With their third identical result in as many games, reports of a statue in recognition of the late Archbishop Desmond at Ainslie Park may not be on the cards however it was a tremendous effort from The Spartans on Saturday to pull back a two goal deficit to earn a 2-2 draw against Bonnyrigg Rose on Match Day 8 of the SPFL 2 campaign.

Spartans were without the services of Jamie Dishington who joined Blair Carswell on the treatment table with Gavin Morrison making the starting XI.  New signing from Dundee United Bryan Mwangi joined the squad and slotted in on the bench.

Ahead of kick-off, the Ultras North unveiled their new Tifo in the Newton Building and Roofing stand whilst creating a cacophony of noise inside the ground under the gaze of tv cameras – keep an eye on social media for further info soon.

The opening minutes were a cagey affair with both sides looking to settle into their rhythm and gain an understanding of how each other were shaping up for the contest.

Bonnyrigg enjoyed some early possession as they pressed towards the goals where their supporters were standing behind and had marginally delayed kick-off due to their enthusiastic pre-match distribution of tape requiring to be cleared off the pitch.

Cammy Russell’s run through the middle of the park saw him upended 25 yards out but his free-kick hit the visiting wall and from play that resulted from the break, Bonnyrigg took the lead.

Jacques Heraghty’s extra touch in dealing with a pass back saw him pick-pocketed by Ross Gray who subsequently sent the ball over the scrambling keeper and give the tourists the lead.

Spartans looked to respond immediately and Cammy Russell’s low cross into the box was inches away from being connected with by Blair Henderson.

HT: The Spartans 0-1 Bonnyrigg Rose

The rain welcome the players back out for the second half with no personnel changes offered by both camps.

Just eight minutes had elapsed after the break when Bonnyrigg doubled their lead.  Jordan Tapping was pinged for a free-kick and subsequently booked after Ross Gray took a tumble in the challenge.

From the resultant dead ball effort, Lee Currie cleared the wall and the despairing diving Heraghty to double their lead.

Spartans made a brace of changes on the hour mark which were to be instrumental in orchestrating Douglas Samuel’s side’s comeback.  Sean Brown and Danny Denholm coming off the bench to replace Morrison and Tapping.

It took a mere five minutes to halve the Bonnyrigg advantage.  A long hoof up the park by Heraghty was headed on into the path of Sean Brown who worked industriously to send the ball across the box for Rhys Armstrong to slide home and reduce the deficit.

Then, ten minutes later, it was all square.  Rhys Armstrong’s in-swinging corner was double fisted away by Paddy Martin under his own crossbar.  Cammy Russell headed back towards the goal and after a brief game of headed tennis in the box, Russell was on hand again, this time to nod beyond the sea of bodies to finally find the net. A collector’s item with the napper and an important one at that!

Two further changes saw Sam Newman and Sam Jones both enter the fray at the expense of Henderson and Armstrong who had left nothing on the park during their 80 minutes on it.

One final flurry saw James Craigen send a teasing delivery towards the back post.  A sliding Bradley Whyte was inches away from connecting to grab a late winner.

A share of the spoils it was as the rain continued to fall and the 823 supporters made their way out of Ainslie Park with plenty to chew on.

FT: The Spartans 2-2 Bonnyrigg Rose

Malt and Hops Man of the Match: James Craigen

It was a 2-2 deja vu for Spartans as they ended up sharing the spoils for the second Saturday in succession, this time against East Fife at Ainslie Park.

After replacing Blair Carswell at Forfar, Jacques Heraghty continued as custodian of the gloves in the first competitive fixture between the clubs since 1996.

The coin toss saw Spartans make the unfamiliar pilgrimage to goal away from the Café end, a change of scenery for the strikers to attack.

East Fife immediately went on the attack.  Ayrton Sonkur looked to have stood his ground only to find himself penalised for having the audacity of being jumped into.

There was then a scramble in the home box after the ball was lost in midfield.  Brogan Walls launching into the box, Scott Shepherd causing problems and his shot was initially saved by Heraghty.  He then cut it back to Jack Healy who saw his rebound blocked by Kieran Watson as Spartans looked to keep the Fifers at bay.

That they did and they were rewarded in the 26^th minute with the opener.  Cammy Russell’s long throw into the box was cleared to the edge of the box.  Kieran Watson getting enough on the ball to find Rhys Armstrong who, in the little space he had, swapped feet and sent a delightful finish into Allan Fleming’s bottom corner.

Spartans looked to build on their recently found momentum and Jamie Dishington’s exceptional cross was out of the reach of Fleming and just the narrowest of margins away from connection with Bradley Whyte’s head who was loitering behind the keeper.

A move from one end to the other from the hosts involving half a dozen slick passes found Cammy Russell out wide.  He sent in a tempting cross looking for the head of Blair Henderson who just couldn’t connect.

HT: The Spartans 1-0 East Fife

A strong run through the middle of the park by Bradley Whyte saw him play in Jamie Dishington who had Fleming scrambling with a shot that just landed on the wrong side of the woodwork.

Then nine minutes after the break, Spartans doubled their lead.  James Craigen winning the ball in the middle, his neat placement into the path of Cammy Russell saw him race to the bye-line where he swept in a tidy cross which was sent into the net by the head of Blair Henderson.

