The Spartans set up another cup clash against Dundonald Bluebell following a 9-0 victory over Stoneyburn FC in the 3^rd Round of the East of Scotland Qualifying Cup.

After two weather impacted attempts to play the tie in West Lothian, home advantage was reversed by the League Committee and the sides got round to going toe to toe at the third time of asking.

With Lowland League endevours in mind, Manager Dougie Samuel rung the changes with no fewer than eight Development Squad players in the match day squad.  Callum Mackay made his debut from the off and his peers Adam Meek started between the sticks, whilst there were places in the opening XI for Josh Laing and Ben Lamont.

It took just over 60 seconds for Spartans to open the scoring.  Sean Brown searching for the ball as it came into the box but he had his feet taken from him leaving Referee Tommi Kerr with his first – and not his last – easy decision to make of the night.

Up stepped Jamie Penker who dispatched the ball from 12 yards, finding the roof of the net leaving Connor Shaw – wearing a borrowed home goalie kit – little chance.

That lead was doubled in the 6^th minute when Sean Brown showed some twinkle toe touches in the box before rounding the keeper to guide the ball into the empty net.

If the early two goal deficit wasn’t enough of a hill to climb for the visitors, their chance of emulating their giant killing act from earlier in the tournament were left in tatters when, in the 17^th minute, Baley Ferris was shown a straight red card.  Whilst the details of the incident will be in the Referee’s report, it came after Spartans skipper Ian McFarland was visibility infuriated by actions that left him with a nasty cut on this face forcing his early retiral and he was replaced by Sam Coats.

Moments later, the numerical advantage in personnel resulted in the same in terms of number of goals.  A vintage burst of pace from Alan Brown saw his wheels burn the Fulshie defender and his cross was bundled over by Sean Brown to make it 3-0.  The goal brought up 100 in competitive action for the side this season.

A golden chance for the visitors to narrow the deficit came from a corner that fell to Gary Calvey however the striker blasted it over Adam Meek’s crossbar.

The admission money was worth it’s weight in Ben Lamont’s 35^th minute goal.  The teenage striker, who has netted 15 times for the Development team this season so far, collected the ball out wide before cutting in and sending a sublime curler into the top corner drawing warm applause from team-mates and supporters alike.

The first half scoring wasn’t over and with three minutes left til the interval, a quickly taken corner was floating to the back post where Gregor Woods was found lurking and he nodded home from comfortably a solitary yard.

Half Time: The Spartans 5-0 Stoneyburn

Spartans made a change at the break with Aaron Cameron – who has played at the Academy since he was 3 years old – replaced Michael Herd.

The second half was just seven minutes old when Spartans made it six.  Ben Lamont timing the through ball with perfection and Sean Brown, still with almost half the park to run, went forth and netted his hat-trick.

Then it was Ben Lamont with a solo run of this own that made it seven.  The striker benefitting from a ricochet in defence, it fell to the pacey goal getter and he whizzed up the paddock, cut back inside the defender and calmly bagged his brace.

Further changes came on the hour mark when Sean Brown and Ben Lamont, who had scored five out of the seven, were replaced by Mackenzie Scott and his Under 20s team mate Given Ndlovu who made his senior debut.

There was a chance for both players not long after their introduction.  Mackie Scott looked to lob the keeper who had drifted off his line but could only clear the bar then Given Ndlovu showed his trickery to get into the box and in a one-on-one with the keeper, Connor Shaw pull off his finest save in a borrowed Spartans jersey, pushing the ball behind for a corner.

It proved to be little respite however for the keeper as he was once again beaten, this time by Mackie Scott who was pin-pointedly played into the box by Aaron Cameron before sliding beyond Shaw.

Adam Meek then pulled off a save at the other end that was to the filed under ‘one for the cameras’ as the home keeper, largely a bystander throughout the tie, looked to get in on the action.

Then, with just seven minutes on the clock, substitute Mackie Scott rounded off a decent night after Sam Coats won the ball in midfield, Gregor Woods collected and passed to Scott who still had work to do before drilling low into the bottom corner to make it 9-0.

