6th August 2020 the Spartans 4 Gala Fairydean Rovers 1

 


With Hearts playing Hibs in the Edinburgh derby at Easter Road tomorrow I had a free Saturday. I could have gone to Rosewell to watch the Hearts B team in Lowland League action but decided to use my Spartans season ticket and head to Ainslie Park for Spartans Lowland league fixture against Galafairydean Rovers. I left home around 13.30 to walk to Ainslie Park arriving arond 14.35. I showed my season ticket for entry and then got a  programme before heading up to the cafe. I had a chat with Stuart before heading into the cafe for a coffee. After the coffee I headed down to the stand and grabbed a seat before the game kicked off. 

Spartans had made a number of changes from their midweek game against Rangers B.Jamie Dishington and Blair Henderson returned to the starting eleven. Harvey Swann was missing from the starting lineup having dislocated his should in a training accident last week and will be unavailable for at least three months if not longer. Gala aav started the season well and are vcuuerntly second in the league table with three wins and a draw. Their position is even more creditable given they are playing there first four league games awn from home while a new pitch is laid at Netherdale. They are however missing a few players today with Gareth Rodger and Zander Murray both unavailable. Captain Danny Galbraith who has returned from Bo'ness to Gala will be the main attacking threat. 

Spartans started the game well and lost scored in the opening minutes. A poor ackpss was chased by Cammy Russel but keeper Ryan Goodfellow got down to grab that ball before Russell could take it past him. Mikey Allan then had run down the left but Russel was unable to reach his cross. While Spartans had most of the game Gala were unlucky hen Balir Crswell managed to push at defected cross over his crossbar. Spartans finally took the lead after seventeen minutes when Russel picked uo the ball on the right from a pass by Bradley Whyte and hot into the far corner of the net from twenty yards. A second goal followed minutes later when the Gala defence failed to clear a ball and Russel ran into the penalty box and despite Godfellow getting a hand to the ball managed to shoot across the keeper into the fat corner of the net/.

Spartans scored a third two minutes into the second half. Henderson sent Dishington free on the right and hi cross eluded Goodfellow and it flew into the far corner of the net. Spartans were controlling the game and Allan was unlucky with a shot after a Henderson pass before Spartans scored a fourth. Allan sent an excellent cross into the penalty area for Henderson to head hoe frohm around ten yards. Spartans made a number of changes to give some players a run out but With minutes to goalpost a goal. Callum Burns bossing a cross past his own keeper from ten yards. 

After the final whistle I walked up to Ferry Road and for one caught a 27 bus home arriving back in time to watch Everton v Manchester City on Sky which was an awful match in comparison to the Spartans game.

Teams
The Spartans: Carswell, Herd, Allan, Waugh, Tapping, Armstrong, Dishington, Jones, Henderson, Russell, Whyte.
Subs: Penker, Woods, Maxwell, Burns, McFarland

Galafairydean Rovers: Goodfellow, Bale, Mitchell, Berry, Nicholson, Galbraith, Wilkie, Jordan, Douglas, Hall, Greene.
Subs: Scott, Trialist

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