2nd February 2019 Edinburgh City v Albion Rovers. 3-1

Miserable day in Edinburgh after snow last night and freezing temperatures. I was thinking about going to Penicuik today but that game was called off yesterday. Additionally Bonnyrigg, Civil Service, Whitehall and Edinburgh University are also off. Other than Hibs at Easter Road only games still on were on Astroturf pitches with Edinburgh City or Leith Athletic the home sides. Decided to go and watch Edinburgh City v Albion Rovers at Ainslie Park. Left house at 13.40 to walk to Ainslie Park. Arrived at around 14.35 and after getting a coffee met the two Johns. We had a chat about City and consensus was that if City had added a goalie and a centre-half in the transfer window they would have guaranteed promotion. The two Johns headed for seats in the stand and I stayed at the fence waiting for Jim. He arrived minutes later and we decided to stay leaning at the fence as we had a good view of the full pitch.

City made one change to their side from last weeks draw at Elgin City. Regular midfielder Marc Laird came in for Graham Taylor who dropped to the bench. I knew little about Albion Rovers other than they are now managed by former Hibs player, Kevin Harper. Harper is the only coloured manager in the SPFL. I have only seen Rovers play twice before in my time watching football. First time was in 1974 when they won 1-0 against Meadowbank Thistle in the first match staged at Meadowbank. Rovers also played against Hearts in the Jambo's run to winning the Scottish Cup in 1996. Hearts won 3-0 in a one-sided match at Tynecastle.

The match looked like an easy win for City who are top of League 2 while Rovers are languishing at the foot of the table and face a battle to avoid going into the end of season play-offs which will decide if they remain a senior league side.The Rovers Wikipedia entry contains the edifying quote - "no team has ever been able to put together a more spicy trio than [Bill] Currie, [Sid] Sage and [Bert] Rice, who appeared in Rovers' sides of the early 1970s'. Says something about Rovers when this is regarded as worthy of mention but also says something about me as I remember them playing !

The game started with City doing all the attacking but they were unable to create any clear chances. The best chance came after a run down the right and a low cross from Scott Shepherd which Blair Henderson was unable to connect with on the edge of the six yard box. The City "choir' then broke into a song of praise for Shepherd based on David Bowie's "Starman". This rendition of the masterpiece would have made Bowie turn in his grave. After nineteen minutes Rovers won their first corner in what was almost their first attack. George Fotheringham took the corner and the ball was headed home by George Newell despite a desperate attempt by Craig Thomson on the line to clear the ball. Newell is the son of former Blackburn Rovers striker Mike Newell and is on loan to Rovers from Motherwell. He will need to show the scoring power of his dad's old partner Alan Shearer if Rovers are to move of the foot of the table. City equalised in twenty-five minutes when they won a free kick outside the penalty box on the left hand-side of the field. Thomson trotted over from right-back to take the kick. His accurate delivery found the head of Alan Smith, probably City's smallest player and he headed past Morrison for the equaliser.City went ahead in thirty-three minutes from a farcical goal. A mishit clearance from Morrison hit Jack Breen around twenty yards from goal. The ball rolled past Morrison and trundled into the net to put City ahead. Not one for the keeper to look back on fondly.

The second half continued much the same as the first with City going further ahead after fifty-seven minutes. Blair Henderson gathered a Thomson pass inside the penalty box on the left hand side. He cut further into the box and from around twelve yards out shot high into the net. This goal brought Henderson's league tally this season to twenty-three one ahead of Willie Bauld's Scottish League record in 1947 when on loan to City from Hearts. I was surprised at the lack of fight from Rovers given their position at the bottom of the league as City continued to press. City seemed to ease off and coasted to a victory despite Rovers substitute Brian Ross having a good chance near the end of the game following a through ball. The result also meant I had seen City win a league match for the first time since December 2017.

At the end of the match I walked up to Ferry Road but found I would have nine minutes to wait for a twenty-seven bus home. I walked along to the Crewe Toll roundabout and caught a bus to the West End where I changed to a 30 and was home by 17.20. Then I settled down to watch Scotland's 33-20 victory over Italy in the rugby Six Nations that I had recorded in the afternoon.

Teams
Edinburgh City: Antell, Thomson, McIntyre, L. Henderson, Balatoni, Laird, Smith, Black, B. Henderson, Shepherd,Breen.
Subs: Walker, Watson, Galbraith
Albion Rovers: Morrison, Hardie, Trialist, Wharton, Krones, Fagan, Kelly, Fotheringham, Newell, Escuriola, Wilson.
Subs: Russell, Ross