Hutchison Vale under-15 footballers returned from Sweden’s Gothia Cup – effectively the world club youth championship – with heads held high after reaching the last 16 from 250 entrants.
The team won all their group games including against local sides Vaxjo Norra IF (3-0) and Vasteras BK (4-1) as well as the UAE’s GoPro Sports.
That took them into the knock out stages where they defeated Charterhouse School from England, 8-1
Highlight of the opening knock-out win was a “hat trick” from goalkeeper Lochlan McCole who played at centre forward for the last 15 minutes.
Lochlan’s treble included a terrific looping header from distance.
Next up came Niendorger TSV from Hamburg and in warm evening temperatures the Hutchie team kept their cool to win 6-0
Finally the run came to an end against English side Skouted FC on the ground of OIS, the oldest senior football team in Sweden –formed by Scottish factory workers who had moved to Gothenburg in 1887.
The loss of three goals in a five minute spell towards the end of
the first half left Hutchie with a mountain to climb and they were left to reflect on a number of positives.
These included winning the group without dropping a point with, overall, 24 goals scored and just five conceded from the five high quality fixtures.
