22nd August 2023. Hearts B 3 Tranent 0
I decided to go to Ainslie Park tonight to watch hearts B against Tranent. Tranent had finished fifth in last seasons Lowland League and were tipped as strong challengers this season. I left home around 18.30 and walked to Queensferry Street where I caught a 19 bus to Crewe Toll. From there I walked along Ferry Road,cut through Morrisons car park, and then on to Ainslie Park. I paid my £5 admission and an extra £1 for a programme for entry to the ground. I took a position against the perimeter fence around 19.15 and tried to log this match on my Futbology app. The direct login was has not working on my new phone since I got it earlier this week. However the old trick of switching the phone off and then back on again cleared the problem and I was able to log my attendance on the app. Grant arrived and we had a chat before deciding to move ito the stand as the rain started. Grant met an old friend, Jack, and we sat with him near the halfway line.
Hearts are currently third in the Lowland league behind leaders Bo'ness and East Kilbride while Tranent are fourth. Last seasons Hearts had a poor start to their Lowland League season but now with the bulk of the squad retained and some other promising youngsters signed they seem more confident against physically stronger position. Goalkeeper Harry Stone is now to old for the B team as is midfielder Connor Smith and it is likely both will be sent out on loan to gain further experience. However replacement keeper Liam McFarlane and attacking players like James Wilson and Gus Stevenson have proved to be adequate replacement. Tranent under yet another new manager in former Bo'ness boss Max Christie have again reshuffled their squad. Players brought in included experienced SPFL striker Kallum Higginbotham from Kelty Hearts, along with Dean Brett and Alan Horne from Bonnyrigg, Alasan Jones from Bo'ness and baroque Watson who arrived from Broomhill.
Hearts started well and had the ball in the net in three minutes but Mackenzie Kirk was ruled offside by the assistant. However a minute later Hearts went ahead. Again Kirk was involved as he sent a low ball into the penalty area from the net. Callum Sandilands ran in and shot past Mason from around ten yards. It was a fast start from the men in maroon and they took a deserved lead after just five minutes through Callum Sandilands. Kirk almost scored again minutes later when he took an excellent first touch to control a long ball from Luke Rathie. However Kelby Mason, a former Hearts player, in the Tranent goal pushed his shot onto the post and out of play. In the fourteenth minute Hearts went two ahead with a beautifully worked team goal. Hearts keeper McFarlane clutched a Tranent corner kick and rushed to the edge of the penalty area. He rolled the ball out to the left towards Ryan Duncan and Bobby McLuckie. The pair worked their way upfield and Duncan sent a low cross in the Tranent Penalty. Adam Forrester dummied the cross leaving Sandilands an easy task to lift the ball over the diving Mason for his second goal. Things got even worse for Tranent just before the half hour mark when Higginbotham was shown a red card for a dangerous tackle on Ethan Drysdale in front of the Hearts dugout. It was one of these cases where nobody could argue with the referees decision given the sheer ferocity of the challenge. Hearts continued to dominate rage match and Sandilands had a couple of chances to complete his hat-trick before halftime. The halftime whistle blew with Hearts 2-0 ahead.
McFarlane had little to do in the Hearts goal but did well ten minutes into the second and to block a header from Watson after a clearance had been returned into the Hearts box. hearts went three up in sixty-one minutes. Sandilands was sent through on goal after a long pass. However his shot was blocked by the diving Mason around fifteen yards from goal. The rebound fell to Kirk who had an easy task to send the ball into the goal from the edge of he penalty area. With the game now almost over both sides used a number of substitutes and other than Mason pushing away a mis-directed header from one of his own defenders there was little further goalmouth action. The three points move Hearts B to second lace in the lowland League behind East Kilbride given Bo'ness' defeat.
After the final whistle I walked through the car-park with Grant and Jack but left them as I headed up to Ferry Road. There was a twelve minute wait for a twenty-seven so yet again I walked to Crewe Toll and caught a 37 to the West End. From there I jumped onto a 16 and was home by 22.15.
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