Holders Spartans saw off a spirited challenge from Kelty Hearts to progress into the draw for the 2nd Round of the Football Nation Qualifying Cup in a five goal tussle at Ainslie Park.

The floodlights cut through the grey North Edinburgh sky as Spartans kicked-off their defence of the trophy against the Fifer’s who had former Spartan Errol Douglas in their ranks.

Tenacious early play by Willie Bremner almost saw an opener as he beat a dilly-dallying defender out on the touchline to race into the box however he couldn’t beat keeper Kyle Marley at his near post.

Kenny Adamson came close with a header from a set-piece, sending his header over the bar.  It should have served as a warning shot for the hosts and it was a similar scenario that led to the deadlock being broken.

A free-kick out wide was sent into the box and Sean O’Neil was first to react to out-jump the defence to send a looping header home.

Two goals in the three frantic minutes then turned the game round for the Cup holders, with Craig Stevenson influential in both.

On the half hour mark, Stevenson made a dash to the bye-line before whipping in a delightful cross that was absolutely leathered home by Willie Bremner.  Then, just three minutes later, the same provider demanded an early corner and his delivery was headed into the net by Jack Nixon.

Blair Atkinson outpaced his marker down the far-side touchline and the woodwork was rattled by Michael Herd’s subsequent header as Spartans looked to put light between the sides.

HT: Spartans 2-1 Kelty Hearts

Minutes after the restart and Blair Atkinson almost put light between the sides only to find Marley equal to the task.  However, the pacey youngster wasn’t to be out-done on the hour mark following a three pass move from defence to attack that saw Scott Maxwell break free before squaring the ball to Atkinson who tapped into the unguarded net.

The drizzle descended upon the Pilton San Siro and there were a few challenges to whet the appetite of the fans inside the ground in what was a tousy affair at times.

With ten minutes left on the clock, Kelty made the final stages just that little more interesting when Stuart Cargill capitalised inside the Spartans box before reducing the deficit to a single goal.

Malt and Hops Man of the Match winner Willie Bremner was then denied by a tag-team defender / goalkeeper stop that saw his power header diverted over the bar.

As time edged towards the final whistle, the only effort that almost hit the target was Paul Thomson’s no-nonsense clearance that earned an audible ‘Aaaaaoooooohhhhh’ from the crowd as it whizzed narrowly past a Mother and Buggy walking by to their seat!

FT: Spartans 3-2 Kelty Hearts

Malt and Hops Man of the Match: Willie Bremner

Spartans: Carswell, Herd, Stevenson, Tolmie, Thomson, Nixon, Wilson (Brown 72), McFarland, Maxwell (Dishington), Atkinson (Guthrie 78), Bremner.  Unused Subs: Greenhill, Corbett, Archibald, Stobie.

Alan Brown was the toast of Ainslie Park when his injury time strike saw Spartans snatch full points in a five goal Lowland League thriller.

After their midweek excursions to Coatbridge, Spartans welcomed Dalbeattie Star to the Academy, looking to defeat the Dumfriesshire side for the first time since April 2016.  Andrew Stobie retained his spot between the sticks whilst David Greenhill returned to the starting XI.

Spartans made the early running and it took a point blank save from Dalbeattie’s Vinnie Parker to deny Jamie Dishington the opener.  The wind was a bit of a spoiler as it swirled around the ground and it almost paid off for Liam Park who called Andrew Stobie into action with a speculative long range strike.

It was the same player who made the breakthrough on the half hour mark when he swooped to slide the ball past Stobie to give the visitors an unlikely lead.

Spartans rallied and Scott Maxwell netted from the penalty spot after David Greenhill was upended in the box to send the sides in all square at the break.

HT: Spartans 1-1 Dalbeattie Star

The game sparked into life in the final quarter of an hour.  A wind assisted cross evaded a busy box only to find Scott Wilson in space to nudge Spartans ahead.

Star looked to have earned a share of the spoils with five minutes to go when a tame looking effort cruelly cannoned off Adam Corbett leaving a flat-footed Stobie stranded.

