Goals from Blair Atkinson and Malt & Hops Man of the Match Jamie Dishington saw Spartans defeat the Highland Leaguers in front of a 655 strong crowd at a blustery Ainslie Park.

More soon…

Spartans go into the final day of the Ferrari Packaging Lowland League season in pole position following a 0-4 win on the road against Dalbeattie Star at Islecroft Stadium.

At the fifth time of asking due to the recent extended spell of inclement weather, the long await return encounter got underway on a paddock that the horse racing fraternity would best describe as ‘good to soft’.

Spartans looked to avoid a potential banana skin excursion against a Star side who were keen to pick up something from the game as they battle it out at the foot of the table.

The tourist’s nerves were put at ease as early as the 8th minute when Ian McFarland finished off a fine midfield move, sending his exquisitely executed curled strike from 18 yards beyond a diving Vinnie Parker into the net.

Spartans dominated as they looked to edge their noses further in front, playing much of the game in the home half of the field that had begun to cut up early doors and saw some players slip about like they were participating in their slippers.

The home side’s task of drawing level was invariably made a lot harder when in the 23rd minute, McKenna was offered exclusive use of the showers after he was shown a straight red following an unhelpful over the ball challenge on Spartans skipper Michael Herd.

Despite the healing comforts of Craig Samuel’s magic sponge, Herd’s involvement lasted a further five minutes before he succumbed to further foul play and was replaced by Alan Brown.

With the game heading into the final minutes before the oranges, tenacious play by Willie Bremner saw him work the ball into the path of Jason Stevens who didn’t need a written invitation before slotting home from close range.

HT: Dalbeattie Star 0-2 Spartans

After the interval, it was Bremner once again troubling the Star defence and his snapshot inside the box had Parker scrambling down low to keep the Spartans striker at bay.

There was little he could do on the hour mark however when Scott Maxwell’s run saw him have the have the freedom of Islecroft before he set up Gavin Malin who dinked home his side’s third of the evening.

Spartans made a couple of substitutions, with a heavy pitch and player recovery in equal consideration.  Guillermo Lamarca replacing Jamie Dishington followed by Blair Atkinson swapping with goal scorer Malin.

It was to take just three minutes for Atkinson to make his mark when the Spartans Pathway Graduate hammered home into the roof of the net following Bremner’s fine work in the build up play.

The final fifteen minutes were largely spent in conserve energy mode, with the ball probably the most appreciative of the Referee’s final whistle, such was it’s involvement in being knocked around the park with regularity within that quarter of an hour.

FT: Dalbeattie Star 0-4 Spartans

Malt and Hops Man of the Match: Scott Maxwell

Spartans: Carswell, Malin (Atkinson), Stevenson, Herd (Brown), Nixon, Tolmie, Dishington (Lamarca), McFarland, Stevens, Bremner, Maxwell.  Subs (Unused): Greenhill, Khutsishvili, Cennerazzo, Stobie.

Spartans returned to the top of the league following a comfortable three goal victory on the road at Gretna on Saturday, setting up an exciting final seven days of an enthralling Ferrari Packaging Lowland League season.

With a full squad to choose from, gaffer Dougie Samuel kept his selection til the final moment, perhaps with the dreich Dumfriesshire conditions a contributory factor in his choice of personnel.

The Raydale Park surface hasn’t had it’s challenges to seek of late with the extended wintry weather however a Racing Post rating of ‘Soft’ meant a day of dynamic fast flowing passing football might have to take a raincheck as it started to cut up as the game got under way.

A frantic opening spell with Blair Carswell having to look sharp at a corner kick whilst at the other end, both Willie Bremner and Alan Brown set out their stall with some impressive pace down the flanks.

Carswell was called into action a quarter of an hour in, when he looked to have tipped a tasty effort behind for a corner.  The stand-side Assistant flagged for a bye-kick however a late Saturday night Retweet from the goalie surely recognition enough that he was claiming it as a goal stopping save!

The deadlock was broken on the half hour mark.  David Greenhill outmuscling Jamie Hope to offer some of his own and with Gretna goalie John Wightman racing out from his line, the Spartans man kept his composure and lobbed the keeper and despite the attempted goal line heroics of Daniel Wadge, the ball nestled in the net.

That advantage was almost doubled when Jamie Dishington directed a header towards the onion bag, only for a scrambling Wightman to gratefully look on as the ball narrowly went past the post.

