28th February 2020 The Spartans v Vale of Leithen 2-1
First game of what will, hopefully, be a good footballing weekend. I arranged to meet Malcolm at Ainslie Park and left home at around 18.20 to walk their. Given it was now dark I walked down the roads rather than the dimly light North Leith cycle and pedestrian way. I arrived at Ainslie Park about 19.20 and used my season ticket for admittance. After I paid £2 for my programme I saw Malcolm at the cafe entrance and we met up and had a coffee. We had not seen each other since well before Christmas and as we had both been on holiday since then we had a lot to talk about. We left the cafe just after 19.40 to take up seats in the stand on the halfway line.
It should be an interesting game tonight with Spartans fifth in the Lowland League but pushing for fourth place which would give them a place in the Tunnocks Caramel Wafer Cup next season facing SPFL sides. Vale are currently bottom of the table but seem to save there nest performances for sides around them at the bottom. With games still to come against fellow strugglers Gretna 2008 and Dalbeattie Star they are hopeful about moving away from a relegation spot although their goal difference is considerably worse than their closest rivals. Spartans sprang a surprise with top goal scorers Blair Atkinson and Aaron Murrell both on the bench. Jack Smith stepped up to lead the attack with Nicky Reid wide and, loanee from Newtongrange Star, Steven Thomson adding support from midfield. Vale have a number of Spartans connections with player-manager Chris Anderson, defender Paul Thomson and top goal scorer Brad Rixon all having previously played for their opponents tonight. In addition they have both Calum O'Neil and Lewis Hall on loan from Spartans.
Vale had the first chance of the game with Liall Smith racing forward on a through ball but he was denied by Blair Carswell diving at his feet just inside the penalty area to grab the ball. Thereafter the game was mostly in the Vale half of the pitch although Andrew McQueen in goal was rarely troubled. He got down well after about half an hour to push a shot from Smith away for a corner. Just before halftime Smith almost had another chance but Thomson deflect Scott Maxwell's low cross away past his own far post and also the striker who was lurking behind him ready to pounce on the edge of the six yard box. There was a 'musical' accompaniment to the match as some young teens were banging on tin boxes and chanting to the bat of the 'drums'. Suggestions as to what to do with the drumsticks were ignored.
The second half was more of the same with McQueen forced into action to palm away an Aaron Scott shot from eighteen yards. McQueen made another good save from a twenty-five yard shot by Gregor Woods before Smith had another close range attempt held by the keeper. Despite all their possession and the substitution of Atkinson for Thomson, Spartans were unable to score until the seventy-sixth minute. Scott took a corner on the left and found Adam Corbett leaping unchallenged on the far side of the six yard box. His header gave McQueen no chance to give Spartans the lead. As the players returned to the halfway line for kick-off I said to Malcolm, " Now Spartans have scored they will get another one soon". Almost straight from the centre they did after the ball found Reid just inside the Vale half on the right. He beat two players as he ran towards the penalty box. He then tricked his way past another two defenders before shooting past McQueen from about ten yards for an excellent individual goal. Spartans were content to play the game out now and it was surprising when in the last minute Liam Ireland 'nutmegged' Jordan Caddow on the byeline and headed into the penalty area. He attempted a shot from almost on the byeline which Carswell appeared to have covered at his near post. The keeper however fumbled the ball and it went through his grasp and into the net for a late consolation goal for the visitors. I felt a bit sorry for the keeper who has been one of Spartans most consistent players for a number of years and rarely makes a mistake.
After the game we walked a short distance along the railway walkway to Crewe Toll roundabout and caught a 37 bus back to the West End. We then changed to a 22 and I got home at 22.10, i time to take Rufus out for his last walk of the day.
Teams
Spartans: Carswell, Caddow, Maxwell, Bolochoweckyj, Corbett, Scott, Woods, McFarland, Smith, Thomson, Reid.
Subs: Atkinson, Hoskins, Allan
Vale of Leithen: McQueen, Higgins, Robertson, Weir, Thomson, Ross, l. Smith, Hall, Rixon, Anderson, Ireland.
Subs: O'Neil, A. Smith
It should be an interesting game tonight with Spartans fifth in the Lowland League but pushing for fourth place which would give them a place in the Tunnocks Caramel Wafer Cup next season facing SPFL sides. Vale are currently bottom of the table but seem to save there nest performances for sides around them at the bottom. With games still to come against fellow strugglers Gretna 2008 and Dalbeattie Star they are hopeful about moving away from a relegation spot although their goal difference is considerably worse than their closest rivals. Spartans sprang a surprise with top goal scorers Blair Atkinson and Aaron Murrell both on the bench. Jack Smith stepped up to lead the attack with Nicky Reid wide and, loanee from Newtongrange Star, Steven Thomson adding support from midfield. Vale have a number of Spartans connections with player-manager Chris Anderson, defender Paul Thomson and top goal scorer Brad Rixon all having previously played for their opponents tonight. In addition they have both Calum O'Neil and Lewis Hall on loan from Spartans.
Vale had the first chance of the game with Liall Smith racing forward on a through ball but he was denied by Blair Carswell diving at his feet just inside the penalty area to grab the ball. Thereafter the game was mostly in the Vale half of the pitch although Andrew McQueen in goal was rarely troubled. He got down well after about half an hour to push a shot from Smith away for a corner. Just before halftime Smith almost had another chance but Thomson deflect Scott Maxwell's low cross away past his own far post and also the striker who was lurking behind him ready to pounce on the edge of the six yard box. There was a 'musical' accompaniment to the match as some young teens were banging on tin boxes and chanting to the bat of the 'drums'. Suggestions as to what to do with the drumsticks were ignored.
The second half was more of the same with McQueen forced into action to palm away an Aaron Scott shot from eighteen yards. McQueen made another good save from a twenty-five yard shot by Gregor Woods before Smith had another close range attempt held by the keeper. Despite all their possession and the substitution of Atkinson for Thomson, Spartans were unable to score until the seventy-sixth minute. Scott took a corner on the left and found Adam Corbett leaping unchallenged on the far side of the six yard box. His header gave McQueen no chance to give Spartans the lead. As the players returned to the halfway line for kick-off I said to Malcolm, " Now Spartans have scored they will get another one soon". Almost straight from the centre they did after the ball found Reid just inside the Vale half on the right. He beat two players as he ran towards the penalty box. He then tricked his way past another two defenders before shooting past McQueen from about ten yards for an excellent individual goal. Spartans were content to play the game out now and it was surprising when in the last minute Liam Ireland 'nutmegged' Jordan Caddow on the byeline and headed into the penalty area. He attempted a shot from almost on the byeline which Carswell appeared to have covered at his near post. The keeper however fumbled the ball and it went through his grasp and into the net for a late consolation goal for the visitors. I felt a bit sorry for the keeper who has been one of Spartans most consistent players for a number of years and rarely makes a mistake.
After the game we walked a short distance along the railway walkway to Crewe Toll roundabout and caught a 37 bus back to the West End. We then changed to a 22 and I got home at 22.10, i time to take Rufus out for his last walk of the day.
Teams
Spartans: Carswell, Caddow, Maxwell, Bolochoweckyj, Corbett, Scott, Woods, McFarland, Smith, Thomson, Reid.
Subs: Atkinson, Hoskins, Allan
Vale of Leithen: McQueen, Higgins, Robertson, Weir, Thomson, Ross, l. Smith, Hall, Rixon, Anderson, Ireland.
Subs: O'Neil, A. Smith
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