Spartans too hot to trot for Colts at Cumbernauld

Posted on Wednesday, September 9th, 2015

A double for Aaron Murrell and goals from Michael Herd and Keith Murray secured a vital three points on the road as Spartans defeated Cumbernauld Colts 0-4 at Broadwood Stadium in Wednesday night’s Ferrari Packaging Lowland League fixture.

Spartans took the lead after just five mins after the Referee adjudged Andrew Ward’s arm got in the way of Aaron Murrell’s attempted flick over the defender in the box after a wonderfully weighted long ball from Michael Herd. After the dust had settled on a cold night in Cumbernauld, the youngster calmly stepped up to score from the spot.

Fantastic feet from on-loan Conner Duthie almost doubled the visitors lead in the 12th minute after he outfox his marker inside the box before seeing his shot deflected for a corner.

It was the same trickery from Duthie that sent Spartans 0-2 ahead after 16 minutes. His inventive play out wide created enough space for him to drive in an inviting low cross along the 6 yard box that was nudged home by the grateful Murrell.

It was almost a hat-trick from Murrell just before the half-hour mark with Sam George in the Colts goal having to react quickly to get down low to collect a well paced 25 yard drive at the second attempt.

David Greenhill’s 38th minute pass found that man Murrell up tight against his defender on the edge of the six yard box.  The playmaker showing his man one way before deftly pushing the ball into the path of  the en-rushing Herd who slotted home with consummate ease.

HT: Cumbernauld Colts 0-3 Spartans

The second half failed to live up to its dynamic first as the mercury dipped in the Cumbernauld thermometer.

Murrell continued to torment the Colts back division and he looked on agonisingly – but perhaps more in hope – across to the linesman as goalkeeper George scooped his header off the goal line.

Dougie Samuel made the first of his three substitutions in the 65th minute, Keith Murray replacing the dynamic Aaron Murrell.

Craig Stevenson puts his body on the line – that’s the goal line – stopping a certain goal from the impressive Colts sub Johnathan Black as the hosts looked to get back into the game.

John Grant replaced goal scorer Michael Herd in the 71st minute with gaffer Samuel perhaps looking ahead to Saturday’s tough trip to Threave.

There was a first game of the season for Ewan Sanderson as he came off the bench to replace Conner Duthie and just two minutes later, Spartans put the game beyond any doubt with 11 minutes left on the electronic scoreboard after the stand-side linesman spotted a Michael Oliver handball on the line.

With Murrell on the bench, his replacement Keith Murray stepped up to the mark and scored from the spot.

FT: Cumbernauld Colts 0-4 Spartans

Spartans XI: Carswell, Brown, Malone, Thomson, Mackinnon, Greenhill, Dishington, Stevenson, Murrell (Murray), Herd (Grant), Duthie (Sanderson).

Spartans Sub unused: Gilpin (gk)

Malt &  Hops Man of the Match: Jamie Dishington