Full Time: The Spartans 9-0 Stoneyburn FC

The victory sees Spartans head across the Forth Bridge on Wednesday 29^th March where they will play Dundonald Bluebell in the next round.

Malt and Hops Man of the Match: Ben Lamont

Four first half goals including a sensational free-kick by Man of the Match Cammy Russell saw Spartans defeat fellow Lowland League title challengers Stirling University in front of a crowd of 375 at Ainslie Park on Tuesday night.

After an idle weekend, it was back to the action for Dougie Samuel’s Spartans however the Gaffer was without defender Kevin Waugh for this eagerly anticipated encounter.

The Students had won the previous clash between the sides earlier in the campaign and the squad knew they’d have to bring their ‘A Game’ to the party if they were to even the honours.

Within ninety seconds of the kick-off, Jamie Dishington’s cross into the box caused danger but it just couldn’t find the right connection from Blair Henderson’s head to trouble Ben Fry.

There then followed a manic two minute window that saw the hosts strike twice.  First up saw an effort turned behind for a corner which was whipped in deep to the back post for Mikey Allan to rise and power his headed home.  The Defender is having a fair season on the scoresheet and his nogging now puts him in the club’s Top 25 scorers in the League.

If that got the fans cheering, Cammy Russell’s free-kick from some 30 yards may well have caused injury from collective jaw dropping in the stand.  It’s not the first time the Spartan Army have been wowed by the dead ball specialist and up he stepped to unleash an sensational effort that Fry could only assist in lodging it into the back of the net.

It was a frantic opening ten minutes and the game then simmered down into a mild frenzy, save for Cammy Russell’s booking, likely out of frustration for not being awarded a free-kick of his own moments earlier.

Russell was controlling the game and his blistering drive warmed Fry’s hands causing him to spill but the keeper just managed to recover in time as Blair Henderson looked to pounce.

Stirling, on a rare excursion into the home penalty box, almost halved the deficit only for a net bound strike to be legally blocked on the line and unceremoniously hoofed to safety.

Ben Fry was certainly the busier of the two keepers and it was his own defender who had him galloping out to the touchline with a stray back-pass however in trying to control with his first touch, the second was to bring down Cammy Russell and a yellow card was shown.

Then, with five minutes left on the clock, Spartans further extended their lead.  A defensive faux pas by the tourists allowed Bradley Whyte to nip in and after he rounded Fry, who was mindful of his recent transgression, he deposited the ball into the empty onion bag to make it three.

The home support had more than their Bain’s Mince Pies to chew over at half time as it was before their side added a fourth before the break.

Tremendous build up play by chief tormentor Cammy Russell saw his selflessly square the ball to Blair Henderson who seldom requires a written invitation to do his thing and turn it into the gaping goal.

HT: The Spartans 4-0 Stirling University

Stirling came out from the sheds looking for an avenue back into the game and enjoyed a decent percentage of the opening stages after the break however they found the home defence in defiant form.

If the first half was the Big Daddy, any hope of a Giant Haystacks comeback off the ropes from the Stirling side were dashed just before the hour mark when Burrows scythed down Bradley Whyte on the edge of the box as he raced towards Fry’s penalty area.  His namesake with the whistle, Colin, was left with little option than to offer the Uni player first dibs on the shower gel.

Spartans made the first of a series of changes shortly after when Harvey Swann replaced Bradley Whyte.

The tempo and temperature both dipped in the second half with Spartans in control and the Students down to 10 men.  

A triple Spartans change with a quarter of an hour to go saw Alan Brown, Sean Brown and Gregor Woods swapped places with Ian McFarland, Cammy Russell and Blair Henderson all enjoyed well-earned rests.

The ball was being stroked around with consummate ease by the Spartans side with the depleted opponents looking to pick off any scraps offered, which were in limited supply.

One final swap from the dugouts gave Jamie Penker minutes against his former side.

Applause rung out within the stand with the news of Cammy Russell picking up his seventh Malt and Hops Man of the Match award of the season.

FT: The Spartans 4-0 Stirling University