Super Sub Cammy Russell was the toast of the travelling Spartan Army come 4.45pm on Saturday as his late strike saw their side defeat lofty Livingston to reach the Last 16 of the Premier Sports Cup.

A visit to the Set Fare Arena brought the curtain down on the Group E stages of the competition in a winner takes all tie between the clubs who shared the spoils in a no-scoring pre-season friendly a few weeks earlier.

Douglas Samuel made two changes from the midweek win over Forfar, with Danny Denholm and Brogan Walls in the starting XI with Cammy Russell and James Craigen on the bench.

As the pyro smoke seeped out of the home stand, the game got underway in what were perfect conditions for dynamic, fast flowing football.  However, with the chance to top Group E at stake, things started off a little edgy as Spartans looked to set out their stall against the odds-on Championship side.

Half an hour had passed with neither keeper called into action, Livingston with the lion’s share of possession and Blair Henderson forcing a corner as he left fly from outside the box in a chance to counter.

At the other end, the home support must have wondered how they weren’t ahead with a trio of shots in the box pinging off the Spartans defenders and a crucial headed clearance off the line by Kieran Watson.

HT: Livingston 0-0 The Spartans

The second half wasn’t far gone before Blair Carswell, making his 300^th appearance for the senior side, was forced into a trademark super stop when he got down low to deny Matthew Clarke from close range.

On the hour mark, Spartans made a double swap with James Craigen and Cammy Russell swapping with Danny Denholm and Brogan Walls.

Livingston pushed hard as the home support became restless.  Ryan McGowan looked to swoop as the ball rebounded off the post and as he looked to put his laces through the ball from eight yards out, Ayrton Sonkur launched is grand frame with customary bravery and he somehow managed to block a net-bound shot with a corner the outcome.  The no-nonsense defender punched the air in celebration knowing his intervention was as good as a goal at the other end.

The game threatened to be decided by penalties as neither side looked able to find that elusive avenue to the Last 16.  Cammy Russell went on the counter with the break of the ball seeing him progress deep into the Livingston half.  Unfortunately his fresher legs saw him pull away from support and the opportunity fizzled out.

Then, with just five minutes left on the clock, Kieran Watson’s probing free-kick into the box wasn’t properly cleared, arriving at the feet of James Craigen.  He passed into the path of Cammy Russell who was hovering around the penalty spot.  A double pirouette from Russell saw him land up facing towards the goals and his self-described ‘sclaff’ outfoxed Shamal George and trundled into the box.

Cue absolute scenes amongst the travelling support as Russell raced over to celebrate before finding himself under the weight of a near full team pile-on! 

Would Livingston be able to pull it back with the time left on the clock?  Could The Spartans make history by reaching the Last 16? 

A final throw of the dice from the hosts saw them win a corner after Lewis Hunter blocked a Tete Yengi cross.

Defensive, heroic headers from Jamie Dishington then Kieran Watson edged the ball further away from goal, with Bradley Whyte then fouled by Andrew Shinnie as the midfielder completed the clearance.

Moments later, Referee George Calder offered one final glance at his watch and called time on what was an incredible day.

FT: Livingston 0-1 The Spartans

Long live the sclaff!!

Blair Henderson’s late goal against Forfar Athletic was enough to claim the win in the latest round of Premier Sports Group E ties and sets up a top of the table clash against Livingston this weekend.

Manager Douglas Samuel fielded an unchanged XI that saw off Cove Rangers seven days earlier with the sunny Edinburgh conditions in direct contrast to the fog filled Balmoral Stadium experienced last week.

Last season’s SPFL 2 head to head encounters between the sides at Ainslie Park were both decided by solitary Spartans strikes and this latest war of attrition turned out to be no different.

Early creative play from the hosts looked hopeful as they searched for the opening goal. A Cammy Russell long throw into the box was nodded on by Ayrton Sonkur however there were no takers to trouble Marc McCallum between the Forfar sticks.

Referee Gary Hanvidge was keen to let play flow as much as possible in a closely fought opening period with the advantage rule being applied frequently despite a few robust challenges creeping in.

