19th July 2022 Musselburgh Athletic 3 Newtongrange 3

 

I was not intending to go to a match tonight however when push came to shoe it was no contest between watching Australian Masterchef or a pre-season friendly between Musselburgh Athletic and Newtongrange Star. I caught a 26 bus at Haymarket and arrived in Musselburgh just before 19.00. As the kick-off was not until 19.30 I took the bus an extra stop, getting off at the Brunton Theatre and walking back to the ground. I paid my £2 admission charge to enter the ground at around 19.10. As I was walking round to the covered standing area I noticed my old work colleague Gwyn and his wife Paula sitting at a table in the covered area behind the goals. Their son Andy has recently moved from Dunbar United to join Musselburgh and was included among the substitutes tonight. I chatted with them for around fifteen minutes before heading to the covered area. There was not a large crowd the game and I took a seat on the back row of the terracing steps near the halfway line. 

Musselburgh, managed by former Hearts winger Joe Hamill, ply in the East of Scotland Premier league. They have made a number of changes to their squad for the forthcoming season with in addition to Jones signing Taylor Black (Edinburgh United), Gordon harris (Haddington) and Aaron Murrell (Spartans). I have always rated Murrell as a goalscorer but he seems to have been pushed down the pecking order at Spartans. He made a loan move last year to Musselburgh but picked up an injury and missed the last few months of the season. He has however signed a Musselburgh Contract for this season. Star under manager Chris King were relegated from the East of Scotland Premier League last season. They are currently reshaping their squad and look to have a younger side than last season. Included in their squad tonight was David Mallloy the son of another ex-work colleague Steve. Star have also signed striker Dean Ballantyne who was with Musselburgh last season.  

The match started slowly but Musselburgh gradually took control and opened the scoring after thirty nuts. A low cross found Jordan Smith unmarked at the far post and he had no difficulty scoring from about eight yards. Smith has played in the EoS league for a number of years with Tynecastle, Bonnyrigg and Tranent before joining Musselburgh and has been a regular goalscorer. Newtongrange(Nitten) equalised just before half-time when Ryan Turner was fouled just inside the penalty are. Ballantyne took the kick and despite Liam McCathie diving the right way found the back of the net. 

Surprisingly Musselburgh brought on all seven substitutes at halftime. I had wandered back to behind the goals to speak to Gwyn who was happy to see Andy getting a runout for the second half. I then spotted another former colleague, Ewan, standing in the sunshine opposite the covered area. I wandered over to have a hat with him as the team re-entered the field. He is also enjoying not working and has purchased a Musselburgh season ticket as well as attending away games. I then spotted Steve standing at the perimeter fence and went to have chat with him. Musselburgh took the lead after forty-nine minutes when Liam Reid rose to head home a corner from the left. Six minutes later Nitten equalised again. Malloy broke from midfield and passed wide to Logan Imrie. His cross into the box found Liam McIntosh unmarked to knock the ball home. Musselburgh went ahead again after seventy-nine minutes and again Smith was the scorer. From just inside the penalty area he squeezed a low shot in the net at McCathies right hand post. Surprising Nitten then made a final substitution bringing on reserve keeper Tom Angus for McCathie. I cannot see the point of giving a keeper a ten minute runout while four outfield subs had been mad by Nitten during the second half, albeit he has only been promoted to the first team squad this season.  However Nitten drew level again after eighty-four minutes. They were awarded a free-kick about twenty-two yards from goal. The wall line up to cover the area from the middle of the goal to the near post. The Musselburgh keeper took up position at the edge of the wall leaving a gap at the far post to allow Ballantyne to shoot into the corner of the net.

The final whistle went shortly afterwards and i headed quickly to the High Street to catch a bus home. a 26 was drawing up at the sop when I arrived but I noticed a 30 coming along behind it. As the 30 takes me closer to home I decided to wait for it which was probably a bad move. The route went though part of Musselburgh which even long-term residents would smuggle to recognise before going to Fort Kinnaird and then Niddrie. I finally arrived home around 2.40 after a long journey.

Teams

Musselburgh Athletic: McCrae, Black, Reid, O'Connor, Thomson, Knox, O'Kane, Barker, Harris, Smith, King

Subs: D'Arcy, Sanchez, Cairns, McManus, Jones, Reilly, Fiddler.

Newtongrange Star: McCathie, Peden, hay, Ballantyne, McIntosh, Porteous, Imrie, Malloy, Hainey, Turner, Bolochoweckyj.

Subs: Gibson, Muir, Elliot, Dowling, Angus.