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The 2nd XI get the chance to secure the Division 1B title with an away game against Elderslie. Manager Mark Lamb has a strong squad going through with Nick Reid with an eye on a starting position after grabbing a brace from the bench in midweek. The ko is 2pm.
The 3rd XI have a free Saturday ahead of their 5th Round Logan Cup game away to Redhall Star on Wednesday.
For our part Sam and I will freshen up the team after playing four hard games in eleven days. The last two results may not have been to our liking but we cannot deny the effort the players put in especially in the second half on Tuesday against Whitehill. None more so than goalscorer Struan Preston who literally run himself into the ground. He could start from the bench tomorrow.
Alex King is free from suspension and will start as will Daryl Devlin who is now fully recovered from a broken jaw he sustained over a month ago. Dan will be back from Australia but Sam and I will take a good look at our talisman defender before deciding if he’s fit enough to start. Nicky Walker misses out with an ankle knock and David Etale has been on Army exercises and we’ve still to find out if he’s available for the bench.
Over the last two or three weeks too many people out with the club have talked us to the league title and that pressure got to the players. We were well aware of the difficult fixtures we had to overcome and who would be unavailable to take part in them so there was no talk of league titles in the Spartans dressing room. In many respects the adverse results have lifted that pressure and Sam and I hope that shows in the performance tomorrow. We are all looking forward to the run-in.”
Sam, Mike I and Eric in pensive mood
Spartans moved to within one win of the League title with another emphatic display in Cumbernauld. With only two teams left in contention (Campsie and Wishaw), one point would be enough with a vastly superior goal difference from 4 games.
The game was shrouded in controversy with Manager (Corporal) Lamb opting to give the youngsters a chance to shine leaving Sugar Rae (fresh from his second penalty miss of the season), Mitchell (fresh from yet another wonder free kick) and The Rocket Reid (fresh from 2 weeks in the Canary Islands) on the bench.
Goal, penalty miss and half of the chuckle brothers
Spartans started off in a 4-4-2 formation with Burns and MacLeod in middle and the chuckle brothers (Puff) Cartwright and (Asbo) Perry up top. The back four had an air of impenetrability with Steele, (the free scoring) Sutherland, Young and Bunyan. The gulf in class was clear from the start and only one result was ever going to be recorded. The volume of missed chances must be a worry for the manager with some big games coming up.
Puff opened the scoring early after Perry raced clear to miss the first of a hatful of chances. Rather than place the ball past the keeper, he played a wall pass off his knees to rebound to Cartwright who (for once) hit the target. Sutherland made it 2-0, fisting in from a wicked Boyes free kick – proving he is a natural finisher and has the audacity to handle the ball over the line. The third goal has been submitted to the dubious goal’s panel as a long Steele throw in may have crossed the line before Perry claimed he touched it. Further evidence that Perry couldn’t hit a barn door from 5 yards was to be witnessed and helps the case for the prosecution (Sutherland).
Humour was then injected into the game as Steele pushed Sutherland following a ‘clash’ with Sutherland and the latter quickly realised that he should hide behind Skipper Monty and make childish gestures from behind the safety of the level headed Burns. It is understood that the two feel out over who’s fault it was that Cumbernauld managed to cross the half way line.
Further numerous chances were passed up, Perry blasted over, Cartwright missed an open goal (yet managed to blame someone else!), Sutherland heading over and countless goal mouth scrambles yielded no more goals. The game was crying out for a bit of quality – but Mitchell, Reid and Rae were still shackled on the bench. Despite the missed chances the front two were proving to be too much of a handful for the Cumbernauld outfit. Moffat then added a fourth to prove that he hasn’t lost his touch in front of goal.
Finally, some sublime skill and efforts on target did arrive – first Mitchell curled in a great free kick, Reid lashed in a fine strike and Rae actually hit the target from 12 yards – half time heroes had arrived! Gaffer Lamb must have seen these pieces of genius and set about turning the game on it’s head from only a 4 goal cushion.