The first notable attempt of the evening fell to Ross MacLean however the Forfar man only succeeded in hitting the top of the TV Tower behind Blair Carswell’s goal.

On the half hour mark, Spartans were forced into a change as James Craigen was forced to withdraw following a jarred neck sustained in an aerial collision.

Just before the interval, Blair Henderson came closest to breaking the deadlock following a bit of a stramash in the box and as he just about managed to dig out the ball from under his feet, his effort was saved by McCallum.

HT: The Spartans 0-0 Forfar Athletic

New signing Brogan Walls made a cracking run through the middle of the park as he advanced towards the box before a wee tug en-route impeded the Spartans man. Whilst a shot at goal did materialise, it was tame at best with him off balance however that was deemed advantage enough and play raged on.

Blair Carswell had little to do for 55 minutes however he was called upon to deny former Spartans favourite Mark Whately who drilled a decent effort his direction.

Cammy Russell continued to torment the Forfar defence.  It looked as if the Spartans playmaker had been wrestled to the ground following a challenge with Matt Allan, only for Russell to be pinged as the transgressor.  Disappointed with the verdict, he was offered a caution for his remonstrations.

Shortly after, the Gaffer made his first set of changes with Mackie Scott and Danny Denholm coming off the bench, replacing Kieran Watson and Callum Booth.

It was 1-1 in Russell v Allan bookings as the game headed closer to a penalty shoot out decider when the Forfar defender crudely swiped Russell’s legs to halt any further advance.

Then, with just three minutes left on the scoreboard, a mix up in the Forfar defence gifted the ball to Blair Henderson inside the box.  Not known for looking gift horses in their mouths, the talismanic striker needed no invitation to swoop, round the keeper and slide home into the empty net.  Queue scenes.

Injury time offered one final squeekybumtime moment to survive in the shape of a Forfar corner.  The keeper was up, the ball came in, the home defence dealt with the threat accordingly and with that, three points secured.

FT: The Spartans 1-0 Forfar Athletic

Malt and Hops Man of the Match: Bradley Whyte

Douglas Samuel’s Spartans got back to winning ways in their Premier Sports Cup Group E campaign – and in some style – with a 0-5 win on the road against League 1 side Cove Rangers.

Ahead of kick-off, both sides joined in a minute’s applause in memory of longtime Cove Rangers supporter Diane Adams. 

The game got underway as the sweeping fog covered the ground, making visibility poor for anyone keen to monitor play at the other end of the park.

Closer to your scribe was Cammy Russell who raced into the box in the 17th minute and was upended. A penalty kick awarded and up stepped Blair Henderson to get off the mark competitively this season.

It was almost a second for Henderson when Jamie Dishington’s cross found the hitman’s head. But for a defender scrambling at the far post, it may have been a brace for the striker.

Spartans did get that second goal of the evening following a telling run by Cammy Russell who managed to turn the ball into the six yard box, only for the outstretched toe of defender Gillingham to poke it beyond his own keeper.

James Craigen decided to have a pop from 25 yards to test the keeper’s visibility however the stopper was able to gather and ensure his side didn’t concede a third before the break. 

HT Cove Rangers 0-2 The Spartans 

There were just eight minutes on the second half clock before Cammy Russell whizzed past his marker. A low cross into the heart of the penalty area saw Blair Henderson slide in but in the process of colliding with the keeper, the ball squirted out into the path of Jamie Dishington who tucked it into the empty net.

Spartans made the first of their changes with Danny Denholm and Brogan Walls replacing the industrious Blair Henderson & Bradley Whyte. 

Midway through the half and a strike of sublime quality by Cammy Russell saw the ball come out of the fog and fly past the keeper into top bins to further extend the lead.

With ten minutes left, Under 20s midfielder Archie Wylie replaced James Craigen.

Moments later, it was five. That man Cammy Russell the architect after he was chopped down in the footrace to goal. From the resultant free-kick, he sent it over the wall and it was bulging the net before the keeper had the chance to make his move. 

Further changes were made late on with Niall Geany and Chris Inglis swapping berths with Watson and Henderson. 

