21st July 2018 Edinburgh City v Queen of the South 0-4


I was wanting to go to Raith Rovers v Hearts at Methil. However I was too late in applying to get a ticket so decided to go the Ainslie Park for Edinburgh City v Queen of the South (QOS). Alex is a QOS fanatic so at least I would have someone to chat to. As usual walked down to ground and arrived about 2.20. City had posted on Twitter that bar would be open to all fans from 1.30 till 2.45 but by time I arrived it was packed and no-one else was being allowed in. I bought a Diet Coke from external stand and then met up with Alex and a number of other Queens fans. 

The match was a Betfred Cup group tie with City currently having two points from two games (draw at Clyde with an added bonus point for winning penalty shoutout) while QOS had six points from two victories with eight goals scored. Last seasons top scorer Steven Dobbie had already scored five of his sides eight goals in the competition. It certainly looked like being a game for goals with QOS being a Championship side with City in League Two.

The game started in glorious sunshine and as expected QOS had most of the early pressure. Dobbie came close with a shot on the turn from about fifteen yards which went narrowly past the post.However City had two good chances around the twenty-five minute mark when firstly Brad Donaldson had a header well saved by Alan Martin in the QOS goal and then Allan Smith cut in from the right a shot narrowly past the near post. QOS took the lead in 24 minutes when a long ball by Callum Fordyce was gathered by the forward running Lyndon Dykes. Callum Antell rushed late from the City goal but Dykes cleverly lobbed the ball past him from the edge of the penalty box. Two minutes later a clearance by QOS keeper Martin passed over the head on the City defence and was gathered by Dobbie who beat the offside trap and shot low past Antell, again from the edge of the penalty box.

The third goal for QOS arrived after around 35 minutes when Jordan Marshall broke down the left and crossed for Josh Todd, on loan from St Mirren, to head home from about eight yards. Dobbie scored his second shortly after when Todd passed to him about twelve yards out for an easy finish at the back post.

Halftime entertainment was a guy on his stag weekend trying the crossbar challenge with a  prize of a bottle of bubbly if he succeeded. Dressed in a tall coat and wearing a hat he looked like he was already at his wedding. Judging by his attempts to hit the bar he had already been partaking of the bubbly !

QOS continued to dominate the second half but were unable to add to their goal tally. Dykes forced a great save from Antell in the City goal with a header from twelve yards out. As the game drifted to a close Dobbie had the ball in the net again after Antell pushed out a shot. and then grabbed the ball. The goal was ruled out as Dobbie was kicked the ball from the keepers hands.The result will leave the winners of Tuesday clash been Motherwell and QOS as group winners. Offical attendance was announced as 525 and I would estimate over half of those present were QOS fans.

I hurried up to Ferry Road and caught the 17.00 27 bus home.

Edinburgh City: Antell, Thomson, McIntyre, Rodger, Balatoni, Laird, Smith, Hall, Henderson, Donaldson, Taylor.
Subs: Handling, Lumsden
Queen of the South; Martin, Mercer, Marshall, Fordyce, Doyle, Semple, Stirling, Harkins, Dykes, Todd, Dobbie.
Subs: Jacobs, Bell, Murray

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

27th April 2024 The Spartans 2 Peterhead 2

23rd March 2024 Musselburgh Athletic 1 Jeanfield Swifts 0

27th January. 2024. Hearts 2 Aberdeen 0