25th July 2023 Civil Service Strollers 2. Hearts B 3

 

I am heading to Christie Gilles Park tonight to watch Civil Service Strollers(CSS) in the Lowland. Both sides recorded victories in their opening matches and I am looking forward to a good game. I had an early meal and left home at around 18.15 to walk to Tollcross to catch a bus to the ground. As I was walking along Lochranza Place I saw a 27 going down Home Street, I had no chance of catching it but when I arrived at Home StreetI I saw a 16 was due in three minutes. The 16 takes a long route to Pennywell and it was around 19.15 when I arrived. I walked down to the ground,  alongside World of Soccer. I showed my Fanbase ticket for entry and purchased on of the last three programmes available for £3. Some people were complaint online that the content did nor merit £3. However I would commend CSS for issuing a programme when so many clubs in higher leagues in the pyramid have no longer print programmes. I hung about near the gates as Grant, another ex-RBS colleague, had said he was going to the game tonight. We met at the gates and had a wander round the grounded chatting mainly about football, as the game kicked we were behind the goals and saw Stuart, who also worked I. RBS, and joined him at the perimeter fence.

CSS manager Harry Girdwood made one change from the starting line-up on Saturday with a Trialist replacing Harry Girdwood. With another two trialists on the bench it looks as if CSS have yet to finalise your squad for the season.  Hearts were playing a closed door friendly against and had included James Wilson, Aiden Denholm and Luke Ruthie in the first team squad for that match. With Murray Thomas out injured Hearts brought in Callum Flatman who took over the captains armband, Ryan Duncan, Kenzi Nair  and Mackenzie Ross to the starting eleven.

Hearts started well and opened the scoring after two minutes. Bobby McLuckie broke down the left and sent a cross across the six yard box which was missed in the air by Mackenzie Kirk for Ross who followed him into the box to knock the ball past Jacob Pazikas in the CSS goal. Hearts second goal came after some nice inter-passing in midfield end with the ball at Callum Sandilands feet around fifteen yards from goal he shot low past Pazikas although the striker was May helped by the keeper diving early. The third goal originated again in midfield and sent Rocco Friel free for a run to the byeline intside the penalty box. The fullback cut the ball back across goal where Ryan Duncan netted from the edge of the six yard box. Friel had another good run done the right just before halftime and appeared to be fouled just outside the area around six yards from the byeline . The referee disagreed and yellow carded Friel for stimulation. Hearts went in at halftime with a 3-0 lead. There was some good finishing from the Hearts side who broke forward quickly throughout the first forty-five minutes. 

I don’t know what manager Jardine said to his players at halftime but they came out looking a completely different side with Mikey Mbewe looking particularly threatening down the right. CSS pulled a goal back from a corner. The Hearts defenders moved towards Mark McConnell thinking he would win the ball. McConnell missed the cross leaving Conrad Balatoni to net with a diving header at the far post. Liam McFarlane made a valiant attempt at a diving save but was unable to prevent the ball crossing the goal-line.  CSS score again minutes later this time from a corner. The ball flew over the tall players congregated in the centre of the penalty area and reached Mbewe at the far side of the six yard box. the ball came to him at an award height but he managed to force his attempt into the net by raising his foot to deflect the ball home. With the game only half way through the second half Hearts were reeling and McFarlane made a couple of good saves particularly near the end when he dived to push a shot in the centre of the goal. With minutes to go Flatman, who had be booked earlier, received a second yellow card for pulling the jersey of one of the CSS substitute trialist forwards just outside the penalty area. Hearts then showed professional but knowing the ball into the corners in the last few minutes and held on to other the three points for a win.

After the game I walked through the car park with Stuart and Grant. I left them at the gates and walked up to Pennywell. When I reached the bus stop and saw a 27 was due in two minutes. he bus arrived in time and I took it to Leamington Terrace then walked down the hill home arriving around 22.30.

Teams:

Civil Service Strollers, Pazikas, Duffy, Valentine, Balatoni, McConnell, Yeats, Mbewe, Laird, Cunningham, Cole, Trialist.

Subs: Trailist, Trailist.

Hearts B: McFarlane, Flatman, Sandilands, Kirk, Dall, Gordon, Duncan, Friel, McLluckie, Ross, Nair.