15th July 2019 The Spartans v Liverpool U23s 0-1
To celebrate ten years of playing at Ainslie Park Spartans have organised a friendly against Liverpool U23s. The proceeds from the match will also be used to raise funds for the Spartans Community Football Academy which looks to change lives for the better in north Edinburgh. With kick-off at 19.00 I left the house at 17.40 and walked to the ground arriving at around 18.35. Met Malcolm in the ground and just before kick-off we moved across to the grassy terracing where we met Jim and Alex.
Spartans were feilding their strongest available side with new signing Michael Bolochoweckyj (formerly with Montrose) making his first start at centre-half. Liverpool fielded a young side who are looked strong and powerful The only name I recognised was former Falkirk player Tony Gallagher. Spartans played a Manchester United XI in their first match at Ainslie Park and lost 7-1. That Manchester side include Paul Progba, Darren Fletcher and Danny Drinkwater among others and it will be interesting to see how many of the Liverpool side go onto better things in the future.
Liverpool looked good early and fashioned the first chance of the game after five minutes. Full-back Neco Williams cut the ball back to Isaac Christie-Davies on right hand side of the Spartans penalty box and his shot brought a good diving save from Blair Carswell in the Spartans goal. Liverpool continued to dominate with their side looking strong and good on the ball but Carswell was not really troubles. As Spartans came more into the game towards half-time there was n amusing incident when Spartans right-back Alan 'Hovie" Brown gained possession about twelve yards out from the byeline outside the Liverpool area. He pretended a couple of step-overs and feints in front of Liverpool full-back Morgan Moyes. The full-back kept his eyes on the ball and when Hovie finally decided to play the ball he ran it out of play on the byline. "Hovie" started laughing and shook hands with the full-back who had not been amused by his attempted trickery. Spartans first chance game just before halftime when a Hoskins free-kick again from the right found Bolochoweckyj is space twelve yards from goal. "Bolo" however could only stab the ball straight at Winterbottom in goal as the defence close him down. Scott Maxwell was also proving a handful for the right hand side of the Liverpool defence. With one run he managed to get to the byeline and only a desperate sliding challenge at the expense of a corner stopped the goal running across into the six yard box.
Spartans brought on Nicky Reid for Aaron Murrell at half-time and the change increased Spartans attacking threat as he linked well with Blair Atkinson. Reid cut in from the left early in the half but his shot failed to trouble substitute keeper George in the Liverpool. Atkinson also had a run down the left and his shot brought a save from the keeper. The best Spartans opportunity came from another cross from Hoskins on the left. However Reid sent his header wide of the goal from close range. The game was regularly interrupted in the second half by a number of substitutions on both sides and this did not help the game to flow. Carswell in the Spartans goal looked good as he dealt capably with a number of shots from the outside the box. However Liverpool took the lead with five minutes to go when Carswell failed to deal with a pass-back. the ball bounced of his body to Jack Bearne about fifteen yards from goal who stepped to the side of Blair Tolmie before shooting home. The final whistle went with Liverpool winners of the Ronnie Swan cup. The Cup is named after a former Spartans player who joined the club in 1953 an served as a player and official for over thirty years and regularly attended at Ainslie Park until his death in 2006.
After the match Malcolm and I walked along the old railway line and then up to the Crewe Road roundabout where we caught 29 bus into the city centre. Thereafter we boarded a 30 home which was fine until the bus was taken over by around twenty-five Italian school-children who blocked the passageways although I was able to get off after fighting my way through the crowd and was home in time to take Rufus for his last walk of the day.
Teams
Liverpool looked good early and fashioned the first chance of the game after five minutes. Full-back Neco Williams cut the ball back to Isaac Christie-Davies on right hand side of the Spartans penalty box and his shot brought a good diving save from Blair Carswell in the Spartans goal. Liverpool continued to dominate with their side looking strong and good on the ball but Carswell was not really troubles. As Spartans came more into the game towards half-time there was n amusing incident when Spartans right-back Alan 'Hovie" Brown gained possession about twelve yards out from the byeline outside the Liverpool area. He pretended a couple of step-overs and feints in front of Liverpool full-back Morgan Moyes. The full-back kept his eyes on the ball and when Hovie finally decided to play the ball he ran it out of play on the byline. "Hovie" started laughing and shook hands with the full-back who had not been amused by his attempted trickery. Spartans first chance game just before halftime when a Hoskins free-kick again from the right found Bolochoweckyj is space twelve yards from goal. "Bolo" however could only stab the ball straight at Winterbottom in goal as the defence close him down. Scott Maxwell was also proving a handful for the right hand side of the Liverpool defence. With one run he managed to get to the byeline and only a desperate sliding challenge at the expense of a corner stopped the goal running across into the six yard box.
Spartans brought on Nicky Reid for Aaron Murrell at half-time and the change increased Spartans attacking threat as he linked well with Blair Atkinson. Reid cut in from the left early in the half but his shot failed to trouble substitute keeper George in the Liverpool. Atkinson also had a run down the left and his shot brought a save from the keeper. The best Spartans opportunity came from another cross from Hoskins on the left. However Reid sent his header wide of the goal from close range. The game was regularly interrupted in the second half by a number of substitutions on both sides and this did not help the game to flow. Carswell in the Spartans goal looked good as he dealt capably with a number of shots from the outside the box. However Liverpool took the lead with five minutes to go when Carswell failed to deal with a pass-back. the ball bounced of his body to Jack Bearne about fifteen yards from goal who stepped to the side of Blair Tolmie before shooting home. The final whistle went with Liverpool winners of the Ronnie Swan cup. The Cup is named after a former Spartans player who joined the club in 1953 an served as a player and official for over thirty years and regularly attended at Ainslie Park until his death in 2006.
After the match Malcolm and I walked along the old railway line and then up to the Crewe Road roundabout where we caught 29 bus into the city centre. Thereafter we boarded a 30 home which was fine until the bus was taken over by around twenty-five Italian school-children who blocked the passageways although I was able to get off after fighting my way through the crowd and was home in time to take Rufus for his last walk of the day.
Teams
The Spartans: Carswell, Brown, Hoskins, Tolmie, Bolochoweckyj, Corbett, Scott, McFarland, Murrell, Maxwell, Atkinson.
Subs: Reid, Allan, Hand, Grant, Dawson, Baxter.
Liverpool U-23s: Winterbottom, N.Williams, Johnston, R.Williams, Boyes, Chirivella, Kane, Sheriff, O’Rourke, Christie-Davies, Longstaff.
Subs: George, Bearne, Gallagher, Clayton, Dixon, Ratticaio, Dal.
Subs: Reid, Allan, Hand, Grant, Dawson, Baxter.
Liverpool U-23s: Winterbottom, N.Williams, Johnston, R.Williams, Boyes, Chirivella, Kane, Sheriff, O’Rourke, Christie-Davies, Longstaff.
Subs: George, Bearne, Gallagher, Clayton, Dixon, Ratticaio, Dal.
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