12th October 2019 The Spartans v University of Stirling 2-3
With this being part of the international games there were no SPL matches today and the only lower league matches were in the Challenge Cup. There was however a full card in the non-league sector with the third round ties in the South Challenge Cup schedules for today. I did think of trying to go to a new ground with St Marks Park, home of Craigroyston, or the Hallihill Centre, Dunbar's home ground. I do however have a Spartans season ticket and decided to go and watch their tie against the University of Stirling. I left home at 13.35 and walked down the North Edinburgh Railway path to Ainslie Park. Arrived at 14.35 and paid my £2 for a programme then headed to the cafe/bar for a cafe and a sausage roll before kick-off. After getting a team sheet I headed to the stand at 14.55 and took my seat in time for the kickoff.
Spartans are currently in a period of tradition having lost a number of key players and bringing in replacements from their successful U20 side. The programme showed eleven graduates of the Spartans academy in the squad of twenty-four players although Dean Hoskins had left Spartans and only returned this season after successful spells with a number of other sides. Todays line-up included Jake Davidson, recently signed on loan from Dundee United and Jordan Caddow who had signed for Spartans after being released recently by Penicuik Athletic. Ian McFarland wore the Captain’s armband in the absence of skipper Adam Corbett, suspended after being sent off in the Scottish Cup tie at Deveronvale. The University of Stirling are probably the strongest university side in Scotland currently sit tenth in the Lowland league, two places below Spartans. Chris Geddes, the university first team coach, spent six years as a player for the side and has been player coach for the past two seasons. Geddes scored around 170 gaols for the university but his player registration is now purely for emergency use only as he concentrates on coaching. Kevin Walker the University goalkeeper has played for both Livingston and Berwick Rangers in the SPL before returning to the University side.
Spartans started the game well and took the lead in six minutes. Blair Atkinson worked his way into space on the right hand side of the penalty area and sent a low ball across goal. Scott Maxwell had no difficulty prodding the ball into the net from the edge of the six yard box. Stirling equalised minutes later in what was their first attack of the game. From a corner on the left the ball was crossed towards the near post where it was deflected into his own net by McFarland. The rest of the half was a case of Spartans pressure with Atkinson in particular being unlucky not to put his side ahead. Firstly he burst through the University defence into the penalty box but under pressure from a defender pushed his shot wide. He then hit a shot over the bar. Stirling keeper Walker made a good diving stop after Atkinson cut in from the right and attempted a shot from around fifteen yards out. Aaron Murrell had a chance when Maxwell found him with a through ball into the penalty box but Walker again dived to block on the corner of the six yard box. Walker saved his best for almost halftime when he leapt to tip a rasping shot from Hoskins, heading for the far corner of the goal, over the crossbar. The save did not count as the referee awarded a free-kick for offside as Hoskins had stepped back into an offside position having run of the field before his initial cross was returned to him.
Spartans replaced Aaron Scott with Hibs loanee Gregor Woods at halftime. I think this must have been due to injury as Scott had a good first half. He was always available to collect passes from his team-mates in his midfield role and when he received the ball looked to be positive in his passing. The second half looked like it would continue similar to the first until Stirling took the lead in fifty-three minutes. Spartans conceded a needless corner when the defence thought wrongly that a University player had the last touch on a through ball. The corner from the left was sent into the six yard box. Liam McMaster jumped unchallenged on the edge of the box to send a powerful header past Blair Carswell. However shortly afterwards Stirling were reduced to ten men. Caddow cut inside and ran towards the penalty area where he was fouled by Alex Webb just outside the box. Despite there being defensive cover the referee decided the centre-half had denied a clear goalscoring opportunity and showed Webb the red card. The free-kick was touched sideways by Maxwell to Hoskins whose shot rebounded of the defensive wall to safety. Spartans continued to press without creating chances as they had in the first half until the seventy-fifth minute. Substitute Woods sent a corner from the left into the six yard box. Davidson touched the ball on and Mikey Allan shot home from about three yards out to level the scores. Spartans then brought of Cameron Dawson and Nicky Reid to replace Murrell and Maxwell. Dawson came close to putting Spartans ahead when a cross from Atkinson from the right seemed to be going behind the forward. He attempted a back-heeled effort on goal which drifted past the far post. As the game moved into injury time thoughts were moving towards extra time and a possible penalty shoot-out when Woods was booked for a foul on Jason Jarvis about twenty yards from the Spartans goal. Jarvis took he free-kick and sent the ball over the wall and into the top corner of the net giving Carswell no chance of saving the shot.
