Tag: football

Hearts lift cup at Ainslie Park

Brave Spartans were left heartbroken as they lost out on the Ronnie Swan Cup 8-7 on penalties to Heart of Midlothian on Friday night (writes ALAN CLARK).

The East of Scotland league side had been leading throughout the game and were 4-2 to the good with just a couple of minutes remaining, however Hearts scored a quick-fire double to take the friendly match to a shoot-out.

Jack Beesley gave Spartans the lead with a deft chip before Mark Whatley doubled the home side’s lead after 20 minutes with a scissor-kick from the edge of the area.

Scottish Premier League side Hearts responded just before half-time through Gordon Smith, however Spartans restored their two-goal advantage through Andy Martin early in the second half.  Returning Jambo Ryan Stevenson made things interesting at 3-2, as Sean Wringe then looked to have made the cup safe for Spartans.

There was more drama to come however as substitute Mehdi Taouil unleashed a 30-yard rocket into the top corner with minutes to go, which was followed by a last-minute leveller from fellow sub Sam Nicholson. After both sides scored their five penalties, the shoot-out entered sudden-death where Nicolson scored the cup-winning penalty.

Due to the international break, Hearts boss John McGlynn agreed to take part in the memorial match for Ronnie Swan and the Scottish Cup holders brought a strong squad along to Ainslie Park, including first-team regulars Andrew Driver, Jamie MacDonald and Ryan Stevenson.

The game started evenly with both sides attempting to find their feet but the hosts made the breakthrough after ten minutes. Jordan Finnie spotted Jack Beesley’s run and fed him the ball, with the Spartans midfielder using his first touch to chip Jambos keeper Jamie MacDonald beautifully – much to the delight of the home crowd.

The Tynecastle outfit looked for a quick reply as they won a free-kick on the edge of the area. Ukrainian defender Denis Prychyenko let fly but his effort went wide of the post by three yards.

The non-league side put themselves even further in front just ten minutes after the opener, Neil McCuish’s scissor-kick every bit as impressive as Beesley’s chip. The ball bounced on the left side of ‘the D’ and McCuish took a gamble by launching his whole body at the ball, which looped over MacDonald and into the inside of the side-netting. Spartans were in dreamland.

Dale Carrick attempted a copy-cat of McCuish’s wonder strike but the Hearts forward watched as his effort went narrowly wide of the post. McGlynn’s side were looking more interested in the game after 35 minutes and almost got a goal back, Ryan Stevenson’s cross almost being turned in by Spartans no. 2 Danny O’Donnell.

Jason Holt was next up to go close for Hearts as he made some space for himself in the box before sending his low drive into Ross Gilpin, who did well to use his legs save to his right.  Just as Dougie Samuel thought Spartans would have a 2-0 half-time lead, striker Gordon Smith pulled a goal back for Hearts, poking the ball home from six yards after a ping-pong event in the box.

Samuel didn’t have long to wait to see his side’s two-goal league restored however, the 54th minute seeing Spartans make it 3-1. Chris Anderson weighed his through ball perfectly for Andy Martin, who hit his shot across Macdonald’s goal and into the far corner.

After 70 minutes, Spartans were believing it could be their night after all, as they smacked the bar with a ferocious drive from the edge of the area. MacDonald did well to palm it onto the bar, as it looked like it was heading for the top corner.

With less than ten minutes to go, ex-Ipswich Town forward Stevenson got his name on the score sheet with a powerful shot from inside the area, however Spartans delighted their punters further by making it 4-2 a matter of seconds later. It was Anderson who was the supplier again as a great move culminated in the midfielder going past MacDonald, leaving him helpless as Sean Wringe beat a defender to squeeze home the fourth into an empty net.

You could be forgiven for thinking that was that, but Hearts had other things in mind. Substitute and former Kilmarnock winger Mehdi Taouil took matters into his own feet as it were, as he picked the ball up 30 yards from goal and thumped home high into the keeper’s left-hand corner. With less than two minutes to play, this goal made Spartans sweat but rejuvenated Hearts and resulted in Sam Nicolson bundling home in the last kick of the game to make it an astonishing 4-4.

The game was to be decided by penalties and after both sides scored their five penalties, the shoot-out entered sudden-death where Nicholson scored the cup-winning penalty. Hearts were presented with the Ronnie Swan trophy in front of the main stand at the end of an enthralling friendly bout in front of 1,200 fans.

SPARTANS: Ross Gilpin, Danny O’Donnell, Gary Cenerrazzo, Kevin Sivewright, Neil McCuish, Robbie Manson ©, Jack Beesley, Mark Whatley, Jordan Finnie, Chris Anderson, Donal Henretty. Subs: Sean Wringe, Keith McLeod, John Grant, Andy Martin, Willie Bremner, Peter Mair, Chris Flockhart.

HEARTS: Jamie MacDonald, Dylan McGowan ©, Kevin McHattie, Denis Prychyenko, Brad McKay, Ryan Stevenson, Jamie Walker, Jason Holt, Gordon Smith, Dale Carrick, Andrew Driver. Subs: Mehdi Taouil, Jack Hamilton, Callum Paterson, Callum Tappin, Scott Robinson, Billy King, Adam King, Sam Nicholson.

