5th October 2021 Edinburgh University 1 Berwick Rangers 4

 

It had been a miserable da today with heavy rain starting around 10.00 and continuing for most of the day. I had been thinking about going to the Edinburgh University game a few days ago but the almost monsoon conditions were putting me off going. I was not helped by two of the other games scheduled for tonight being called off early in the afternoon. However the rain stopped around 18.00 a dI decided to go the the match at Peffermill. Before leaving the house at around 18.20 I bought an electronic ticket through the Fanbase app. I walked via the Meadows, Marchmont, Salisbury and Peffermill to the ground arriving around 19.20. After showing my e-ticket and paying £1 for a programme I met Jim at the perimeter fence. We wandered across to speak to a steward about team-sheets and he said he would see what was happening. There is no tannoy system at Peffermill and teams are normally listed on a whiteboard in the tab which is currently being used as a dressing room. after returning to the fence we were joined by Jah, an Edinburgh City fan. just before kickoff a University official came out and distributed team-sheeets to those wanting a copy.

I recently saw the University play against LTHV in athletic Scottish Cup where they were unlucky not to win in a 2-2 draw at Ainslie park. Unfortunately they lost 3-0 at home in the replay a week later. However on Saturday they won 3-2 at East Kilbride for there second league win of the season and now sit in fifteenth position in the eighteen club Lowland League. Unusually for the University they have two players bought in on loan with gaol-keeps Jacques Heraghty and midfielder Alex Bannon brought in from Queens Park. Upfront winger Innes lawson provides the main attacking threat. Berwick were the second SPFL club relegated to the lowland league following the introduction of the pyramid system. They have struggled in the Lowland League and are probably not helped by geography as they are based south of the border in England. The side is mainly made if of players based in Scotlands central belt with a strong East of Scotland representation. In tonights side keeper Andy McNeil began his career at His, Aidan Denholm is on loan from Hearts with Graham Taylor, Lewis Allan and Jordan Sinclair all having played with Edinburgh City. 

The game started with Berwick having most of the play but the first car chance came to the University after fourteen minutes. A short corner was played to Lawson on the left hand side of the penalty area. His shot towards the top corner brought out an excellent save from McNeil who leapt to his left to tip the ball over the bar for another corner. Berwick then hit the cross-bar before taking the lead in twenty-five minutes. Sean Stewart, a former Penicuik player, drove forward from midfield before playing in Cammy Dow. The on-loan East Fife winger shot high into the ent from around fifteen yards to open the scoring. Berwick went two up after forty minutes when a corner kick was only cleared out to Jamie Paper on the Berwick right. His cross was headed down by Jack Cook to Allan facing away from goal. He backed into the covering defender, a bit like Kenny Dalglish used to do in his his prime, before turning and shooting home from the edge of the six yard box. The Unersity used a goal back just before halftime when the ball was played to Lawson on the edge of the penalty box. The  winger looked up before curling a sot into the top corner of the net giving McNeil no chance to save this time. 

Berwick brought on Jordan Sinclair at half-time to replace goalscorer Dow. They continued to have the bulk of possession but were unable to find another goal until the sixty-third minute. Substitute Sinclair played the ball into the penalty box for Grant Nelson. The former Rangers academy player ran onto the all and shot first-time lo past Heraghty for a fine goal. Berwick then let the University back into the game a bit but restricted them to long range efforts which failed to trouble keeper McNeil. Berwick clinched the natch with a fourth goal in eighty minutes. Substitute Calum Smith, a many of many clubs including Montrose, Forfar Athletic, Linlithgow Rose, Kelty Hearts, Bo’ness United, broke on the right. He then squared the ball across the goal to Nelson who shot home his second goal from around fifteen yards. A deserved win for Berwick against a good footballing University side who failed to match their opponents physically. 

After the final whistle Jim kindly offered me a lift back into town. He dropped me off at Lothian Road and I walked home from there arriving back just around 22.10 after watching an enjoyable match. the only downside was the lack of the usual teabar at Peffermill which provides excellent coffee and cakes in addition to the usual football pies and sausage rolls. 

Teams

Edinburgh University: Heraghty, McGuire, Condie, Black, Hamilton, Bannon, Maskery, Dick, Spelman, Baird, Lawson.

Subs: Watson, Sinclair, Maurice

Berwick Rangers: McNeil, Finnie, Ferguson, Cook, Paper, Denholm, Taylor, Nelson, Allan, Stewart, Dow.

Subs: Sinclair, Smith.