1st April 2022 Edinburgh City 1 Kelty Hearts 1

 


It’s Friday so it must be Ainslie Park again. Tonight fourth placed Edinburgh City take on newly crowned League Two champions Kelty Hearts. After an early meal I walked  to High Riggs to catch a 37 bus to Ainslie Park. I got to Ferry Road around 19.15 and started the short walk down to the ground. Unfortunately the two Kelty supporters buses has just arrived and their fans were also walking down the hill from Morrisons car park. I was caught up in the crowd but managed to get past them before entry to the ground. I showed my electronic ticket for entry and then bought two programmes as Jim was away to Italy to watch some Italian football. Alex arrived just before kickoff alongside a number of German fans who had to leave their beer cans at the entrance. Alex and I headed to the Pilton end on the grassy bank while the Germans took seats in the stand.

City were without Michael Travis and Callum Crane who had both been sent off in their last match at Elgin. In addition Jack Brydon, Danny Jardine and John Robertson were out with season ending injuries.however both captain Robbie McIntyre and midfielder Callum Tapping returned to the side. The new City management team of former Hearts player Alan Maybury and his assistant ex-Ayr manager Mark Kerr were looking for a victory to help their chances of qualifying for the League Two play-offs. Kelly now under the managership of Kevin Thomson have done well in the first SPFL season after beating Brechin City is last seasons play-offs.they have romped to the League Two title and have a  strong squad with most players having previously SPFL experience. They are particularly strong upfront with Natan Austin, Joe Cardle, Kallum Higginbotham, Bioto Biabi and Afredo Argeyman all have played in the SPL and in some cases the SPL. 

The game started with kelt looking as if the had a championship hangover as City made some early chances. In three minutes Anthony McDonald ran on to an Innes Murray through ball. However his shot from the centre of the penalty area was saved by Darren Jamieson in the Kelly goal. Murray then had an attempt from outside the box locked by the Ketly defence. Brian Schwake in the City goal stopped an attempt by Argeyman leaping to clutch the ball at the left hand corner of the goal. City continued to press forward and Murray had a shot following a corner dropping to his feet saved again by Jamieson. 

Kelly opened the scoring three minutes into the second half. A ball over the top was met by Jamie Barjonas on the volley around 15 yards from goal on the left hand side of the penalty box. His hot flew into the top right corner giving Schwake no chance of making a save. Minutes later Schwake got down well to stop a shot from Argeyman. In fifty-five minutes Thomas O’Ware went down after what seemed an innocuous challenge around twenty yards from the Kelly goal. The physio was called open to treat the injury and O’Ware had to leave the field on a stretcher to be replaced by Daniel Finlayson. Ten minutes later City equalised. Substitute Ouzy See was challenged by Jamieson as he chased a pass into the box. See went down and the referee awarded a penalty. From where I was standing, admittedly at the other end of the park, I did not think the challenge was unfair. Ryan Shanley took the kick and fire the ball into the centre of the net. as Jamison dived to his left. Kelly substitute Joe Cardle came close with a shot from outside the box which went narrowly last Schwake’s right hand post. As the match moved to its conclusion both Cardle and Higginbotham had shots narrowly past the goal. The final whistle blew with a draw a fair result although maybe better for City as it maintained their positioning the last play-off place. 

After the final whistle I walked up to Ferry Road to find I had a twelve minute wait for a 27 bus home. I walked along to Crewe Toll to see the 47 going round the roundabout and not stopping as there was no one at the stop. I therefore ended up getting the next 27 and got home around 22.20 after an entertaining game.


Teams
Edinburgh City: Schwake, Logan, Brian, Hamilton, Stirling, McIntyre, McDonald, Tapping, Shanley, Handling, Murray
Subs: See, Berry

Kelly Hearts: Jamieson, Philp, McNab, Tidser, Forster, O'Ware, Biabi, Kucheriavyi, Argeyman, Barjonas, Higginbotham
Subs: Finlayson, Cardle.

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