Hearts lift trophy after titanic struggle

Hearts beat The Spartans on penalties to win the Ronnie Swan Memorial Trophy in front of 1800 spectators at Ainslie Park  last night. It was an almighty struggle for the SPL side, who came back from being two goals behind THREE times to force the game to penalties after it finished all square at 4-4.

Full match report to follow from Alan Clark

Hearts bring full strength squad to Spartans

Hearts are bringing a full strength squad to Ainslie Park for tonight’s clash with The Spartans for the Ronnie Swan Cup. As expected, none of the Tynecastle club’s international players have been considered for selection but Spartans will still face a formidable Hearts team tonight.

The Hearts squad is McDonald, Stevenson, Taouil, Driver, Smith, Walker, Holt, Prychynenko, D McGowan, Tapping, McKay, McHattie, Hamilton, King, Paterson, Carrick, King and Nicholson.

The Spartans choose from Flockhart, Gilpin, O’Donnell, Sivewright, Mair, McCuish, Cenezzarro, Manson, McLeod, Beesley, Anderson, Grant, Martin, Finnie, Wringe, Bremner, Whatley and Henretty.

The match kicks off at 7.30pm. Tickets are still available and can be bought at the stadium until 6pm. Adult prices from £8 and a family ticket (one adult and one concession) is only £10.

Spartans looking forward to Hearts challenge

This Friday night will see Spartans play host to the Hearts first team at Ainslie Park.

Hearts have agreed to play Spartans for the Ronnie Swan Cup and will send their first team squad along this coming Friday.

Spartans favourite Jack Beesley hopes to play from the start. (Picture: Thomas Brown)

We caught up with Spartans favourite Jack Beesley earlier this week and you can listen to his interview below.

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There are still tickets available and you can get yours by going to www.spartansvshearts.eventbrite.co.uk tickets start at £8.00.

So come on get along on Friday night and support a local team and watch what should be a good game of football. If you can’t get along check back here on Monday and read the match report and and listen to the interviews.

All the action kicks of at 7.30pm.

Local derby tomorrow

Tomorrow sees the start of the East of Scotland Football League and the first game of the league campaign sees a local derby in North Edinburgh. Spartans will make the short trip to Marine Drive to play Civil Service Strollers. Civil will still be on a high following their victory last week in the first round of the Sottish Cup and their manager Chic McAleavy will be delighted that influential player Michael Somerville will return for tomorrows game.

Michael Somerville (right) will be back after missing last weeks game. (Picture: Thomas Brown)

Spartans will be hoping to bounce back after their defeat last week in the Scottish Cup, the new management team of Dougie Samuel and Neil Irvine will be keen to get their league campaign of to a flyer.

All the action kicks off tomorrow at Telford College playing fields at Marine Drive and kick off is at 2.30pm and the best part is there is no entry fee, so pop along and see what should be an excellent game.

Civil Service Stroll to next round of Scottish Cup

Local football club Civil Service Strollers are through to the next round of the Scottish Cup after they comfortably seen of Dumfries side Newtown Stewart on Saturday. Civil had many chances in the first half but it took until half an hour into the game to hit the net, Darren Aird was left unmarked at the back post and when the ball was whipped in he headed home from close range.

Civil Service Strollers are into the round of the Scottish Cup and could face Rangers.

After the interval Newton Stewart started to get back into the game but found it impossible to score any goals. Craig Pinnon then doubled Civil’s lead when he was played in by Ross Aitchison and Pinnon fired home from close range. Stewart O’Neill then broke away from the defence and his powerful shot nestled low in the corner of the net. O’Neill got his second of the match after Eddie Mearns went on aterrific run down the wing and squared to O’Neill who prodded home from close range.

Civil manager Chic McAleavy took part in an interview after the game with us and you can listen to this by clicking the link below.

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Spartans Scottish Cup disappointment

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).

Dougie Samuel is hoping his side can bounce back next week when they are away to Civil Service Strollers.

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.”

Scottish Cup: mixed fortunes for local clubs

There were mixed fortunes for the two local clubs in Saturday’s Scottish Cup second round ties. The Spartans suffered a 2-0 defeat at home to Wick Academy, but Civil Service Strollers go marching on into Round Three following a fine 4-0 victory over Newton Stewart.

Civil Service Strollers welcome Spartans to Marine Drive in an East of Scotland League match this Saturday (1 September) at 2.30pm.

East of Scotland league preview

Alan Clark checks out local clubs’ prospects as the new season kicks off …

For the local teams of North Edinburgh, the new season is well under way. The area has two clubs in the top division of the East of Scotland set-up – The Spartans FC and Civil Service Strollers FC. Leith Athletic FC dropped down to the First Division for the new campaign, and join Craigroyston FC there.

Having taken over from long-serving co-managers Sam Lynch and Mike Lawson, Spartans boss Douglas Samuel is keen to re-claim the league title but is wary of holders Stirling University, who have recruited ex-Falkirk manager Eddie May as boss. He said: “The short term goal is to win the title back. I believe we are capable of doing so. However, two or three other club managers will be thinking and feeling exactly the same way.”