HT: Gretna 2008 0-1 Spartans

A change at half time (sadly not the rain going off) saw Adam Corbett replaced by Jack Nixon.

Spartans looked hungrier than a Greyhound in the traps as they set out to extend their lead in order to secure the points.  The legs of Jake Smith and Wadge both coming to the home side’s rescue as Dishington and Greenhill both came close with their respective attempts.

There was an air of inevitability however when Spartans did double their lead.  Craig Stevenson’s turb0-boosted burst up the line saw him leave Liam Studholme behind and his whipped in cross was met by Dishington who evaded a last gasp challenge from Smith to leave Wightman with no chance.

The game was put to bed in the 71st minute.  Substitute Ian McFarland was crudely upended by Michael McAnespie just in off the touchline setting up a free-kick for Stevenson.  The dead ball specialist sending in a delivery that initially looked to have been connected by the head of Guillermo Lamarca however the final touch to send the ball past a sprawling Wightman came from an unfortunate Gretna defender.

Three goals, three points and another clean sheet.  We go again on Wednesday night at Dalbeattie in the oft-postponed league fixture.

FT: Gretna 2008 0-3 Spartans

Spartans: Carswell, Brown, Stevenson, Tolmie, Corbett (Nixon), Herd, Dishington (Stevens), Greenhill (McFarland), Lamarca, Bremner, Maxwell.  Subs (Unused) Atkinson, Allum, Malin, Peterson (GK)

Jamie Dishington and Craig Stevenson were on target as Spartans went top of the Ferrari Packaging Lowland League following their 2-2 draw with East Stirlingshire at Ochilview.

Despite the clocks going forward last weekend to signal British Summer Time, there was a wintery feel in the Larbert air as the teams made their way out onto the field.  Leading the hosts out was Derek Ure who was making his 400th appearance for The Shire – a top achievement for any player at any level.  Turns out it was to be a profitable one for him too…

On with the game and there was an early chance for Kristopher Faulds who couldn’t connect with a header inside the box.  Unfortunately he did connect shortly after however it was an innocuous challenge with Willie Bremner that saw the home player offering some concern as he landed in considerable discomfort before being taken from the field ahead of a hospital visit with his ankle.  We wish him a speedy recovery.

It was Michael Herd’s time to be in the wars next.  Running repairs following a spillage of Spartans claret saw the Skipper sport a Terry Butcher-esque bandage as he returned to the fray.

David Greenhill thought he’d done enough to send Spartans into the lead shortly before half time when his powerful header was met by Barclay who done very well between the sticks to push the effort over the bar.  The respite was temporary as the corner could only be cleared to Jamie Dishington who delivered a pin-point precision drive low into the bottom corner to separate the sides.

HT: East Stirlingshire 0-1 Spartans

Your scribe apologises for the brevity of the post pie and bovril break resume as there was a flurry at the start then not much going down until a crazy final five minutes or so!

The second half was only seven minutes old when the scores were levelled.  A long ball down the throat of the Spartans defence was nodded on into the path of Paul Sludden and the former Ainslie Park man kept his composure enough to beat Blair Carswell in a one-on-one.

Shots on target or items of noteworthy cause were as rare as chocolate sponges at a slimming class gathering, with the Referee keeping himself busy with a plethora of bookings for persistent or just daft infringements from players on both sides.

As both teams looked likely to share the spoils, Willie Bremner succumbed to foul number [insert number here] of the afternoon, earning his side a free kick from twenty yards out.  Up stepped Craig Stevenson who saw Barclay needing too much time to shuffle across goal and sweetly struck the ball into the bottom corner out of the keeper’s reach.

Spartans have quite the knack of scoring late strikes.  However, Shire have had a similar penchant for not losing league fixtures.  With the match deep into injury time, Barclay progressed with ball towards the half way line before launching it deep into Spartans danger zone territory.  It finally found its way to Ure who accepted the invitation to guide the ball past Carswell to secure the draw for the hosts and send Spartans to the top of table by one point with three games left to play.

FT: East Stirlingshire 2-2 Spartans

Malt and Hops Man of the Match: Mikey Herd

Spartans: Carswell, Brown, Stevenson, Tolmie, Corbett, Herd, Dishington, Greenhill (Malin), Stevens (Atkinson), Bremner (Thomson), Maxwell.  Subs – Unused: Lamarca, Allum, Cennerazzo, GK. Stobie