The Spartans recorded their third Lowland League draw on the bounce in a frustrating ninety minutes in baltic conditions at Rosewell against Hearts B.

With temperatures hovering around the zero mark come kick-off, one wonders what several of the home squad thought when they arrived merely hours earlier from the Club’s tour in warmer climes of Marbella!

Spartans started off the livelier of the two sides and forced a couple of early corners which failed to turn into clear opportunities.

As the grass began to glisten in patches where the evening frost stated to lie, the bounce of the ball and ability for slick passing along the ground fizzled out as both sides tried their best to get maintain possession.

A shout for a spot-kick from Blair Henderson was waved away by Referee Shepherd after Captain Darge undertook a spot of mountaineering up the Spartans strikers back in the box. Darge packed away his crampons and play raged on.

With the game heading towards the break and an opportunity for a mid-match thaw in the sheds, Ian McFarland’s nod into the box found Sean Brown who uncharacteristically fired wide from six yards. Frustration etched across his face and with that, the interval beckoned.

HT: Hearts B 0-0 The Spartans

The second half started where the first left odd – jolly well freezing and fair credit goes to the couple of hundred hardly souls who ventured out to Ferguson Park to watch. A virtual beer – or more likely coffee to you all!

Spartans were keen to launch the ball into the home box to seek the opener and on more than one occasion, a melee or a stramash ensued, with the ball hitting off legs like a human pinball machine game.

Ian McFarland, back with the skipper’s armband, showed his experience and tenacity with a telling block as the young Hearts side tried to go on the break.

A triple change saw the introduction of Sam Jones, Jamie Dishington and Gavin Morrison at the expense of McFarland, Henderson and Russell.

Whilst the scoreboard was feeling unloved in some respects, Spartans stand-in stopper Adam Meek remained alert as a 1st XI clean sheet beckoned.

With the game entering it’s final stages, Jamie Penker replaced Rhys Armstrong however there wasn’t to be a heroic supersub moment and one final shrill of the whistle under the full Mid Lothian moon saw the sides share the spoils – and the likely onset of hypothermia!

FT: Hearts B 0-0 The Spartans

Blair Henderson’s hat-trick helped The Spartans en route to a South Challenge Cup 4^th round home tie against Dunipace after their 9-0 victory over Glasgow University at Ainslie Park.

A break from the trials and tribulations of the Lowland League saw Dougie Samuel’s side welcome Mark Adams and his Students to the capital as the home side looked to continue their run in the tournament they reached the semi finals in last time out.

Spartans took the game to the West of Scotland 2 side from the outset and Sean Brown darted into the box before taking a stray finger to the face causing the stricken striker some discomfort and treatment was required.

His eye for goal though was back in when he was unlucky not to get the opener but for the keeper coming out to thwart him on the edge of the box.  A backtracking defender then getting into position to head Blair Henderson’s rebound off the line.

It remarkably took 25 minutes for the deadlock to be broken.  Another Spartans attack saw the ball break to Sam Jones on the edge of the box and his unstoppable drive left the keeper with no chance at his near post.

That lead was doubled just sixty seconds later.  Blair Henderson this time on hand to head home from ten yards as Spartans caused havoc in the Uni penalty area from another set-piece.

On the half hour mark it was time for Jamie Dishington to get in on the goals to drill home to make it 3-0 and effectively kill the tie.

Then, with the half time pies calling in the café, Spartans made it four.  Cammy Russell upended in the box and up stepped Blair Henderson to send the goalie the wrong way from the spot to make it 4-0.

Half Time: The Spartans 4-0 Glasgow Uni

It was a Blair Henderson hat-trick just two minutes after the interval when he was played into space inside the box and the prolific marksman didn’t need a written invitation to despatch this one.

Spartans kept both tannoy and twitter operatives on their toes by making a quartet of 54^th minute substitutions Jamie Penker, Ian McFarland, Gavin Morrison and Alan Brown replacing Brad Whyte, Sam Jones, Josh Laing and Blair Henderson.

It was to be an inspired change for Jamie Penker who collected the ball in the box five minutes after coming on to produce a sublime turn and finish to make it 6-0.

The hosts refused to let up and midway through the half, Cammy Russell sent a low drive across the face of the goal and he looked on as it nestled in the bottom corner to make it 7-0.

Sean Brown then got on the end of the pin-point Jamie Dishington cross to head high into the top corner past a despairing dive from the goalie and it was another from the nogging with seven minutes left on the clock from Brown that saw the ninth – and final – goal of the afternoon.

Full Time: The Spartans 9-0 Glasgow Uni

Malt and Hops Man of the Match: Sean Brown