23rd June 2021 The Spartans 2 Dunfermline Athletic 2

Despite the counter attraction of the Euros on television I was determined to get out and ee another match. It had been a lovely day and I left him at around 18.15 to had to Ainslie Park for tis per-season friendly. I had to make a detour on the way to pay cash into my bank account so headed to the West End to use the ATM facility there. From there I walked through Stockbridge, Inverleith Park and then Ferry Road before arriving at Ainslie Park around 19.25. I entered the ground after showing my season ticket just as it started to rain. There were no programme issued but I managed to get a photo of a copy of the team sheet issued to directors so i was aware of both team line-ups. Both teams were including a number of trialists in their lineups however the Dunfermline trailists had their names listed on the team-sheet while for Spartans the listing was just trialist. I have added the word trialist in brackets in the Dunfermline line-up to show the players who had not yet signed for the visitors. As I wandered round the ground I spotted Alan in the stand and we had quick chat before I found a seat in amongst the Dunfermline fans.

Spartans included new signing Blair Henderson at centre forward. Henderson a former Dunfermline youth player has been at Edinburgh City for th last three seasons. In he first season he scored 39 competitive goals but due to injury he has only managed 19 over the least two seasons. He did not figure largely in new manager Gary Naysmith's plans and his contract was cancelled by mutual consent. Despite interest from other SPFL clubs he chose to sign for Spartans and should be a profile scorer if he can steer clear of other injuries. Also included in the Spartans side were Kevin Waugh and Euan Smith, both previously with Berwick before signing of Spartans this season. 

Dunfermline included Nicolay Todorov, a former Hearts player , in their side. Todorov never played a first team game at Tynecastle but was a consistent goalscorer of loan in the lower leagues. He played for Inverness last season and scored twelve goals before signing for Dunfermline on expiry of his contract there. Dunfermline manager Peter Grant chose a number of trialists including Liam Rice (ex-Sheffield Wednesday) and Ali Omar (Barnsley) in his first game as manager of the side. 

Todorov created an early chance when his cross from the right found Lewis McCann at the near post but his effort went wide. Dom Thomas  shot from 25 yards with his attempt flying  narrowly over keeper Blair Carswell’s crossbar. The game changed after fifteen minutes. Jamie Dishington broke through chasing a long ball and was pulled back on the edge of the penalty area by Oman. The referee had no option than to show a red card for the defender. Waugh’s free-kick attempt forced Owain Fon-Williams to push the ball away from the top corner of the net. Despite being a man down Dunfermline went ahead in twenty-six minutes. Todorov headed the ball across goal and Kevin O’Hara jumped and flicked the ball back over Carswell into the net of the right hand post. Dunfermline continued to press forward and Spartans replaced Smith with Alan 'Hovie' Brown just before half-time. It was good to see Hovie back playing as he gives one hundred percent no matter which role he is asked to play. The change was slightly surprising as Smith did not seem to have been injured as he walked of the pitch and headed straight back to the changing rooms. Spartans then equalised when Sam Jones ran onto a long ball and slid the ball into the net from just inside the penalty box. The referee blew the half-time whistle as Dunfermline restarted the game. 

Carswell made an excellent just after half-time when Edwards had played a one-two with O’Hara inside the Spartans box and the keeper turned the shot past the far post. Inglis almost scored an own goal when he nodded back a lob from Dom Thomas. His header went narrowly past the post and surprisingly the referee awarded a goal-kick. Carswell then made another good save when he held a header from Todorov. Dunfermline continued to press but Spartans held out until the seventy-fourth minute. O’Hara made a run down the left from his own half and was scythed down by Inglis in the penalty area. It was a clear penalty and Thonas made no mistake from the spot. The Dunfermline fans were shouting for Inglis to be sent off but the referee deemed the penalty award as sufficient punishment. Spartans brought on three substitutes and it was surprising to see Dishington being amongst those replaced. Henderson was also replaced by the same trials centre-forward who came on against LTHV last week.  Henderson is around 6' 4' but his replacement looked even taller. Fon-Williams then made a good save from a McCrory-Irving shot as the game moved towards the final whistle. However in the last minute a cross from the right found Jones on the left hand side of the penalty area. His initial shot was blocked by Fon-Williams and flew into the air. Jones followed up and from a tight angle headed the ball into the net despite the efforts of Rice to clear. 

I moved towards the exit as the final whistle blew and then headed along the old railway line towards Crewe Toll. I then walked up to the roundabout and caught a bus up to Princes Street. after a couple of minutes wait  caught a 34 home arriving back around 22.05 after watching another good game. 

Teams

SPARTANS: Carswell, Herd, Waugh, Inglis, Bolochowevkj, Woods, Dishington, Jones, Henderson, Smith, McCrory-Irving
SUBS: Brown, Mackie, Crolla, Trialist, Trialist. 

DUNFERMLINE: Fôn Williams: Macdonald, Rice (trialist) , Omar (trialist), Comrie, Thomas, Allan, Edwards, Todorov, McCann, O’Hara

SUBS : Paton (trialist), Taylor (trialist).