10th August 2021 The Spartans 1 Linlithgow Rose 3

Another trip to Ainslie Park for tonight’s East of Scotland Qualifying Cup game between Spartans and Linlithgow Rose. Left home at 18.30 and walked down the old railway path. Despite the threat of inclement weather I made good time and arrived at the ground at 19.20. My season ticket was valid for nights game so no entry fee and after paying £2 for a programme I walked to the grassy bank at the Pilton end of the stand and met Jim who arrived arrived a few minutes before me. 

The East of Scotland Qualifying Cup is contested by members of the East of Scotland FA who are not members of the Scottish Professional Football League.  In practice, this means most of the Lowland League and East of Scotland League’s member clubs. The finalists in the tournament used to qualify to meet the regions two SPFL teams in the semi-finals before the final was played. With Berwick now also being non-league now I expect Edinburgh City and Kelty Hearts will be the SPFL sides seeded to the semi-finals. The competition is not high priority for Lowland League sides and this showed in the Spartans team selection. Long-term injury victims Ian McFarland and Blair Atkinson games back into the tarting eleven while Dan Baur, Alan Brown, Scott McCrory-Irving and Aaron Murrell, who had all be substitutes in Saturdays's league fixture, also came into the team. Linlithgow currently sit eighth in the East of Scotland premier Division with nine points for six games. They suffered their first defeat of the season on Saturday, loosing 3-1 at home to Penicuik Athletic. Penicuik and Tranent are the form sides at present and it s likely that one off these sides will contest for a Lowland League spot next season. Record goalscorer Tommy Coyne who had scored after coming on as a substitute on Saturday move into the starting line-up tonight. 

Spartans started well and Atkinson showed he had lost none of his pace with an excellent run down the left. Unfortunately his low cross into the penalty area ran behind Murrell and was cleared by the Linlithgow defence. Linlithgow took the lead in their first attack after seven minutes. Coyne flicked the ball out to the from centre midfield. The ball was then sent low into the Spartans penalty box. Jack Ogilvie took a touch and from a tight angle shot low the helpless Blair Carswell in the Spartans goal. Spartans pressed for an equaliser but Linlithgow were quick to break although neither side created any clear cut chances. Spartans equalised after twenty-eight minutes when McCrory-Irving sent a low cross in the penalty area. It looked an easy take for Linlithgow keeper Lewis McMinn but he let the ball squirm from his grasp to the feet of Murrell on the edge of the six yard box. The striker stroked the ball into the empty net. Just before halftime Spartans had an opportunity with a free-kick just outside the penalty area. McMinn redeemed his error by pushing away Sam Jones' shot for a fruitless corner.

At halftime Jim and I attempted the quiz in the Spartans programme. We both came up with answers. However when we came to check the answers printed in the programme were the answers to the quiz in Saturdays programme against Broomhill. Will we ever know if we were right !

The second half was one of these games where there was a lot of effort but no real chances were made and neither keeper was overworked. However after seventy-five minutes Linlithgow were awarded a free-kick thirty yards from goal on the left. Substitute Luke Watt floated the kick towards the back post where it was headed back across goal by, I think, central defender Darren Brownlie Fellow substitute Mark Stowe was unmarked in the centre of the area and he shot low past Carswell to put Rose ahead again. Spartans brought on top scorer Blair Henderson in a attempt to force an equaliser but instead conceded a third with minutes to play. Ruari MacLennan played a ball into the penalty area where it was knocked back to Ogilvie on the edge of the box. He hit a first time shot with the inside of his foot high past Carswell to clinch Rose's place in the next round. 

After the final whistle I walked unto Ferry Road, meeting Alan and two of his friendson the way, to catch a bus home. The 27 was due in eleven minutes and we were chatting about the game while waiting on the bus. The bus arrived on time andIi was home by 22.30.

Teams

Spartans: Carswell, McFarland, Allan, Bolochoweckyj, Baur, Brown, Dishington, McCrory-Irving, Murrell, Jones, Atkinson.

Subs: Smith, Waugh, Henderson

Linlithgow Rose: McMinn, Stevenson, Thomson, Brownie, Them, Kasa, Ogilvie, MacLennan, Docherty, Coyne, Wilson.

Subs: Stowe, Hare, Watt.