26th November 2022 Hearts B 4 Dalbeattie Star 0

With the World Cup on the SPL was still in ‘hibernation’ until 17th December and while lower league clubs were playing the Scottish Cup today there was nothing local and I did not fancy travelling too far. Despite my opposition to ‘B’ sides playing in the lower leagues I decided to head out to Rosewell to watch Hearts B v Dalbeattie Star in the Lowland League. I have been to Ferguson Park three times before but only seen one match. The first time I went the match was called off due to a waterlogged pitch, the second saw Whitehill defeated at home by Cumbernauld and the third was to watch my grandson training with his youth side. I had it all worked out how to get to Rosewell but it all went belly up. I had planned to catch a 30 bus at 13.97 and left house at 12.55 only to see a 30 going past as I looked to cross the West Approach Road. Never mind the app showed another bus due in two minutes and then app changed to next bus due in nineteen minutes. I then decided to walk down to Haymarket to catch a bus to Cameron Toll. I caught a 31 but as the bus was turning to go up the Bridges I saw the Rosewell 49 coming up from Leith Street and going up the Bridges ahead of the 31. Never mind I could still get the next 49 at Cameron Toll. When I got to Cameron Toll the app suggested taking the next 31 to Bonnyrigg and then switching to the 49. I did this and arriving at Bonnyrigg I had six minutes to get to the stop before the 49 arrived. When I got to the stop the app changed to 32 minutes which would mean I would miss the kickoff. I then had to walk 2.3 miles from Bonnyrigg to Rosewell arriving just as the math was going to kickoff. I paid my £2 admission charge and took a seat in the stand. 

Ferguson Park had changed a bit since I was last there with floodlights now installed. In addition seats have been placed on the two concrete steps at the entrance although with no cover I would not been keen on sitting there in cold or bad weather. Finally three ‘huts have now been placed on the grassy banks around the ground. These contain seats for three/four people to alllow them to watch matches from a different viewpoint. Hearts B have a difficult start in the Lowland League but are now getting used to the physical demands of playing against older/more experienced. They have won their last two matches against Gretna and Edinburgh University and are now in mid-table. Dalbeattie are not have a good season and are currently bottom of the Lowland League with one win in seventeen games. Manager Jordan Williamson, who joined the club at the start of the season from St. Cuthbert's Wanderers resigned a few weeks ago. He has been replaced by Eddie Warwick, a former coach at Queen of the South.

Hearts hada chance almost straight from the kick-off but Bobby McLuckie was unable to connect with the ball properly on the edge of the penalty area and Mason McCready made comfortable save. After three minutes Hearts went ahead when Adam Forrester and Finlay Pollock like for a one-two on the right touchline. Forrester was sent clear and crossed low towards the six-yard box. MacKenzie Kirk, son of former Hearts striker and current Brechin City manager Andy Kirk,  connected with e ball at the near post to give Hearts the lead. Hearts continued to dominate the game with Pollock and Aidan Denholm controlling the midfield. When Star did break the Hearts defence stood firm with Aaron Darge in commanding form at centre-half. Star did create a chance around the half hour mark but Liam McFarlane in the Hearts goal manage to push away Steven Degnans header with an outstretched foot as he dived. Kirk had another chance just before halftime when he broke into the penalty area on the left. McCready raced from his goal to block the strikers shot. Krk was not to be denied and In injury time doubled Hearts lead. Darge sent a header forward which Callum Sanidlands flicked on to Kirk in the right hand side of the box. His low shot beat McCready. 

The second half continued as the first with Hearts dominating possession and both Kirk and Sandilands missed good chances when sent through on goal. Kirk, looking for his hat-trick, was replaced by Murray Thomas after sixty-five minutes. In seventy-three minutes Hearts scored a third goal. Macaulay Tait gathered a pass from Darge and sent a cross towards the far post. Thomas gathered the ball beyond the far post and cut the ball back low to Sandilands who bundled the ball into the net from close range. With two stoppages for injuries, leading to Stars Lewis Campbell and Hearts Luke Rathie being assisted from, the field and six substitutions the match went into time added on and Hearts scored again. Darge had  shot blocked in the penalty area but the ball landed at Sandilands feet and the shot home.

The stoppages made me think I might  be struggling to catch the 49 bus back into town which was due at 17.01. However the bus was late and did not arrive until 17.10. It took a circuitous route back into town going to Bonnyrigg and Dalkeith before being further delayed in roadworks at Fernieside. I got off at Surgeons Hall and walked home from there before settling down to watch France v Denmark in the World Cup. I can say that the Hearts match was far more entertaining to watch. 

 Teams

Hearts: McFarlane, Darge, Tait, Pollock, Denholm, Kirk, Gordon, Forrester, Rathie, Sandilands, McLuckie. 

Subs: Friel, Thomas, Hambrook. 

Dalbeattie Star: McCready, Campbell, Uphill, Taylor, Caffrey, Gaffney, Degnan, Gallacher, Williamson, Gourlay, Ebbs

Subs: Johnston, Kavanagh, Craig.