1st October 2021 Edinburgh City 1 Cowdenbeath 1

 

Another game at Ainslie Park tonight with Edinburgh City playing Cowdenbeath in the SPFL League 2. City are hoping to move back to Meadowbank before the end of this year but in the interim continue to ground-share with Spartans. I left home at 18.20 but given the "nights are now drawing in", as my mother used to say, I decided to walk down the streets rather than the dimly light railway path. I arrived at Ainslie Park around 19.15 and entered by showing my e-ticket purchased on Fanbase. I bought two programmes as Jim had asked me to get him one as he was heading to Bo'ness tonight to watch the home side play Civil Service Strollers. I was leaning against the perimeter fence reading my programme and watching the teams warm up when I saw Gordon. I used to work with him and he is now a director at Edinburgh City. We had a chat and he told me it is likely to be the end of November before City can go back to Meadowbank as works have been delayed due to a combination of the weather and the pandemic. After Gordon went back into the directors area i decided to move into the stand to watch the game. I chose a seat two rows from the front of the stand just as head rain started. The rain was blowing into the lower section of the stand so I decided to move. I went further along the stand  and towards the Pilton end and managed to find a seat in the second bak row which provided protection from the downpour.

City had a poor start to the season but have steadily improved and now stand fifth in the league table. However they are looking to finished at least a place higher to qualify for the portion play-offs at end end of the season. City have had a horrendous time with injuries this season. In edition to a long-term injury to Allan Smith who made his comeback inn U20 game last week, centre-backs Lee Hamilton, Lewis Toshney and Robbie McIntrye are also out of action. With Lewis Kidd, Danny Jardine and Callum Crane also missing City are down to the bare bones in defence. City signed Raith Rovers defender Dave McKay on loan this week and he was making his first start tonight. Cowdenbeath have not been having good season and currently occupy bottom place in the league table. Having been successful in the play-offs twice previously they are looking to move out of the bottom spot to avoid taking part in the play-offs again. Cowdenbeath had a number of Hearts connections in their line-up with Fraser Mullen, Robbie Buchanan and Craig Thomson having played for Hearts earlier in their careers. Thomson also played  for City in the last three seasons and given his dead ball prowess I was surprised he as nor retained by the Edinburgh side.

The game started with Cowdenbeath having most of the possession but City went ahead in their first attack after eight minutes. McKay sent a ball down to Ouzy See on the right wing. See headed towards the byline and sent over a cross with evaded John Robertson in the centre of the goal. Danny Handling however came running in at the far post and headed home from the edge of the six yard box to put City 1-0 up. Cowdenbeath then had a period of sustained pressure. Liam Buchanan shot from almost at the byeline and Brain Schwake did well to block the ball at his near post. Schwake however watched on as Kris Renton sent a header from a Buchanan cross past his left hand post. Before the half time whistle Schwake again saved City by blocking a shot from Harvey Swann as he broke into the box on the left. 

Cowdenbeath continued to press forward in these second half and Schwake did well to turn away  Bucanan’s attempt from the corner of the box towards the top right corner of his goal. On the hour mark Scwake cam out of his goal to clear a cross which he could only punch towards Buchanan just outside the penalty area. The keeper scurried back towards his goal to collect the forwards Headed attempt towards the net. Cowdenbeath finally gained a deserved equaliser in eighty-three minutes when Kris Renton flicked home across from Robbie Buchanan on the edge of the six yard box. The rain had been falling all through the match but died off after the goal and I headed towards the perimeter fence near the exit for the final few minutes. I met Ian there who said he was going to Dalkeith tomorrow morning and I said I would see him there. The final whistle blew with a draw maybe a fair result although I felt City are not as good a side as in the last couple of seasons.  They may have a number of injuries but lack creativity in midfield with the exception of Fraser Murray. City will not be involved in the relegation play-offs but need to improve to reach the promotion play-offs.

I walked up to Ferry Road after the game to find that yrt again I had a long wait for a 27 home. It was then another walk along Ferry Road to Crewe Toll where I caught a 37 bus. I got off at the West End and walked home from there arriving back around 22.10. 

Teams

Edinburgh City: Schwake, McKay, Reekie, Kane, Bronsky, Tapping, Hilton,  Murray, See, Handling, Robertson. 

Subs: Ferguson, Shanley

Cowdenbeath: Gill, Mullen, Thomson, O’Connor, Barr, Miller, R. Buchanan, Hutton, Renton, L. Buchanan, Swann. 

Subs: Coulson