Leith Athletic and Craigroyston go head to head this afternoon in the final of the Alex Jack Cup.
The action kicks off at 3pm at Spartans Football Academy.
Tag: football
Community celebrates rapid rise of Blackhall Athletic
Broughton High School was the venue for a reception to mark the formation of a new local football club last night. It’s been a meteoric rise – six months ago Blackhall Athletic didn’t exist, but now has teams playing in three football leagues!
Club chairman John Adams explained: “Blackhall Athletic really came about through conversations in the pub! A number of parents were talking in the Blackhall Lounge – their kids were members of a team but the boys were not always getting a game. Everyone agreed that it was important that the kids get a chance to enjoy taking part in sport, no matter their abilities. It was from those conversations that the idea for the club was born”.
John (pictured above) is retired, but remains very active within the community and he was ‘coerced’ into helping parents set up a new football team for boys from Blackhall and the surrounding neighbourhoods. In August, just months later, Blackhall Athletic had three teams playing league football.
That’s a cause for celebration and last night parents, coaches and players got together at Blackhall Athletic’s Broughton High School home to say thanks to the people who made it all possible – Carey, Peri, Blackhall Sports Committee, Inverleith Neighbourhood Partnership and Craigleith Blackhall Community Council have all showed their support for the new club through sponsorship.
John added: “We’ve received tremendous support from a number of sources. To make a success of something like this you really need two things – money and dedicated people to volunteer their support. It’s been quite lot of hard work but we have both in place and we’re now able to offer young people the opportunity to come along and get involved, enjoy a game of organised football whatever your skill level. We will never be results driven – Blackhall Athletic is very much a community football club, all about sporting endeavour and playing the game in the right spirit. Everything is set up for the boys now – we have good coaches and the facilities here at Broughton are first class.”
Robert Ure (pictured below) is the Active Schools coordinator based at Broughton High School’s Sports hub. He told guests: “Blackhall Athletic is the first club to be launched from the hub here so this is a very exciting time. We are delighted to host Blackhall Athletic, and I’m delighted they have made their home here at Broughton. Our aim is to offer sporting activities for everyone – we provide a wide range of sporting opportunities with lots of different options, from dance to rugby and everything in between, so come along and give it a try!”
Blackhall Athletics has two Under Tens teams and an Under Thirteen squad side too. Given their meteoric rise, don’t rule out more teams and age groups being added to that list some time soon!
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.