heidi Darragh and Nina Hegarty (S3)
warned of the exacting test we could and though they pulled one back late and Eilidh Adams, Tegan Browning and
expect. Indeed, this was borne out on, our favourites demonstrated self- Anna Ramsay (S4) were selected for
in the opening quarter as both teams discipline, determination, resilience this season’s SISFA U16 national squad
jostled for supremacy in the midfield and concentration in spades to record to play their English counterparts at
area. Once Heriot’s/Watson’s got our a famous victory which will live long in St George’s Park in December. All five
noses in front, however, we gained the the memory. Enormous credit must go Heriot’s players made very positive
upper hand and the floodgates opened, to both sets of players for producing a contributions to what was a strong
resulting in a healthy lead at halftime match of such quality and intensity, yet overall team performance, with the
and a 7-0 final scoreline. Once again, played in a fantastic spirit throughout Scots coming agonisingly close to
Charlotte was on fire, causing the with the enormous mutual respect matching strong opponents, whose
Grange rearguard all sorts of problems players were drawn from some of the
and helping herself to five goals, with which exists between both sets of country’s top academies, before being
Anna Ramsay getting in on the act as players very much in evidence in the edged out of it courtesy of two late
she invariably does and the other Anna, immediate aftermath. goals.
Lewis of Watson’s, scoring the other With the mouth-watering prospect
after a lung-bursting solo run. But this of a semi-final tie versus St John’s Scottish Schools FA
was all about another outstanding team RC High School in Dundee, another SFA regional squad
performance and the momentum and performance school, scheduled
belief within the squad which were for the last day of term before the For the third season in succession
palpably building; what a way to end the Easter holidays, all football was Heriot’s was represented in the South
term!
This set up the quarter-final tie many
had been anticipating against a strongly
fancied and all-conquering Boroughmuir
High School team, who having won the
same competition in the U15 age group
the previous year, went into the match
as favourites. Aware that it would take
a very special performance to emerge
victorious, there was a quiet but steely
determination about the squad ahead
of this one, and boy did they deliver!
With Boroughmuir having the better
of the opening exchanges, goalkeeper
Jennifer Heine of Watson’s, who had
an excellent match, was called into
early action, moving her feet quickly
U18 line-up versus Boroughmuir

104