Just as Sam and I thought everybody around the first team were a bit down on themselves after the Lothian and Whitehill games, we think they shouldn’t be getting carried away after our victory and Dalbeattie dropping two points on Saturday. That is the message Sam and I will be putting across to the players on Tuesday at training.

In early April we were dealt four very difficult fixtures in eleven days with several important players unavailable for various reason so two victories, a draw and a defeat wasn’t the end of the world. Things look a bit better after Saturday but we still have four very hard games to play against teams who all have something to play for starting with Heriot-Watt.

The students will be buoyant after reaching the King Cup Final on Saturday and they will take real heart from their last 45 minutes against us at Riccartion a few weeks back. Dalbeattie, City and the Lily can go on the back burner as we turn all our attentions to City Park on Saturday and a game against a very good side.

Sam, myself and everybody concerned with the first team would also like to extend our congratulations to Mark Lamb and his team on an outstanding league campaign this season. Mark has brought an obvious professionalism to the club and I’m sure he and his team are destined for more success at a higher level. Our congratulations also go to the Under 13′s on their league success. Everyone involved at the senior level are more than proud of our youth and Ladies sections.

Every success at every level helps put the club on the map and helps the club grow. Now can the Ladies and the first team follow the Seconds and the Under 13′s?

Mike Lawson

No game this weekend due to Internationals being played.  Our Coach Shelley Kerr is taking the 19s for a double header against the hosts in the Czech Republic.  Scotland won their first game 2 – 1 with Spartans’ Hayley Lauder scoring the winning goal.  Shelley’s mentor for the trip is Academy and Edinburgh Uni manager Douglas Samuel, the girls play their second game today.

Our next game is a league encounter against Hibs at the Academy next Sunday.  Our striker Diana Barry has been chosen in the short-list of four for the Scottish Player of the Year alongside two girls from Glasgow City and the ‘keeper from Forfar.  The award is presented at a gala dinner at Hampden on 12th June.

Diana - PoY shortlist

Our 19s are away to Tynecastle in a league game with a 2pm ko. Coach Gary Mclelland is looking for his squad to bounce back from last weeks cup final defeat. 

Also in action tomorrow is the select team from the Central Scottish league with Nick Reid, Paul Sutherland and Keith Boyes in the squad.  The game against Ayrshire AFA is at Colville Park with a 2pm ko.  The Central League team need to win by three goals to retain the Inter League Trophy.

The eloquently crafted 2nd XI match reports are normally hidden away in the 2nd XI news…their promotion today fully justfies the report coming to the home page.

Elderslie 0 – Spartans 3

Spartans won the Divison 1B title away at Elderslie with a solid and professional display. Skipper Burns was quick to point out that this was the Red and White’s 9th clean sheet in their last 10 league games (despite the fact that Monty Burns has assumed a midfield role over the last few weeks he made sure credit was given to the non ball players – defenders!)

The League table speaks for itself (*3 points deducted for fielding inellgible player):

Elderslie set about carrying out their manager’s request during the team talk to try and stop Spartans playing football and came out literally fighting! Maybe if their energy had been channelled towards trying to play football it would have been more of a contest.

Spartans started brightly and the back four looked like another clean sheet was on the cards. Elderslie’s best chance actually coming from their keeper on the small park which Paternek had to put over the bar. There were 3 ludacrious calls for penalties from the home side all of which were rejected by the referee.

Young – proved he can actually get to byeline in setting up first

Spartans played some nice football in spells with Bunyan and Moffat in particular asking questions. A break down the right saw full Gary Young whipping in an excellent cross which McLeod met with his head and crashed home from 12 yards – an excellent goal and the lift the Champions elect needed. Cartwright added a fine second turning and slamming home an excellent finish into the top corner.

At this point the Elderslie skipper decided to try and bolster his team’s spirits by shouting “if we can’t win this one, then lets hurt some of them.” A moment of amateur footballing class! Bunyan almost created an excellent chance for himself but the defender did well to block his shot for a corner after a neat one two with Puff the magic Carthorse!

Spartans again looked comfortable in the second half with the outstanding Sutherland mopping up any attack with ease and Steele replaced the injured Bunyan (who at the age of 20 has never managed a run of more than 5 games – truly a chocolate boy!) Sam Scott was enjoying his time on the bench and was particularly taken by the size of Joe Steele’s dog’s appendage which kept the camp tackler amused for quite a long time.

Reid replaced Perry with half an hour to go and managed a fresh air shot within seconds much to the delight of his teammates. A break down the left wing by Boyes ended with a delightfully driven cross which Reid headed home for a 3 goal advantage. Steele then managed 2 missed chances and Sutherland (who claims to be a goal threat) also missed a sitter yet remains in a lofty position on the top goals panel.

The game fizzled out and Spartans recored another win on the road and sealed promotion and the Division 1 B title with a very impressive record.

Coach Lamb was delighted after the game but has reminded the squad that there are still 3 games remaining and expects maximum points against Campsie, Scotia and Sporting – all on the road.

A final thought, the Corporal did say at the start of the season – “Striker’s win games, Defenders win titles.” The superb performance of the back four this year really has been the difference with only 12 goals conceeded in 19 games.

Team: Paterek, Young, Rae, Sutherland, Bunyan (Steele), Moffat, McLeod, Burns, Boyes, Perry (Reid), Cartwright (Scott)

MOM: Sutherland – outstanding and classy performance from the hairy ‘Bin Man.’ Faultless perfomance and should have added to his goal tally.

Spartans edged closer to league leaders Dalbeattie with a solid 7-0 victory over Premier league basement side Peebles.

Spartans made several changes changes from the team that started against Whitehill. Darryl Devlin, Alex King and Keith McLeod returned to the starting line up. Struan Preston and Michal Opilka dropped to the bench but Nicky Walker was left out the squad.

Spartans started strong and scored in only the third minute. Devlin slotting home from close range. Rather than open the flood gates the goal seemed to bring a positive reaction from the home side. Peebles made it hard work for Spartans, who were struggling to create many clear chances. It took until the 30th minute for Donal Henretty to extend Spartan’s lead from a Kader cross.

Keith McLeod slotted a low ball past the Peebles keeper just before half time to make it 3-0 going into the break.

Into the second half and Struan Preston replaced Donal Henretty, with Devlin moving out the the wing.

It took only 4 minutes for Omar Kader to further extend the lead. Dean Hoskins scored from close range before Struan Preston made it 6 with a wonderful looping shot from range over the Peebles keeper.

In the dying seconds of the game Spartans were awarded a penalty after Dave Etale was brought down in the box. The Peebles players were still protesting when Darryl Devlin stepped up to take the penatly and despite the keeper getting a hand to it, the ball crossed the line to make it 7-0.

With Dalbeattie being held by Edinburgh University  it means Spartans are now a single point behind with 2 games in hand. With a tough home game against Heriot-Watt Uni next weekend, Spartans will need to continue to raise their game if they are going to have any chance of winning the title.

Sqaud: Flockhart, O’Donnell, Hoskins, Archibald, Gerrard, Kader, King (Malin), Manson, Devlin, McLeod (Etale), Henretty (Preston) Subs not used: Opilka, Hair

Att: 55

Chris helps the goal difference by keeping a clean sheet