With three minutes of injury time played, Spartans launched one final assault.  Dishingston delivered to Brown who sent a curled effort from the edge of the box beyond Parker to earn three valuable points.

An ebullient Brown said after the game, “I think after the effort and hard work put in during the week against Albion Rovers there were understandably some tired legs out there today.  Credit to Dalbeattie, they came here with a game plan and stuck to it, they were our bogey team last season.  They were definitely up for it as most teams are when they come here, everyone wants to beat The Spartans at home but I’m delighted we got the three points in the end.

“We showed  that as a side we are resolute and have lots of character, I think we showed that midweek against a League 1 side.  That showed today too by the way we responded to their late equaliser.  I mean, it was pretty much a pass and it hit Adam and went in the net! We never seem to get the rub of the green like that, we always have to score good goals!”

Full Time: Spartans 3-2 Dalbeattie Star

Spartans: Stobie, Herd, Brown, Tolmie, Corbett, Greenhill, Dishington, McFarland (Stevenson 68), Wilson, Guthrie (Bremner 68), Maxwell (Atkinson 57).  Unused Subs: Archibald, Thomson, Khutsishvili, Pettigrew.

Malt and Hops Man of the Match: Michael Herd

Spartans bowed out of the Irn Bru Cup, but only after taking SPFL 1 side Albion Rovers all the way to a penalty shoot out after the sides couldn’t be separated after 120 minutes of goalless action at Cliftonhill.

Gaffer Dougie Samuel rung the changes in his starting line-up ahead of the tie, with Andrew Stobie making his first start between the sticks in competitive action, whilst Jack Nixon and Scott Maxwell returned to the fray.

The late evening orange globe of golden setting sunshine was undoubtedly a factor at the coin toss when Spartans skipper Michael Herd opted for his side to shoot into the half-blinded eyes of Daniel Potts in the Rovers goal.

It was the Rovers net that looked troubled as early as the eighth minute when a Scott Wilson corner was delightfully delivered deep into the penalty box with Blair Tolmie and Adam Corbett both narrowly missing making contact to send their side into the lead.

Michael Herd was next up to forge open an opportunity when he burst into the opposition half, only for his shot to get caught up in the grass and trundle through for a goal kick.

When Jamie Gallagher collected the ball inside the visitor’s half there was an air of anticipation amongst the home support however they were to be disappointed when the effort went well wide.

Craig Stevenson then came close when he unleashed a bullet that started well, only to divert its direction at the final stages from the diving Potts.

HT: Albion Rovers 0-0 Spartans

Jamie Dishington was introduced at the interval at the expense of Ross Guthrie who was industrious in the opening period.

Rovers picked up the pace as they looked to put their league status superiority into action.  Ryan McManus with a golden chance to break the deadlock only to clear the bar with some gusto with the onion bag beckoning from close range.

Scott Maxwell was replaced on the hour by the PA announcers dream in Dachi Khutsishvili.

With little to trouble him throughout the match, Andrew Stobie had to look sharp to save a well placed free-kick from just outside the box to keep his side in the game.

A further substitution in the shape of Brandon Archibald was made with twenty minutes to go and he almost made himself the hero in the dying moments of the regulatory time when he drove into the box, twisting and turning his marker but only to find the side netting.

FT: Albion Rovers 0-0 Spartans

Extra Time came and went with one notable effort from Michael McMillan of Rovers that took a defensive deflection to safety with Stobie sprawling.  The keeper looked assured with his collection of the corner moments after.

ET FT: Albion Rovers 0-0 Spartans

The lottery of the penalty shoot-out followed.  Ross Allum, who came on for the second spell of extra time opened the Spartans account and Stobie saved the next.  It was heartbreak for Herd as the battle-weary skipper saw his attempt stopped by Potts. Successful kicks were traded before Khutsishvili was kept out leaving Jason Marr to be the Albion hero of the hour (or two and a bit).

Penalties: Albion Rovers 5-4 Spartans