Spartans see off Selkirk with solid second half show

Posted on Saturday, December 12th, 2015

Four unanswered second half goals from Spartans saw them turn Garry O’Connor’s Selkirk first half lead into a 5-2 win at Ainslie Park to maintain the pressure on an idle Edinburgh City at the top of the Ferrari Packaging Lowland League

The visitors, who arrived with a fantastically generous donation towards the Spartans Academy’s Food Bank appeal, took the lead after just 7 minutes when the Ross Gray found himself in space deep inside the Spartans penalty area before he drilled low past the outstretched arm of Blair Carswell.

That lead lasted all of six minutes.  With the Selkirk defence sitting high, Murrell’s pace saw the striker latch on to a deep through ball and the youngster’s exquisite lob sailed over a stranded Newman to dip under the bar and level proceedings.

It didn’t take long for the Yarrow Park side to regain the lead and they done so in some style.  An unstoppable 25 yard drive from David Robertson saw the former Dundee United star’s strike crash in off the crossbar to leave Carswell a mere bystander.

Murrell almost netted his second equaliser of the afternoon however his turn and shot on the edge of the box fell on the wrong side of the post to maintain Selkirk’s advantage at the break.

HT: Spartans 1-2 Selkirk

Spartans introduced Dean Horribine ahead of the second half and Manager Dougie Samuel was rewarded almost instantly with the replacement poking home a 49^th minute goal into the bottom corner to restore parity on the scoreboard once again.

With a quarter of the match remaining, Conner Duthie gave Spartans the lead for the first time in the game.  Newman and Horribine clashed just outside the box and the ball fell to the on-loan Hibs teenager who rammed home from a tight angle.

Selkirk’s task to swing the balance back in their favour was made a little bit harder when Jordan Allan was offered an early shower on a bitterly cold afternoon for a second bookable offence.

Spartans used their numerical advantage to impose further misery on O’Connor’s side with two goals inside the final 10 minutes.  A well worked one touch move involving several of the outfield players was perfectly executed by Keith Murray to put further light between the sides.

The icing was put on the cake – and a birthday one at that – as Jamie Dishington celebrated in style with the fifth and final strike following a pinpoint placed Gary Cennerazzo cross.

Full Time: Spartans 5-2 Selkirk

Spartans: Carswell, Herd, Cennerazzo, Malone, Thomson, Greenhill, Brown, Stevenson (McNab 78), Murrell, Horribine (45), Murray, Duthie (Dishington 72). Subs (Not Used) Saunderson, Ross.

Malt and Hops Man of the Match: Keith Murray