The second half continued as the first left off – chance after chance. A penalty was awarded after a goal bound Moffat shot was palmed over by the Clyde centre back who received his marching orders and up stepped young Apprentice Asbo to stroke ome the penalty after Sugar Rae had been relieved off his duty (and was on the bench still – in case this report has not been clear!) Perry sent the keeper the wrong way but the ball cannoned back off the bar. There were a number of players who were quick to commiserate Asbo, however, more chose to mock the youngster who has never lacked confidence!
The return of The Rocket -goal with 2nd touch
Finally, the game was brought to life again with the goal of the game after Lamb evetually could take no more of Reid’s consistent questioning as to when the subs would come on – and proved this move should have happened much sooner. With his first touch after a two week holiday Reid produced a fine lay off to Cartwright out wide to start a flowing move. Cartwright squared the ball back to Reid a full 22 yards out and he produced a left foot Rocket which flew into the top corner – 30 seconds after his introduction. The look on Perry’s face was priceless and a shout of ‘Nooooo’ was clearly heard from Sutherland’s mouth at the back – simply a sublime footballing moment.
Predatory Sutherland headed his second, Reid found the net for his second after a Bunyan Cross-cum-shot and Bunyan added a fine headed eighth goal from an excellent Cartwright Cross.
Overall, a fine result with excellent performances from the back four, Burns, MacLeod and Bunyan in particular.
Bunyan - excellent performance and headed goal
Team: Paterek, Young, Steele, Sutherland, Bunyan, Moffat, Burns (Mitchell), MacLeod, Boyes (Rae), Perry (Reid), Cartwright.
Goals: Reid 2, Sutherland 2, Perry, Cartwright, Bunyan, Moffat
Full match report available on 2nd XI Latest News section.
The win leaves the 2s needing just two more points to clinch the Division 1B title and promotion…the winners of 1B then play the winners of 1A to decide the overall Division 1 winners.
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How right he is.
A Whitehill team now almost free from the pressure and worry of trying to win a league went out and enjoyed themselves against a team who appeared early on to have the world on their shoulders.
Football is indeed a wonderful game and in a season which lasts ten months there are many highs and lows.
If you had asked Sam, myself and the players at the start of the season if we would have taken the position we are now in with five games to go I think you know what the answer would have been.
That’s the point we will be putting over to the players tomorrow at training – that and trying to restore some self belief.
Confidence is a fickle friend but we must court her for the run in.
In the last month we have had to shuffle the team around more than we would have liked but no-one has come in and let us down.
Everyone however will take confidence from the return of Mr Gerrard and with Alex now available again and Stewart back training we will have a stronger pool of players to chose from for the remainder of the season.
We could have played better last night in a game we should have won but could easily have lost.
Neither Sam nor I were happy at half-time but the spirit, resolve and effort shown by the boys after the break gave us heart.
No-one ever said winning leagues was easy – we should all remember that.”
Spartans started playing up thie City Park hill and struggled to create many clear chances, Walker, Kader, Malin and Preston all had shots at goal but nothing ever tested the Whitehill keeper.
Whitehill took the lead on the 28th minute with their only opportunity of the first half. A mistake at the back by Archibald allowed the dangerous Gormley through on goal. He beat a tackle from Opilka to slot the ball past Flockhart to take the lead.
Spartans battled hard but struggled against a hard working Whitehill side.
The villagers started the second half with a more defensive approach as Spartans looked to take advantage. Opilka was swapped for McLeod as the home side went for three up front.
It took until the 70th minute to draw level. A paced corner was headed home by Preston, past the helpless Welfare keeper.
Whitehill had the opportunity to win the game late on as Gormley raced into a one on one with Flockhart, however his attempted lob was very poor and fell wide of the target.
Spartans now lie 3 points behind leaders Dalbeattie with two games in hand. This result means the league title could well go down to the last match of the league season when Spartans travel to the league leaders.
Team: Flockhart, O’Donnell, Hoskins, Archibald, Opilka (McLeod), Kader, Malin, Manson, Walker, Preston (Devlin), Henretty(c) Subs not used: Hair, Fowlie
Att: 186
| Date: | Saturday 11th February 2012 |
|---|---|
| Opponent: | Tynecastle FC |
| Venue: | Fernieside |
| Kickoff: | 2pm |
