The Spartans weekend begins in East Lothian where Les Atkinson’s Under 20s head to Forester Park where they face Tranent in the Park’s Motor Group Lowland Development League.

It’s the third time this season so far that the sides have met – on league and cup duty – with Spartans gaining the early upper hand with a pair of victories.

The hosts come into the game boosted by a penalty shoot-out Challenge Cup away to Glasgow University last week whilst the Spartans head down the A1 on a nine competitive match unbeaten run.

Kick-off is 8.00pm.

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It’s the beginning of the Road to Hampden on Saturday afternoon at Ainslie Park when Douglas Samuel’s men welcome Cowdenbeath in Round 2 of the Scottish Gas Scottish Cup.

It’s the 75^th outing in the competition for the Ainslie Park side and the third time the sides have met for the oldest national trophy in the world.  It was at the same stage of the Cup in the 1990/91 where they took part in a ‘farcical’ 0-0 draw at snowy City Park before (eventually) heading to Central Park for the replay.

Both teams take a break from their respective League campaigns with each club undoubtedly keen to be one of the twenty teams who join Championship and League One in the hat for the 3^rd Round draw.

The Blue Brazil are currently 15^th in the Lowland League and will make the trip over the Queensferry Crossing with former Spartan Sam Newman making a return to Pilton following his move to the Kingdom in the summer.

Kick-off is 3.00pm. Tickets can be purchased in advance via Fanbase or you can pay at the gate.

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Jack Beesley’s side take a break from competitive action on Sunday with a closed door friendly.  Beesley’s outfit earned plaudits last week for their industrious endeavours against high-flying Celtic at New Douglas Park, being edged out by a single strike.   Spartans currently sit 8^th in the table with two big games against Queen’s Park and Montrose on the horizon.

Mark Stowe netted his first goal for Spartans in a share of the spoils against Clyde at New Douglas Park.

It was the visitors who came out of the traps quickly first, setting up camp in the Clyde danger area in the opening stages of the SPFL 2 clash however there was to be no requirement for the home keeper to be brought into action just yet.

Spartans continued to press with Hamish Ritchie closing down the defence, perhaps too close on one occasion where he blocked an attempted hoofed clearance from point-blank range knocking the wind out of his sails momentarily.

Mark Stowe headed towards the bye-line edging past his marker but a cheeky wee hand on his back was enough to put him slightly off balance before he could whip in a cross and danger for the hosts was once again averted.

A cross did come in from the boot of Callum Booth which found Brogan Walls on the edge of the box however the attempt wasn’t a collector’s item for the midfielder.

Blair Carswell was called upon to pull off a tremendous stop denying Jordan Allan what looked like an odds on opener for the home side after a speculative launch up the park landed in the path of the Clyde man.

Then, on the 33^rd minute mark, Spartans struck.  Mark Stowe’s turn out of the tackle on the edge of the box was followed up with a sublime effort that nestled into the bottom corner beyond Robbie Hemfrey.

It was almost two before the break when a corner into the box was met by the towering Ayrton Sonkur who could only watch as his header was cleared off the line by Ross Lyon.

Blair Carswell was then called upon when he pulled off a phenomenal stop as he tipped a Paul McKay header over the bar.

HT: Clyde FC 0-1 The Spartans

An early Spartans on the break after the interval saw Kevin Waugh mopped up an attack with a headed clearance that allowed Brogan Walls an opportunity to go on the run.  His pass found Blair Henderson who was a magnet for home defenders and found himself crowded out before he could get an on target shot out.

A neat move with Brogan Walls the architect saw Hamish Ritchie look up to let fly from 25 yards forcing the Clyde keeper into the save.

Clyde then turned defending into a counter attack and it was to bear fruit with Martin Rennie drilling low and hard beyond the despairing diving efforts of Blair Carswell, offering the home support something to cheer about.

Spartans made a double change with Rory Whittaker and Aaron Scott replacing Stowe & Walls.

Hamish Ritchie thrusted his delivery across the face of the Clyde six yard box looking for a taker to divert home however this went a-begging.

Ritchie was replaced by Danny Denholm with just under a quarter of an hour left on the clock.

