12th January 2020 Edinburgh City v Queens Park 1-2

It was a miserable night in Edinburgh last night and the strong wind and heavy rain continued into today. I was intending to go out to Bonnyrigg to watch their match with Spartans but that was called off early due to a waterlogged pitch. Match cancellations quickly became a procession as Penicuik, Edinburgh University, Whitehall, Civil Service Strollers, Linlithgow, Tranent, Ormiston and Dalkeith were all called off due to the state of the pitches. This left three matches still on in the Edinburgh area, all on artificial pitches. These were Leith Athletic at home to Tynecastle on the Peffermill , Lothian Thistle v Craigroyston which had been  switched to the the Oriam and the game I went to, Edinburgh City  v Queens Park at Ainslie Park. Jim and I had been texting throughout the morning and we arranged to meet at Ainslie Park at around 14.30. As the rain had finally eased off I left home at just after 13.30 and walked to the ground arriving about 14.25. I got in for £10 rather than the standard £12 by showing my Hearts season ticket but was disappointed when the turnstile operator advised that this concession was being withdrawn after next week due to complaints by the City fans. The concession applies to season tickets for Hearts, Hibs and Spartans so I will not be the only one disappointed at the removal. I met Jim in the ground and we had a chat standing at the barrier before taking seats in the stand to watch the match. Unfortunately we ended up amongst the Queens Park fans, of which more later.

City current;ly sit second in League Two and are on a good run of form. In December hey defeated three of the top six sides, Cove Rangers, Cowdenbeath and Annan Athletic followed by winning at fourth place Elgin last week. With a win at Stirling Albion included in this period City are unbeaten since a defeat at Queens Park in late November. They are however having injury problems with both goalkeepers Calum Antell and Aidan McAdams, currently out injured so recent signing Alan Martin, who includes Motherwell, Queen of the South and East Kilbride amongst his previous clubs, started between the posts. Strikers Blair Henderson and Allan Smith are also injured with Johnny Court and Scott Shepherd playing upfront. Queens Park are the oldest football club in Scotland having been founded in 1867. They were the best side in Scotland in the early years of Scottish football and even reached the English FA Cup final in 18884 and 18885. Throughout their long history the club, despite playing in a professional league, have maintained their amateur status. However late last year the club voted at an Extraordinary General Meeting to move to a professional status. The club have produced an number of excellent players over the year including current Liverpool star and Scotland captain Andy Robertson. Due to their amateur status they did not receive a development fee when Robertson and other star players moved on to professional sides. The club used to attract good players, despite their amateur status, due to the opportunity to play at Scotlands National Stadium, Hampden Park. With Hampden now sold to the Scottish Football Association the club will play from next season at Lesser Hampden which is currently being developed to meet SFA membership standards. Without the attraction of playing at Hampden Queen Park will now need to pay players to bring them to the club. 

The game started slowly although Queens Park had most of the possession. The first real attempt at goal game after twelve minutes. Queens Park centre forward Salim Kouider-Aissa escaped his marker and met a cross from the right with a header from about eight yards out in the centre of the box. His attempt however was straight at keeper Martin who blocked rather than saved the ball before it was cleared by his defence. However City went ahead after seventeen minutes. Shepherd was fouled wide on the right hand side of the penalty box. Former Hearts player Craig Thomson took the free-kick and floated the ball towards the far post where Henderson leapt to head into the bottom left hand corner from the edge of the six yard box. I later found out that this was Henderson's fifth goal in six games which each strike coming from assists by Thomson. Thomson was not popular with the Queens Park fans and received torrents of abuse, some amusing but mostly unpleasant due to his past misdemeanours when he was charged with sexual offences against two under-age girls. Given the offences occurred over ten years ago I do not think it was necessary to bring them up again now. Thomson was yellow carded just after the half hour mark due to a bad challenge, to loud cheers from the Queens Park fans. Just before half-time Queens Park lost central defender Nicky Jamieson due to injury. He went down on the halfway line and received treatment from the physio. He then left the field and was waved back on by the referee after play continued. He walked to towards centre circle and went down again. However by this time substitute Luke Main was stripped and ready to come on as the defender limped off when the referee stopped play again.

City suffered a blow just after halftime when Marc Laird had to leave the field due to injury. He was replaced by Kieran Stewart but City seemed to lose their momentum after the change. After fifty-two minutes Queens Park equalised. David Galt worked his way down the left and sent a good cross to the far post where William Mortimer headed past Martin from close range. The situation got worse for City minutes later when Queens Park took the lead with again Galt being involved. He hit a long through ball for Kouider-Aissa to chase. At the edge of the penalty area the striker hit a low shot past Martin, who had advanced from his goal-line, to put the Glasgow side ahead 2-1. City brought on Callum Crane and Sam Newman for Liam Brown and Alex Harris but other than a low cross from Crane which flew across the goal area without anyone close enough to prod the ball home failed to create any clear opportunities. Thomson had a confrontation with a Queens player over a throw-in which ended in  some pushing and shoving from both players. The Queens Park fans were shouting at the referee that Thomson deserved to be booked again and thus sent off. The shouting included some uncomplimentary remarks again about Thomson's past which I  found distasteful.  As the game moved into injury time City forced a corner on the left. Thomson took the kick and Newman headed the ball towards goal from the middle of the box but his effort appeared to be blocked on the goal-line before being cleared. As the game continued into five minutes of injury time Queens Park broke forward but were content to retain the ball near the touch-line rather than risk a cross or pass into the City penalty box and the possibility go a counter attack. The final whistle blew leaving Queens Park now level on points with Elgin City in sixth place one the table. City remain second two points behind leaders Cove, who now have a game in hand. 

After the game I walked up to Ferry Road but just missed a 27 bus. I then walked along to Crewe Toll and caught a 37 to the West End then a 30 home arriving back at 17.35.

Teams

Edinburgh City: Martin, Thomson, L. Henderson, Wilson, Balatoni, Laird, Harris, Brown, Court, Handling, Shepherd.

Subs: Stewart, Crane, Newman.

Queens Park: Muir, Mortimer, Summers, Finnie, Jamieson, Little, Lidouren, Foy, Kouider-Aissa, Galt, Moore.

Subs: Main, Agyeman.