A new vacancy has arisen for the position of Club Manager of the Spartans FC Youth section. Full details of the role can be found on the Spartans FC Youth Website by following this link.

Spartans FC Youth – Club Manager – Role Description

Any questions regarding the role should be directed Academy Development Manager Douglas Samuel – douglassamuel@spartanscfa.com.

The Old Boys take on Artois United  in a challenge match at 2.30 on Saturday on the FieldTurf pitch at the Academy.  Mike Drabble the ex 1st XI captain from the 80′s is still plying his trade in the Artois Old Boys team and he brings them north from kent for the game.  Old Boys manager Euan Hoy has named an intruiging squad devoid of a recognised ‘keeper…Lummy must know he’s favourite to be handed the gloves!  Euan’s squad is Dave Lumsden, Doug Cowie, Scott Burnside, Brian Hutton, Andy Mitchell, Keith Jardine, Andy Nixon, Roger McKeating, Graham McCall, Craig Ford, Lawrie Tulloch, Dougie Hewat, Steve Antoniewicz, Euan Hoy, Iain Kirkpatrick.

Jazza and Lawrie in the Image Printers Cup winning photo from 2002

While the Old Boys action takes place on the FieldTurf the Juniors play Bathgate Thistle, Scottish Junior Cup winners in 2008, on the stadium pitch also with a 2.30pm ko.  This is a first round East of Scotland Cup game.  More details of this match to follow later in the week.

Our Junior team beat Gala Fairydean 1 – 0 last night in a good game.  Adam Perry got back on the goal trail with the only goal.

The Juniors head down to Galashiels tomorrow evening to play a friendly with a 7.30pm ko. Chris Smith and Dean Hoskins join their squad to get pitch time and it gives Mark Lamb a chance to give a run to the players he has returning from injury.

Our EoS 19s beat Easthouses 1 – 0 today in the league at Ainslie Park.  Alan Chalmers scored the winning goal just before half time.  It’s our first win of the season as we head towards our SFA Youth Cup game at home to Alloa in two weeks time.

Our Sunday amateur team beat second place Saltires 8 – 2 in a league game at City Park as coach Kenny Cameron comes close to getting his full team on the pitch after struggling with a lousy spell of injuries.

Mike says -

“For the second week in a row Sam and I got the effort, commitment and good play we asked from the players for the whole 90 minutes of the game, not just in 20 minute spells. It’s a real shame we don’t have a competitive game next Saturday and a chance to keep that momentum going.

Prestonpans isn’t an easy place to go and Preston are a good side. We were lucky to take all three league points from the Pennypit last month and both sets of players and management were aware of that. That fact helped us and may have hindered Preston. We all knew we had something to prove and despite Stevie’s pre match promptings the Preston players will have taken to the pitch knowing they dominated possession for long spells in our previous meeting. We were really up for it and our boys made sure that didn’t happen again. Preston will come back stronger and I still think they will be in the mix come May.

Sam and I had two objectives before the game, one being trying to win the central midfield battle and the other to get the game squeezed further up the park especially when playing from our left.  We had already switched from a midfield 4 to a 5 against Coldstream and yesterday Alex, Gavin and Robbie gave us a central platform to play from. Kevin has shown his organisational skills since coming into the team at the back and I can’t wait for Danny’s 300th game if he puts in that much effort when he’s given the captains armband. Maybe we shouldn’t give it back to Stewart!!!

Anyway we still have things to work on. We went in 0-0 at half-time having been unable to turn our majority of possession into clear cut chances. It was beginning to look like it might just not be our day. Our first goal was fortunate and until our next official game Mike and Eric will be concentrating on crossing and finishing. 

Sundays are much more pleasant after a win.”

Mike

In a very good performance the Seniors beat Preston Athletic 2 – 0 in the Image Printers Cup.  In a league match the Juniors beat Edinburgh Utd 1 – 0.

Sean McAuley’s injury meant he missed out and with the only change from last week Danny O’Donnell came in for his 200th Spartans competitive appearance. 

We started the game well and Keith McLeod blasted over from 4 yards after a great run and cross from skipper for the day Danny O’Donnell.  We had most of the possession but Preston defended stoutly and looked dangerous on the break.  The closest to a goal in the first half was when Gavin Malin’s deflected free kick was superbly saved by Preston ‘keeper Gilpin.  Again in the second half we kept the ball well and when the goal came in the 67th minute it was rather fortunate.  Another good Danny run resulted in a cross to the far post where Preston defender Cairnie knocked the ball into the net from close range under pressure from Donal Henretty.

Campion did come closest to equalising but Chris Flockhart leapt to his left to clutch a free kick.  With two minutes left the prolific Robbie Manson made the win certain.  Ross Archibald made a good run forward and gave Robbie the chance to score from 10 yards with a deft flick over the ‘keeper.

MoM was sweeper Kevin Sivewright who marshalled the defence well when Preston threatened, a difficult decision in a very polished performance.

Sivvy - MoM

Team: Flockhart, Archibald, Sivewright, Fowlie, O’Donnell, King, Malin, Manson, Henretty (Hoskins 76), Mcleod (Kader 72), Etale (Smith 88) Subs not used: Gerrard, McKibben

The Juniors pulled off a great win at Paties Road in a tousy encounter with 10 bookings.  Iain Cartwright scored the only goal midway through the first half.  Michael Moffat’s injury from last Saturday kept him out with Ollie Antoni, Gary Bannon and Dale Robertson all returning to the starting line up.  Both teams came close to adding to the scoreline and we defended well as United put us under pressure in the final ten minutes.  Team: Paterek, Antoni, Hair, Hutchison, K Young, Reid, Cartwright (Perry), Robertson, Bannon (Boyes), Scott, Osbourne Subs not used: Sutherland, Douglas, G Young, Fleming

Puff - winner