Spartans crashed out of the Scottish Cup on Saturday after losing 2-0 to Highland League side Wick Academy.
Spartans started nervously but came into the game as the half progressed. Keith McLeod went close with two efforts as Spartans began to look dangerous midway though the first half, but it was all to change when Ali McKinnon went off with a head knock on the half hour mark. McKinnon headed off for stitches as the half was all set to peter out. As the first half went into injury time Spartans failed to clear a corner and Wick took the lead. Only a minute later and it was two, Spartans failed to defend another corner and the Wick striker knocked the ball home from two yards.
Manager Douglas Samuel told the club’s website: “Goals change football matches. More often than not the first goal in any game is key. Yesterday, I made a big call which cost cost us dearly. We lost 2 goals in 2 mins when down to 10 men, both in 1st half injury time. Up until corner one, we were comfortable in a game where I felt we had developed the upperhand.
However, history will show that it was an error of judgement on my part, when electing to go with 10 men until Ali received treatment, that cost us (as Sir Clive Woodward said,‘winning doesn’t happen in a straight line’). Wick have some talented players, were unrecognisable to the team I watched the week before (we wish them well in the next round and for the season as a whole).
I will learn from yesterday’s experience, as a group we will bank the lessons learned from yesterday together and move on. This team and many of the young, inexperienced players in the squad best years are in front of them. I remain confident that each player will improve during the course of the season and beyond, that our side will develop and grow. It’s unfair to compare new signings or players coming through with the star players that have left in recent years, we are comparing players at different stages in their career and development.
Yesterday was a blow, our Club has not tasted a Scottish Cup run for a few seasons now…I’m fully aware of what it means to everyone involved with the Club. It was sad to see so many E of S Clubs fall at the first hurdle, I’m sure most of them will have their own ’if only’ moments to reflect back on. In the end we fell short in terms of execution and meeting our expectations of ourselves yesterday, but not in terms of effort and application.
Our league campaign starts next Saturday vs. The Strollers away (who along with The Vale and Edinburgh City enjoyed a great result yesterday – I’m delighted for all 3 Clubs), when we have a chance to bounce back.”
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