U-19 Match Report – Spartans 8 Berwick Rangers 2

Posted on Thursday, September 18th, 2008

Spartans carried out a demolition job on Berwick Rangers in their first round clash in this season’s SFA Youth Cup at City Park and the Capital combine had virtually booked their place in the draw for the second round by leading 6-1 at half-time! This game on a very heavy pitch with sludge and rubbish stewn around the railings that mark off the playing field at City Park was quite exceptional at the start, with both teams playing impressive football, but the home side gradually took command with Bradley Snodgrass in tremendous form in the midfield for Spartans.

The attacks on the Berwick goal increased with Dale Murray looking exceptional on the right wing. The Spartans No 7 was one of the star performers in the home side’s attack force in the first half, along with Chris Smith and Steven Philp. Berwick were pushed back as the intensity of the Spartans attacks built up and when the impressive Dale Murray on the right turned the Berwick inside out before delivering a great ball across for Michael Fruish to open the home side’s account in the 7th minute, the Berwick side looked to be struggling to hold back the tide.

Josh Waddle was brilliant in the centre of the visiting defence but he and his defensive colleagues were under tremendous pressure. Murray and Chris Smith were prominent for Spartans while Berwick goalie, Adam Mutch, was all over the place in his attempts to keep the home side from hitting the target again. Mutch was successful up to a point and the turning point in the first half came in the 22nd minute when Murray sent a great effort crashing in off the inside of the left-hand post in to the back on the net to make it 2-0 for Spartans.

Four minutes later, Fruish added another after a good pass from Murray. Berwick tried to catch the eager home attackers offside but that is always risky at this level, even with two referees assistants on the touchlines, and the visitors were caught out again when Fruish made it 4-0 from a Smith cut-back. In a foray up to the other end, Berwick’s James Elliott sent a deep cross from the right wing to the far post and Ewan Smart, who had little to do up till then in the Spartans goal, spilled the ball but he grabbed the rebound off one of his defenders to clear the danger.

Smart then did well to palm a great shot away to his left, but Tom Parker netted the loose ball to reduce the deficit to 4-1 in the 35th minute of this all-action under-19 SFA cup tie. Mutch had to come away out of his goal to block the flying Murray but the Berwick keeper was beaten again with Murray showing wonderful skill in bringing the ball under control in front of the Berwick goal, before beating his marker to score Spartans fifth goal of the game.

The best goal of all in this game came in the 45th minute from star performer, Snodgrass. The Spartans No 8 was left a crumpled heap on the ground when threw himself between two defencers to bullet a back post header past Mutch from a great free-kick from the right to make it 6-1 for Spartans at the half-way stage. The Capital outfit had, by then, booked their place in the second round draw of this event for teams representing professional and semi-professional clubs. But Berwick were a team transformed in the second half and they made such a great impression, they looked nothing like the same team that had been on the receiving end for so much of the first half.

Berwick brought on big Tim Curtis on the restart and this very good player made such a difference in the centre of the visiting defence. Greg Hay also went on to have a great game for the visitors in his position on the right side of the Berwick defence. Hay made great runs up the right in the second half and from being a one-horse race in the first stage, it changed to being a very competitive cup tie. Referee, John McCrossan (Wishaw), had to work hard to keep control when the tackles went in and, to his credit, the firm match official had a very good game.

Berwick enjoyed a good spell of attacking play and they got a deserved second goal from Parker after he was set up by Hay. Spartans took that on the chin and went back up field to score another goal to take the margin to 7-2, this time from a Smith penalty, after the Spartans No 9 himself was felled in the box. The action surged back and forward, up and down the rough pitch at City Park with Spartans skipper, Connor Reid, a calming influence in the home defence as the tough exchanges continued.

Hay was brought down on the edge of the Spartans 18yd line after a great run, but the free-kick was easily cleared, then Robbie Armstrong sent in a wonderful effort that just scraped past the right-hand junction of the Spartans goal. The home side went on to score again and it was a real sore one for the hard-working Berwick players to take when Philip Mshglbwala toe-poked an incredible shot under the Berwick crossbar from fully 30yd out.

It was just ‘too Mutch’ for the Berwick goalie and he was rooted to the spot as the ball smacked in to the back of the net. Spartans coach, Ian Christie, said: “It was a good result, but only some aspects of our play were good. This is only our third game together and we are trying to get the players to gel. We had a good first half and the 6-1 lead at the interval allowed us to experiment in second half.” It was an impressive display from Spartans and they now hope to get another team from their own league when the second round draw is made at Hampden Park this week.

Spartans (from team boss, Gary McLelland) – Ewan Smart, Keir Anderson, Scott McDonald, Connor Reid, Gavin Cattenach, Michael Fruish, Dale Murray, Brad Snodgrass, Chris Smith, Steven Philip, Mathew Grace, Blair Thomson, Philip Mshglbwala, Michael Kirkland, Kieran Robertson, Darren Darling.

Berwick Rangers – Adam Mutch, Greg hay, Craig Gow, Tom Parker, Josh Waddle, Warren Lumsden, Mitchell Simpson, Daniel Cornish, Robbie Armstrong, James Elliott, Kevin Strachen, Sam Young, Ross Downie, Tim Curtis, Adam Smith.
Referee – John McCrossan (Wishaw).