The Ainslie Park side are going through a transition and have started blooding more youngsters in the first-team. Samuel explained: “I believe our new squad has a good combination of established players with a great pedigree and proven track record mixed with younger players with great potential; however, it’s also fair to say that it’s a work in progress.”

After a trophy-less season just past, Samuel is desperate to win silverware in his debut in the Spartans’ dugout, and sees a huge benefit from a Scottish Cup run. Spartans host Highland League outfit Wick Academy in the Cup on Saturday 25 August. He added: “Clearly after a season when the team didn’t win a single trophy we are desperate to win something this coming season. A Scottish Cup run would give everyone a huge lift at the start of our journey.”

Civil Service Strollers will be looking to raise their game as they strive to better last season’s disappointing 7th place finish in the Premier Division. Manager Chic McAleavey – appointed near the start of the year – will be hoping to put his stamp on the team. Newton Stewart, from the South of Scotland League, will travel to Silverknowes this Saturday in the Scottish Cup, the draw giving the Strollers a great opportunity of making the next round of the prestigious old tournament.

With an opening-day league fixture at home to local rivals Spartans on the first day of September, it gives the Strollers something to look forward to and a good result there would give them a confidence boost heading into their league campaign.

Relegated last season, Derek Riddel’s Leith Athletic are looking for a swift return to the top-tier, with a title success on their minds. He said: “Two teams are promoted from the First Division to the Premier so whilst we’d be happy just getting there, I’d have to say that going up as champions would be sweeter. We finished a very close second to Gretna 2008 two years ago so it would be nice to win the league and give the players a medal to cherish.”

However, Riddel is well aware of the forward planning that the club officials have who see Leith as a long-term project. He added: “We’ve only been in the East of Scotland league for four seasons, with this being our fifth. In that time we’ve won a cup, been promoted and been relegated. A lot of clubs haven’t achieved that in a longer period of time and whilst promotion is our aim for the season, the club’s committee are looking at the long-term future of the club and they see great potential over the longer term.”

Craigroyston, who finished a respectable fifth in the First Division, are looking forward to meeting Leith in the league and expect their players who have Premier League experience will aid their promotion hopes. Head coach Ross McNeil said: “I have played the Leith team over the years as a youth manager and I always enjoyed playing them – I am looking forward to playing them even more in the East of Scotland league. We have the right balance of experienced players who have got out of this league before and this was one of the reasons in signing these players as they have played well in the Premier League.”

Alan Clark

Spartans boss has high hopes for season

DOUGIE SAMUEL: high hopes

Having taken over from long-serving co-managers Sam Lynch and Mike Lawson, Spartans boss Douglas Samuel is keen to re-claim the league title for the club as well as go on another famous Scottish Cup run (writes Alan Clark). In this exclusive interview with North Edinburgh News, Samuel also discusses the young element of the new Spartans squad and entering the SFL in the future.

Stirling University, who have recruited ex-Falkirk manager Eddie May as boss, pipped Spartans to the league championship on goal difference on the last day of the season and Samuel has admitted wrestling the title back is one of the priorities he has as manager.

He said: “The short term goal is to win the title back.  I believe we are capable of doing so. However, two or three other club managers will be thinking and feeling exactly the same way.”

The Ainslie Park side are going through a transition and have started blooding more youngsters in the first-team.  Samuel explained: “I believe our new squad has a good combination of established players with a great pedigree and proven track record mixed with younger players with great potential; however, it’s also fair to say that it’s a work in progress.

“It’s a new squad and the start of a new era of major transition for the football club on and off the park.  From last year’s squad, five experienced players have moved on.  Everyone in the group has a real desire to do well, to restore the club to its former glories.

“The immediate test is to integrate our new signings, to create a real sense of togetherness and understanding around how we would like to play throughout the group.  I know from past experience that both of these things take time to develop and achieve.”

After a trophy-less season Samuel is desperate to win silverware in his debut in the Spartans’ dugout, and sees a huge benefit from a Scottish Cup run. He added: “Success for us will come in various shapes and forms. Clearly after a season when the team didn’t win a single trophy we are desperate to win something this coming season.  A Scottish Cup run would give everyone a huge lift at the start of our journey.”

Samuel, who is also Development Manager at the club’s Community Football Academy, is looking at his squad’s development as well as the obvious craving for success through silverware.  He commented: “If, by the end of the season, we have improved as a group and each player has developed and improved as a player then that would represent real progress and success.  Crucially, it’s also something we can control.  Whether or not that results in silverware, time will tell.”

The former Edinburgh University boss, who spent nine years with the club, believes the proposed Highland and Lowland league – which would create a route into senior league football – would be a great thing for the game and his club.

He said: “A pyramid system would be great for Scottish football.  As a club we would relish the opportunity of playing our way into the Scottish Football League.  Our current focus is on meeting short term goals but with one eye on the future too.

“For example, the majority of our new signings are young players starting off their careers with what we hope will be their best years in front of them.  This season is the start of a transition, however, the goal remains to win football matches and see where that takes us in terms of winning silverware.”