FT: Cove Rangers 0-5 The Spartans

Malt and Hops Man of the Match: Cammy Russell

Blair Henderson’s hat-trick helped guide The Spartans to a Play-Off Final showdown with Dumbarton following a 1-5 win on the road against Peterhead.

An unchanged starting XI from the first leg made the 320 mile round trip north with a one goal advantage over fellow promotion candidates Peterhead in the seventh meeting between the clubs this season.

Under a Blue Toon blanket of pleasant cloud free sky of the same colour, the sides were welcomed out onto the park by a 947 strong crowd inside Balmoor Stadium, including a noisy contingent from the Capital.

The home support were looking for an early goal to settle the nerves to level the legs however when Peterhead skipper Jason Brown and keeper Stuart McKenzie collided in the box, the ball broke free from the goalie’s grasp and there was Cammy Russell on hand to pick up the scraps to pounce and get his toe onto it ahead of the despairing lunge of Danny Strachan into the net.

An incredible start for the visitors who doubled their overall lead in the competition courtesy of Cammy Russell’s fifth goal against the hosts this season.

Spartans looked to benefit from the breeze behind their back and when Blair Carswell’s long ball up the park found Marc McNulty, his effort saw Stuart McKenzie get down low to his near post to save.

Conor O’Keefe looked to respond and Blair Carswell had to look lively to pull off a fine stop from the edge of the box as the hosts rallied to get back into the tie.

On the half hour mark, Spartans extended their lead.  Kieran Watson sent the ball long into the penalty area to find Paul Watson.  The defender nodded inside to Blair Henderson and the prolific striker headed home from six yards, in what was his third time on the scoresheet in the four visits to Balmoor this term.

The heat looked to have gone to the heads of some when a flashpoint followed a late tackle on Bradley Whyte, resulting in Marc McNulty being shown a yellow for giving his team mate handers.

HT: Peterhead 0-2 The Spartans

Deployment of the Peterhead hairdryer at the interval saw the home side inevitably come out of the traps requiring an immediate response and their early pressure was almost rewarded but for the long legs of Ayrton Sonkur denying a fine run and shot by Jack Brown.

Rory McAllister was up next to test the tourists and his curled effort wasn’t far away from Blair Carswell’s goal frame.

With the hosts pressing, Spartans looked to pounce on the counter and in the 62^nd minute, further light was put between the sides.  As the Peterhead bench claimed the ball had sneaked out of play in front of their noses, Marc McNulty wasn’t waiting for any whistle and raced up the park.  Bradley Whyte showed great pace to progress and when McNulty looked up to square the ball, Whyte took a touch before chipping McKenzie.

Spartans made a change with Sam Jones coming on for Rhys Armstrong.

A glimmer of hope for Peterhead was to come in the 65^th minute and to be fair, it was a stonkingly good strike by Danny Strachan who let fly from the edge of the box and his shot went in off the post, leaving Blair Carswell with little chance.

It’s the hope, they say – and just sixteen seconds after the restart, Spartans were awarded a penalty.  Blair Henderson seeing off the attentions of three men in blue to release Marc McNulty in space.  He rounded the keeper and his shot, destined for the net, was blocked by Jason Brown on the line. 

Unfortunately for the Peterhead skipper, it was with his arm and as he sat in the back of the net, he looked up as Referee Iain Sneddon brandished the red card for his troubles.  Blair Henderson stepped up and sent McKenzie the wrong way to make it 1-4 on the day.

With twenty to go, another set of swaps in personnel saw McNulty and Russell withdrawn, replaced by Jamie Dishington and Danny Denholm.

Then, with twelve minutes left on the clock, Blair Henderson rounded off a fine day with the final goal of the afternoon.  Sam Jones launched the ball up the park from deep. Defender Joe McKee misjudged the trajectory and lost track of Henderson who nipped in behind and he poked the ball beyond McKenzie to send the travelling Spartan Army wild.

In a week where he was crowned SPFL 2 top scorer of the season, it was Henderson’s 10^th hat-trick in Spartans colours and another match ball to add to the collection.  It’s unclear if the striker is seeking planning permission for an aircraft hanger sized building to store the dozens collected across his career so far.

