1st November 2022 The Spartans 3 Berwick Rangers 2

 

A full Lowland League card this week despite Champions League football on television. As I have a Spartans season ticket I decided to head to Ainslie Park for their fixture with Berwick Rangers. As I had done quite a bit of walking during the day I decided to take a bus to the game. I walked to Tollcross and caught a 27 arriving at the ground around 19.15 for the 19.15. My season ticket got me through the turnstiles and I purchased a programme for £2 after I was inside. I saw Jim standing at the fence at the cafe end of the ground and I walked over to join him and watch the teams warming up. Jim is just back from a holiday in Italy where he attended 13 matches in a sixteen day break and he was telling me about some of the games. He even managed to watch the Fiorentina v Hearts game from the home end. 

Spartans had defeated Berwick 3-0 in the East of Scotland Challenge Cup on 15th October. Since then the squad has been strengthened by the return from injury of Michael Herd, Bradley Whyte and Harvey Swann while Scott Maxwell is also available following returning from his honeymoon. Jordan Tapping, Callum Burns and Euan Smith remain on the long-term injury list. Manager Dougie Samuels picked what would be recognised as his strongest side from those available with the possibility of Spartans going to the top of the Lowland League with a win tonight. Berwick are currently 12th in the nineteen club Lowland League. They will provide a greater attacking threat than in the recent cup-tie with both Graham Taylor and Alex Harris returning to tonight’s squad. Berwick were wearing a new strip to ICT. Orange and yellow stripes on the front of the top with back and sleeves also orange along with blue shirts and socks. I M told the colours represent the flag of Northumberland where the club are based.

Spartans had most of the early play and Mikey Allan headed wide from a Rhys Armstrong cross before a Cammy Russel low cross was too far ahead of Blair Henderson. Berwick however took the lead in their first attack after thirteen minutes. when a low cross from Graham Taylor on the left saw Blair Carswell and Cammy Graham collide around six yards from goal. Both players fell to the ground as the ball ended up in the net after a deflection of Graham. The referee awarded the goal and both players involved required treatment from the physio’s before the game restarted. Graham only continued for another ten minutes or so before he required to be replaced by Sean Stewart in the Berwick attack. Spartans continued to press forward and equalised after thirty-one minutes. A long throw from Russelll caused confusion in the Berwick defence. The ball broke to Jamie Dishington around twelve yards from goal and his hook shot looped into the net albeit with the aid of a deflection of Armsrongs head. The announcer gave the goal to Dinshington but I thought it should be credited to Armstrong given he took the final touch. Spartans confirmed the following day the the goal was being credited to Armstrong. A minute from halftime Spartans went ahead and again Armstrong was involved. He broke down the right and then turned to enter the penalty box where he was upended by challenge from a Berwick defender. The referee had no hesitation in awarding a penalty without the aid of VAR. Blair Henderson took the kick and shot low into the corner of the net giving Calum Antell in the Berwick goal no chance of making a save.

Berwick came more into the game in the second half and Lewis Barr along with Allan were spoken to by the referee after tussling awaiting a Bewick corner being floated into the box. Spartans however took a 3-1 lead after sixty-two minutes following another corner. The ball was crossed towards Allan on the six yard line and he fell to the ground after a push from Barr. It was probably one the these situations were a player feels the contact and falls to convince the referee to give a penalty. Henderson took the kick again and had no difficulty in beating the diving Antell. Berwick did not give up and a header form Jamie Pyper, again following a corner, hit the bar and bounced over. Henderson was denied his hat-trick when he was replaced by Sean Brown after seventy-one minutes. Russell then forced a good save from Antell when he cut inside and shot from around twenty yards. Berwick manager Stuart Malcolm was given a yellow card for dissent by the referee before being shown a red after sarcastically applauding the decision. He stamped across the pitch towards the dressing rooms as a Spartans player was receiving treatment from the physio. With four minutes left Berwick scored again. Liam Buchanan appeared to trip over Allan’s foot in the penalty area although the referee though otherwise and awarded a penalty. Kyle Baker scored from the kick. Berwick almost forced an equaliser the in last minute when a long kick out from Antell was knocked against the near post by Lewis Barr, as Carswell came of his line, before bouncing out for Sam Jones to clear the ball.

After the final whistle i walked out of the ground with Jim before walking up to Ferry Road to catch a bus home. I had five minutes to wait for a 27 and arrived home at around 22.30.

Teams

The Spartans: Carswell, Woods, Allan. Waugh, Watson, Jones, Dishington, Armstrong, Henderson, Whyte, Russell.

Subs: S. Brown, A. Brown, Laing.

Berwick Rangers: Antell,, Nelson, Pyper, Travis, Stevenson, Barr, Taylor, Sinclair, Harris, Graham, Buchanan.

Subs: Stewart, Sabatini, Baker, Allan.