A two goal cushion was reduced by half just three minutes later.  The hosts losing possession on the edge of the Methil men’s box and a quick counter found Healy.  He launched the ball up the park, Watson tried to block however it spun into the path of Scott Shepherd who found the net.

It was all a bit frantic.  Play was fast and loose.  East Fife looking for the equaliser, Spartans keen to not only to curtail that activity but searching to restore their hard earned two goal advantage.

Bradley Whyte showed neat feet on the touchline to skip past a pair of pursuers.  He sent a low cross with pace towards the front post and Rhys Armstrong see his deft touch narrowly whizzed past the post.

A series of throw ins for the visitors saw them edge closer towards Heraghty’s penalty box. A neat move found Scott Shepherd who found the unmarked Nathan Austin who latched on to the ball and his left footed shot evaded the Spartans keeper to level proceedings.

Spartans made a couple of late changes in personnel with Gavin Morrison replacing Jamie Dishington following by a brace of swaps featuring Jordan Tapping and Sean Brown coming on for Allan and Henderson.

Alas, there was to be no change to the scoreline and Spartans continued their positive start to the season, losing only once in the opening seven games in their inaugural season in the SPFL.

FT: The Spartans 2-2 East Fife

Malt and Hops Man of the Match: Cammy Russell

The Spartans gained a point on the road in a pulsating encounter at Station Park that saw a sensational scissors kick strike by Mikey Allan and demand outstretching supply in the search for half time Forfar bridies.

It was a frantic start in pleasant conditions with a plethora of peep peeps coming from the match official’s whistle as the foul count tally marks were added with some frequency in the opening stages.

A cracking challenge by Mikey Allan in the middle of the Forfar half saw the ball break to Jamie Dishington who let fly from distance and it narrowly whizzed past the post.

Rhys Armstrong’s corner into the box caused chaos in the home six yard box.  Mikey Allan almost bundling the ball over from close range only for Mark McCallum to claw the ball away on his own line.

A long ball over the top of the Spartans defence saw Blair Carswell race off his line to clear to safety.  Unfortunately for The Cat, it was to be his final involvement in the game and he was replaced by Jacques Heraghty due to injury.

Spartans thought they’d taken the lead when Bradley Whyte slotted the ball home however he was denied the opener as the ricochet from McCallum’s save hit Whyte’s arm before he found the net.

It was the hosts who took the lead against the run of play in the 25^th minute.  A fine tackle on the edge of the box by Ayrton Sonkur on Josh Skelly denied the home striker only for the ball to break to Seb Ross who found the top corner with his effort leaving Jacques Heraghty with little chance.

It was a home lead that lasted just three minutes.  Roberto Nditi’s header back to Marc McCallum saw the keeper get his hands on the ball then, as Blair Henderson closed him down, the Forfar goalie picked the ball up.  The Spartans striker noted this likely transgression and after a few seconds delay, Referee Andy Gamble offered the tourists and in-direct free-kick inside the box.  

McCallum clearly unimpressed earned himself a yellow card.  Henderson’s shot from the subsequent free-kick was well blocked only for hit to fall into the path of Mikey Allan on the edge of the box who unleashed a contender for goal of the season – a sublime scissors kick strike that flew into the back of the net.

Another enforced change for the visitors came when Sam Jones replaced James Craigen.

With half time on the horizon, it was Spartans who were to head into the sheds with their noses in front.

Jamie Dishington collecting the ball in midfield before sending a long pass beyond the Forfar defence for Blair Henderson to lob McCallum from inside the box to launch it into the empty net.

HT: Forfar Athletic 1-2 The Spartans

Spartans started lively after the break and Mikey Allan’s cross to the back post found Cammy Russell who just about grazed the top of the bar with his effort.

Just seven minutes after the interval however the score was all square once again.

Josh Skelly sending in a low delivery across the face of the goal where it found Mikey Allan and former Spartans favourite Mark Whately and in the clash to get to the ball for differing reasons, it invariably hit the net.  Whately credited by the hosts with the goal.

Forfar, looking for their first win of the campaign, almost found themselves in front only for a tremendous stop by Jacques Heraghty who denied Kieran Inglis with a flying stop.

The replacement goalie was then on hand to deny Rory MacLeod with another telling save.

Blair Henderson then had the ball in the net again, this time with the head, however the far side Assistant Referee adjudged him to be marginally offside.

Bradley Whyte forced McCallum into a fine save of his own when the Spartans playmaker cut inside before unleashed a tremendous shot that looked destined for the postage stamp, only for a set of Forfar fingers to top the ball over the bar.

There was further fine margins shortly after when Ryan Paterson was upended by Kevin Waugh.  The home support incandescent with rage that no spot kick was awarded however the foul was clearly on the right side of the whitewash for the Spartans skipper and a free-kick was the correct call.

With ten left on the clock, a double Spartans swap saw Sean Brown and Danny Denholm change places with Cammy Russell and Rhys Armstrong.

Neither side could find a winner in the final stages of a compelling contest and a point earned by both sides, on reflection, perhaps a fair outcome all round.

FT: Forfar Athletic 2-2 The Spartans