26th March 2023 The Spartans 3 Gretna 2008 O

Third match in three days as off to Ainslie Park to watch Lowland League leaders against third bottom Gretna 2008. I had an early lunch and left home at 13.30 to walk to the ground. I normally walk to the ground along the old railway path but as the forecast was for rain I kept to the streets as in the event of heavy rain I would be able to jump on the bus to complete my journey. I arrived at the ground around 14.20 and showed my season ticket at the turnstiles. When I got in I was told there were no programmes today as there had been a hitch with delivery. However a QR code on the wall at the club souvenir hut allowed me to order a copy from Curtis Sport and also access the content online. I thought it was a bit much having to pay postage when it was the suppliers fault the programme was not on sale at the ground. It took me a while to order and Jim arrived just as I completed the transaction. He had been smart and ordered his copy earlier in the week and it had arrived in the post on Friday. We took up a stance on the perimeter fence at the cafe end. Shortly before the kickoff we were joined by Alex and Jamie. 

Spartans had fielded a reserve side against Stoneyburn in midweek but reverted to their strongest side today. The only player missing was Ian McFarland who had picked up an injury in a short spell against Stoneyburn in midweek. Spartans have four league matches left and a win today would push the nearer to being champions. Their remaining days with the exception of Tranent away are ones they would expect to win and hopefully they will appear in the playoffs for an SPFL place. Gretna 2008 replaced the previous Gretna side who went into liquidation after the death of owner Brooks Milson in 2008. They have been consistent mid-table performers in the Lowland League for a number of years but never challenged for promotion. The only player I recognised was Liam Robertson, youngest son of former Hearts star John Robertson. I first met him, as probably a seven year old, when he attended training sessions for. Buckstone  Primary School. Surprisingly, unlike his dad, he is a goalkeeper and not a striker. 

The match started in a hailstorm which thankfully did not last too long. While Gretna managed to force the first corner of the game Spartans took the lead in eleven minutes. Cammy Russell had a free-kick from about twenty yards out pushed away for a corner by Robertson in the Gretna goal. Russell took the corner and drove it low towards the near post. Bradley Whyte for a touch at the near post and deflected the ball into the net off the diving Robertson. In twenty-five minutes Spartans went two up when a Sam Jons shot was again touched away for another corner. Rhys Armstrong to the kick on the right and the ball was cleared back to him on the edge of the penalty area. Armstong’s shot took a slight deflection and landed in the net after bouncing in off the post. Jordan Tapping came close from another corner when his header hit the bar. the ball bounced out and  returned back into the penalty area where Blair Henderson also hit the bar with his headed attempt before the Gretna denounce managed to clear the danger. 

The second half started as the weather got colder although tanking the rain stayed away. Russell was sent through by Dishington but Robertson did well to gt down to block his shot. A third goal arrived in sixty-three minutes when Mikey Allan gathered the ball just outside the penalty area and his shot took a deflection of a defender before landing in  the net. After the goal the rain started and we moved from the open terracing to take seats in the stand and shelter from the elements. Gretna brought on Kieran Moyles and Conor Duffy in an attempt to shore up their defence. Duffy lasted seven minutes on the park when after being yellow carded for a foul on Russell he committed a second offence minutes later. Referee Jordan Curry showed a second yellow card and a subsequent red. The player walked up the park from the right hand side of the pitch towards the dressing rooms before ducking under the perimeter barrier to leave the field. I don't know what has happened to the rule where players should leave the park at the closest opportunity rather than wander slowly across the pitch when substituted or red carded. Spartans brought on Sean Brown, Gregor Woods, Alan Brown and Harvey Swann to give then some game time replacing established players in Henderson, Dishington, Armstrong and Allan as the clock moved on towards the final whistle. With a three goal lead Spartans were content to play out the game until the final whistle blew. 

After the end of the game I walked with Jim and Alex through the car park where I left them to head up to Ferry Road, thankfully the rain had eased off. I started to walk towards Crewe Toll but as I was passing Morrisons I saw a 27 bus in the distance . I put a sprint on, or may be a faster walk, and arrived at the next stop in time to catch the bus as others boarding delaying the bus leaving the stop. I was lucky to catch the bus but arrived home around 17.40 after a enjoyable game in cold and wet weather conditions. 

Teams

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

Subs: S. Brown, Swann, A. Brown, Woods.

Gretna: Robertson, Short, Muir, Dickinson, Gormley, Higgins, Caves, Carmichael, Wilson, Bell, Cairney-Smith.

Subs: Moyles, Duffy.