After the final whistle I headed to Crewe Toll and caught 38 bus to Balgreen where I changed onto a 30 and arrived home at around 17.40 after seeing an excellent match which neither side deserved to lose.
Spartans started the game well and took the lead in six minutes. Blair Atkinson worked his way into space on the right hand side of the penalty area and sent a low ball across goal. Scott Maxwell had no difficulty prodding the ball into the net from the edge of the six yard box. Stirling equalised minutes later in what was their first attack of the game. From a corner on the left the ball was crossed towards the near post where it was deflected into his own net by McFarland. The rest of the half was a case of Spartans pressure with Atkinson in particular being unlucky not to put his side ahead. Firstly he burst through the University defence into the penalty box but under pressure from a defender pushed his shot wide. He then hit a shot over the bar. Stirling keeper Walker made a good diving stop after Atkinson cut in from the right and attempted a shot from around fifteen yards out. Aaron Murrell had a chance when Maxwell found him with a through ball into the penalty box but Walker again dived to block on the corner of the six yard box. Walker saved his best for almost halftime when he leapt to tip a rasping shot from Hoskins, heading for the far corner of the goal, over the crossbar. The save did not count as the referee awarded a free-kick for offside as Hoskins had stepped back into an offside position having run of the field before his initial cross was returned to him.
Spartans replaced Aaron Scott with Hibs loanee Gregor Woods at halftime. I think this must have been due to injury as Scott had a good first half. He was always available to collect passes from his team-mates in his midfield role and when he received the ball looked to be positive in his passing. The second half looked like it would continue similar to the first until Stirling took the lead in fifty-three minutes. Spartans conceded a needless corner when the defence thought wrongly that a University player had the last touch on a through ball. The corner from the left was sent into the six yard box. Liam McMaster jumped unchallenged on the edge of the box to send a powerful header past Blair Carswell. However shortly afterwards Stirling were reduced to ten men. Caddow cut inside and ran towards the penalty area where he was fouled by Alex Webb just outside the box. Despite there being defensive cover the referee decided the centre-half had denied a clear goalscoring opportunity and showed Webb the red card. The free-kick was touched sideways by Maxwell to Hoskins whose shot rebounded of the defensive wall to safety. Spartans continued to press without creating chances as they had in the first half until the seventy-fifth minute. Substitute Woods sent a corner from the left into the six yard box. Davidson touched the ball on and Mikey Allan shot home from about three yards out to level the scores. Spartans then brought of Cameron Dawson and Nicky Reid to replace Murrell and Maxwell. Dawson came close to putting Spartans ahead when a cross from Atkinson from the right seemed to be going behind the forward. He attempted a back-heeled effort on goal which drifted past the far post. As the game moved into injury time thoughts were moving towards extra time and a possible penalty shoot-out when Woods was booked for a foul on Jason Jarvis about twenty yards from the Spartans goal. Jarvis took he free-kick and sent the ball over the wall and into the top corner of the net giving Carswell no chance of saving the shot.
After the final whistle I headed to Crewe Toll and caught 38 bus to Balgreen where I changed onto a 30 and arrived home at around 17.40 after seeing an excellent match which neither side deserved to lose.
Teams
The Spartans: Carswell, Davidson, Allan, Hoskins, Caddow, Scott, Brown, McFarland, Murrell, Maxwell, Atkinson.
Subs: Woods, Dawson, Reid.
University of Stirling: Walker, Mailer, Webb, Quigley, Downie, Berry, Brown, Chia, Baird, Jarvis, McMaster.
Subs: Burrows, Heath
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