30th June 2018 Edinburgh City v Whitehill Welfare 4-0
Choice today I could stay in and watch France v Argentina in the World Cup or head out to watch a live match. Sun was shining so I decided to head to Ainslie Park to watch Edinburgh City take on Whitehall Welfare in a pre-season friendly. Walked to the ground in just under a hour for the three mile trip. Admission was £5 with a forty-eight page programme available for £2.50. Programme is an excellent read with several interesting articles including pen pictures of all the City new signings.
Edinburgh City had made a number of changes during the close season with eight players leaving in addition to four loanees returning to their parent clubs. Departures included player/assistant manager Craig Beattie, long-serving defender Shaun Harrison and, top scorer from last season, Ashley Grimes. Nine new signings have been made with a number having connections with City manager James McDonaugh from his time coaching with Hibs and Falkirk. New signings include former Hearts defender Conrad Balatoni who is moving to part-time football for the first time in his career, former Hibs and Scotland U-21 international Danny Handling and Blair Henderson who scored 16 goals for Annan Athletic last season. Whitehill also included five new signings in their starting line-up as they look to improve on last seasons 12th Place in the 16 club Lowland League.
City started well and Ross Jardine in the Whitehall goal had to look lively rushing from his line to clear through balls at the edge of the box as the City forwards rush towards goal. City took the lead just before the half hour when defender Whitehall Ali Smith headed a cross against his own crossbar. The ball bounced out to Henderson who headed home for his first home goal for City. The linesman had his flag up for offside but the referee had a discussion with him and they agreed the ball had been headed against the bar by the Whitehall defender and the goal should therefore stand. No Video Assistant Referee at Ainslie Park to help the referees decision !
City started well and Ross Jardine in the Whitehall goal had to look lively rushing from his line to clear through balls at the edge of the box as the City forwards rush towards goal. City took the lead just before the half hour when defender Whitehall Ali Smith headed a cross against his own crossbar. The ball bounced out to Henderson who headed home for his first home goal for City. The linesman had his flag up for offside but the referee had a discussion with him and they agreed the ball had been headed against the bar by the Whitehall defender and the goal should therefore stand. No Video Assistant Referee at Ainslie Park to help the referees decision !
Whitehall brought on four substitutes at halftime and further three during the remainder of the game. City used eight substitutes during the second half with Zdravko Karadachki making his comeback after an early season injury currently his the previous season. Handling scored a second for City after 64 minutes when he slid in to knock a shot which Jardine had deflected away from goal into an empty net. Minutes later Henderson was taken down in the box by Whitehall centre-half Craig Reid. Henderson took the kick and fired the ball low into the net for his second goal of the game. Allan Smith added a fourth near the end when He turned in a cross from the right by Karadachki past Jardine in the Whitehall goal. Jardine was then replaced by Shea Dowie who was signed for Whitehill from Hutchison Vale as their new U-20s keeper.
A good win for City who had a much younger side than last season and looked to have more pace throughout the side. Whitehall tried hard but the gulf between SPFL League 2 and lower half of the Lowland League was clearly in evidence. The crowd for the game was announced as 78 although the Whitehall website later stated 105. Not a great attendance on what was a lovely day for football.
After the game I walked up to Ferry Road to catch a 27 bus home. Unfortunately I did not know Hanover Street and the lower part of the Mound was closed. Bus was diverted along George Street, then into St Andrew Square and down passed the Station and up Market Street, rejoining the Mound at the top of Market Street. This added at least ten minutes to the journey and I finally got home at around 17.45.
Edinburgh City : Antell, Thomson, Stewart, Rodger, Balatoni, Laird, Smith, Black, Henderson, Handling, Taylor.
Subs:Foster, Burns, Karadachki, Kennedy, Donaldson, Day, McClung, Donnelly-Kay
Whitehill Welfare : Jardine, Dowie, McPartlin, Flemimg, Reid, A. Smith, Manson, Wright, O'Reilly, Somerville, M Smith.
Subs: Mitchell, Weldon, Neto, Trialist(1), Trialist(2), Trialist(3), Dowie.
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