3rd August 2019 The Spartans v Edinburgh University 2-0
With Hearts away at Aberdeen this weekend I decided to go to Ainslie Park for Spartans v Edinburgh University. Left home at 13.30 and as usual walked down the old North Leith Railway path. Arrived at the ground at 14.35 and showed my season ticket for admission. Paid my £2 for a programme and headed to the cafe/bar for a cold coke. Got a team sheet in the bar and then headed out to a seat in the stand after I finished my coke.
Spartans have yet to pick up a point in this seasons Lowland League having lost their only match against BSC Glasgow in midweek. Alan "Hovie" Brown and Blair Atkinson who missed the mid-week game due to injury returned to the squad but Michael Bolochoweckyj (achilles tendon injury) and Dale Baxter (medial ligament injury) both missed out. Recent signing Max Ashmore was making his first appearance in the side.Edinburgh University have lost both their games to date although they generally start the season slowly and historically pick up once students return in September. Since the Lowland League was formed in 2014 the students have finished in the lower half of the table with sixth being their highest finishing spot. Their constitution allows them to field four Edinburgh University graduates and one player along with a goalkeeper without an Edinburgh University connection with the remainder of the side being current students which restricts the number of players available to the manager.
Spartans started well and after four minutes Scott Maxwell had their first chance when he fired a free-kick over the bar and on to the top of the five aside cost net after four minutes. Dean Hoskins was finding plenty space on the left as he operated at left-back despite wearing the number five jersey. He opened the scoring after six minutes when Jordan Purvis misjudged a back header to his keeper. Hoskins nipped in and chipped the ball over keeper Kieran McDougall as he rushed to the edge of the box to clear. Spartans had most of the pressure in the first half with Blair Carswell in their goal being restricted to dealing with paybacks from his defenders and overlong through balls from the University midfield. Aaron Murrell had a couple of chances for Spartans, firing an Aaron Scott pass over the bar from the edge of the penalty area and shooting weakly straight at McDoougall from wide on the left of the penalty box. Hoskins had another chance when he cut in from the left after a through ball from Maxwell but McDougall got down well to save his cross-shot. Adam Corbett then hit the bar with a header from one of a number of corners from Scott minutes before half-time.
The second half was almost a minor image of the first with Spartans having the bulk of the possession and passing the ball well in mid-field. I thought Aaron Scott was particularly impressive with his link-up play between defence and attack. He also moved well off the ball and was always available for a pass from a team-mate. Hoskins and Maxwell continued to be threatening with Hoskins in particular looking a danger every time he got the ball in the University. Spartans made a couple of changes bringing on Jack Smith and Cameron Dawson for Murrell and Ashmore in a bid to get a second and clinching goal. Minutes after the substitution a good move down the right involving Ian McFarland and Gregor Woods lead to Woods sending a good cross in the centre of the penalty box. Dawson rose to meet the ball some ten yards out and powered a header into the net for a 2-0 lead. Strangely after this goal University came more into the game although Carswell was still having an easy afternoon until Ross Watters broke free with about five minutes to go, however the keeper got down to save his shot from around fifteen yards out. With two minutes to go Smith raced onto a through ball with only the keeper to beat. As he reached the penalty area he was taken down from behind by central defender Ross McGuire. The referee made the correct decision in showing the defender a red card for denying a clear goal scoring opportunity. Scott and third substitute Nicky Reid stood over the ball just out the penalty box in the centre of the field. Surprisingly Reid took the kick and his effort rebounded from the crossbar denying Spartans a third goal before the final whistle.
After the final whistle I walked along the railway path towards the Crewe Road roundabout. As I was coming down the steps I saw a 38 bus drawing away from the stop. I decided to walk up to the stop on the other side of Ferry Road but as I crossed Ferry Road a 24 arrived and departed from the stop before I could get there. After a short wait I got a 124 to the West End and then a 30 home arriving around 17.30.
Spartans started well and after four minutes Scott Maxwell had their first chance when he fired a free-kick over the bar and on to the top of the five aside cost net after four minutes. Dean Hoskins was finding plenty space on the left as he operated at left-back despite wearing the number five jersey. He opened the scoring after six minutes when Jordan Purvis misjudged a back header to his keeper. Hoskins nipped in and chipped the ball over keeper Kieran McDougall as he rushed to the edge of the box to clear. Spartans had most of the pressure in the first half with Blair Carswell in their goal being restricted to dealing with paybacks from his defenders and overlong through balls from the University midfield. Aaron Murrell had a couple of chances for Spartans, firing an Aaron Scott pass over the bar from the edge of the penalty area and shooting weakly straight at McDoougall from wide on the left of the penalty box. Hoskins had another chance when he cut in from the left after a through ball from Maxwell but McDougall got down well to save his cross-shot. Adam Corbett then hit the bar with a header from one of a number of corners from Scott minutes before half-time.
The second half was almost a minor image of the first with Spartans having the bulk of the possession and passing the ball well in mid-field. I thought Aaron Scott was particularly impressive with his link-up play between defence and attack. He also moved well off the ball and was always available for a pass from a team-mate. Hoskins and Maxwell continued to be threatening with Hoskins in particular looking a danger every time he got the ball in the University. Spartans made a couple of changes bringing on Jack Smith and Cameron Dawson for Murrell and Ashmore in a bid to get a second and clinching goal. Minutes after the substitution a good move down the right involving Ian McFarland and Gregor Woods lead to Woods sending a good cross in the centre of the penalty box. Dawson rose to meet the ball some ten yards out and powered a header into the net for a 2-0 lead. Strangely after this goal University came more into the game although Carswell was still having an easy afternoon until Ross Watters broke free with about five minutes to go, however the keeper got down to save his shot from around fifteen yards out. With two minutes to go Smith raced onto a through ball with only the keeper to beat. As he reached the penalty area he was taken down from behind by central defender Ross McGuire. The referee made the correct decision in showing the defender a red card for denying a clear goal scoring opportunity. Scott and third substitute Nicky Reid stood over the ball just out the penalty box in the centre of the field. Surprisingly Reid took the kick and his effort rebounded from the crossbar denying Spartans a third goal before the final whistle.
After the final whistle I walked along the railway path towards the Crewe Road roundabout. As I was coming down the steps I saw a 38 bus drawing away from the stop. I decided to walk up to the stop on the other side of Ferry Road but as I crossed Ferry Road a 24 arrived and departed from the stop before I could get there. After a short wait I got a 124 to the West End and then a 30 home arriving around 17.30.
Teams
The Spartans: Carswell, Corbett, Maxwell, Tolmie, Hoskins, Brown, Woods, McFarland, Murrell, Scott, Ashmore.
Subs: Smith, Dawson, Reid
Edinburgh University: McDougall, Purvis, Condie, McGuire, MacFarlane, Daniel-Yeomans, Kemp, McDonald, Watters, Baird, Maskrey.
Subs: Murray, Maurice, McBeth.
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