With the game entering into its final stages, Blair Carswell was called upon once again when he pulled off yet another fine save to deny Craig Howie’s header.

FT: Clyde 1-1 The Spartans

Malt and Hops Man of the Match: Lewis Hunter

Spartans fairytale League Cup run has come to an end after a defeat to Premiership Aberdeen. Aberdeen have now made it 11 wins in a row to start the season after they beat Spartans 4-0 at Pittodrie in the League Cup quarterfinal.   

Dougie Samuel’s side went into the game knowing that they could have caused a cup shock, after already defeated Championship side Livingston and Premiership side Ross County. But Jimmy Thelin’s side had made an impressive start in the league and are the 2^nd top scorers in the League Cup competition with 16 goals.

Spartans made four changes from their midweek trip to Elgin, where they drew 1-1. In came the captain Kevin Waugh, for his first start in the League Cup, joined alongside Callum Booth, Jamie Dishington and Cammy Russell, who returned after missing the last two games with a hamstring injury. They replaced Kieran Watson, Danny Denholm, Brogan Walls and Rory Whittaker.

The hosts made just the one change from their 2-1 win against Motherwell, with Leighton Clarkson replacing Topi Keskinen.

This was the first meeting between the two sides with Spartans in their first ever senior competition quarterfinal. They are the first Scottish League 2 side to make it to the quarterfinals in the League Cup since Rangers in the 12/13 season.  

In what can only be described as a historic day for Spartans, in what was their biggest match in their history, it was always going to be a tall order to defeat Premiership opposition. It was the Dons who came out the faster of the two sides with on loan Millwall striker Nisbet missing from 12 yards out, after a lovely scoop pass from Nilsen.

It wasn’t long however before Aberdeen took the lead. After 14 minutes Pape Gueye scored his 6^th goal of the season when a fortuitous break of the ball landed at his feet to smash the ball past Carswell from 12 yards out.

The Dons kept the pressure up and almost had a second just 5 minutes later. Clarkson put the ball on a plate for Nisbet, who completely missed the ball, in what can only be described as a let of for the team from the capital.

Palavera, who had an impressive first half, was then able to skip past Whyte, play the ball wide to MacKenzie who found McGrath who blazed the ball over.

There was then a flurry of bookings for Craigen, Nilsen and Booth with the latters foul leading to a Clarkson freekick that hit Carswells side netting.

There was just enough time for Aberdeen to get a second before the break. In the 45^th minute Craigen’s chest control was picked off by McGrath. McGrath then spread the play to MacKenzie. His picture perfect cross was then converted from Nisbet, who couldn’t miss.

Goalscorer Gueye was replaced for Keskinen and it only took 40 seconds from Aberdeen to destroy the Spartan dream, as Clarkson scored a glancing header from a Rubezic cross.

A stramash of subs from both sides, with Shinne returning from illness and Sokler coming on to replace Nilsen and Nisbet. The away side also brought on Walls, Stowe, Ritchie and Kieran Watson for Dishington, Russell, Henderson and Paul Watson.

Carswell was again called into action and made a tremendous save from Shinnie, to deny him a 3^rd goal of the season. But it wasn’t long before Aberdeen got their 4^th. A nutmeg from Clarkson found MacKenzie with his ball being scraped into the Spartans goal by substitute Sokler.

Denholm then replaced Booth for Spartans, with MacDonald and Milne coming on for Molloy and Devlin.

A late chance for Spartans as Brogan Walls received the ball from Stowe on the right hand and had his shot from 20 yards out just tipped over by Mitov, who kept his 7^th clean sheet of the season.

The final score may read out Aberdeen 4-0 Spartans, but it was a performance that Spartans should feel proud of. Aberdeen progress to the semi finals, with the draw being made for that after Celtic vs Falkirk game on Premier Sports. It is now 13 games without defeat for Aberdeen at home, who’s last loss came against St Johnstone on the 28^th February.

The attendance was 11,615 with Spartans next facing East Fife at Ainslie Park next Saturday, with the Dons away to Dens Park to face Dundee.  

Match Report by Scott Gourlay