A couple of changes as the game entered its final ten minutes saw Mason McCready replace Blair Carswell between the sticks and Robbie Thompson swapped with Callum Booth.

FT: Peterhead 1-5 The Spartans

Blair Henderson’s injury time spot kick saw The Spartans edge out Peterhead to take a slender one goal advantage to the Blue Toon this weekend in the semi final of the SPFL 1 play-offs.

It was all change in Douglas Samuel’s team selection from the side that defeated East Fife, with teen starlet Niall Geany retaining his spot on the bench.

A guard of honour was in place for the Spartans squad as they took to the park to warm up, with a plethora of the Spartans Youth kids in attendance, along with mascot Sparry the Squirrel.

Spartans looked to set out their stall early however the visitors weren’t up for offering any scraps to feed off, unlike the gargantuan sized seagulls who were swooping for savouries throughout.

A half chance for Bradley Whyte inside the box was stuck under his soles and this season’s Player of the Year was just unable to get enough purchase on his shot to trouble the keeper.

The ball was subsequently cleared up the park and from there, the visitors took a 7^th minute lead as Blair Carswell raced out to cut down the attack, he was stranded on the edge of the box and with the fear of utilising his hands the wrong side of the whitewash, he was lobbed by Connor O’Keefe and the ball landed in the empty net.

Ayrton Sonkur became the first of ten players booked after an off the ball altercation with Shanks.

Marc McNulty was next to try his luck after determined play by Blair Henderson who made his way into the box to slide a pass into the path of ‘Sparky’ however his effort was blocked.

That reprieve lasted a full two minutes for Peterhead as Spartans drew level.

A long throw from Cammy Russell was nodded into the path of McNulty who once again had his shot blocked. It came back out to Russell who sent it back with interest and it found Paul Watson hovering around the six yard box for a side footed equaliser.

An almighty collision in the middle of the Spartans half saw Callum Booth require the magic sponge as Cagney and Lacey of the physio world in the shape of Sophie and Mairi raced on to offer treatment.

After the mayhem came the inevitable lull in proceedings, save for the odd booking or two as the sides continued to seek an opportunity to get their nose in front ahead of the break.

HT: The Spartans 1-1 Peterhead

If the start of the second half was a cartoon character, it would be Scooby Doo’s mischievous nephew.  Scrappy it was with free-kicks and long hoofs the order of the day, perhaps a reflection as to what is at stake.

Blair Carswell then had to look lively as his legs were called into action to save a fierce McKee shot and the scores remained level.

Midway through the half, the best opportunity since the oranges came when Cammy Russell was unceremoniously hauled to the ground as he raced towards the penalty box.  Up stepped James Craigen who lifted the free-kick over the wall however the keeper was on hand – literally – to scoop the ball away from the top corner destination.

One of the biggest cheers of the evening came shortly after when the Referee went Archibald over Elbow.  In the hilarity that ensured, Ayrton Sonkur clearly decreed that the match official was guilty of simulation and flashed the yellow card that had spilled out of the Ref’s pocket in his direction.  Smiles all round and back to the action we all went.

Jamie Dishington then came on for the industrious James Craigen as the game entered its final stages.

Then came the drama.  Ayrton Sonkur looked to have been cuddled to the ground inside the six yard box from an in-swinging corner, then Blair Henderson crashed the ball against the crossbar.  As the SPFL 2’s top scorer went in search of another to add to his tally, a high boot came close to colliding with his beak, enough for the Ref to decree foul play and the finger firmly pointed towards the spot.

After much hullabullo and a ball booted into a different postcode by the Peterhead keeper, Blair Henderson stepped up and with an air of calmness in the pressure tank of the play-offs, he slotted the ball into the back of the net.

With the sands of injury time almost done in the egg timer of added minutes, the visitors were incandescent with rage following a non award of a penalty of their own.  Frustrations spilled after the final whistle, which came immediately after the incident with the yellow card working overtime.

FT: The Spartans 2-1 Peterhead

Malt and Hops Man of the Match: Paul Watson