Holders humbled as Spartans head for South Challenge Semi

Posted on Saturday, March 5th, 2016

Spartans secured a semi-final spot in the South Region Challenge Cup with an emphatic 4-0 victory over holders BSC Glasgow at Ainslie Park.

With Blair Carswell confined to his sick bed, there was a call-up between the sticks for Ross Gilpin whilst Jack Beesley started his first game of the season after his recent comeback displays off the bench.

Spartans started brightly and it was almost a tenth minute opener for Mikey Herd who tip-toed around the BSC box but couldn’t carve open a clear attempt at goal.  The deflected effort fell into the path of Dean Horribine who saw his effort hoofed to the safety of the stand.

Midway through the opening stanza, Spartans pressure finally paid off.  Jamie Dishington’s offload found Dean Horribine lurking on the periphery of the penalty area and his shot caught keeper Derrick Moore somewhat unsighted behind a plethora of players and the ball squirmed under his gloves en route to the net.

Beesley, who had scored in his last two outings, almost made it a third in as many games when an inch perfect pass from Craig Stevenson found the playmaker in space.  The narrowest of margins prevented his lob over the keeper from doubling the lead when it skimmed the outside of the post as he looked on agonisingly.

That important second goal came on the stroke of half time when Jamie Dishington outjumped his marker at the back post to divert Horribine’s cross beyond Moore.

Half Time: Spartans 2-0 BSC Glasgow

Spartans needed just four second half minutes to all but book their place in the semi finals after a neat ‘one-two’ between Keith Murray and Horribine allowed the latter to grab his 16^th goal in just 18 games this season, two of which were as a substitute whilst coming back from injury.

Aidan Ferris was unfortunate when he just couldn’t dig the ball out from beneath his feet and Ross Gilpin was the benefactor as the BSC striker stumbled his effort into the welcoming hands of the busier of the two keepers in the early stages of the second spell.

Just after the hour mark, Dougie Samuel rung the changes with George Hunter and Andrew Mair replacing Jack Beesley and Craig Stevenson.

The remainder of the half was largely played out with damage limitation at one end whilst the hope of a clean sheet at the other.

It certainly went to form and with the game deep into added time, George Hunter finally broke down a resilient defence to finish off with a wonderfully executed strike from the edge of the box that left Moore with little he could do other than collect the ball from the back of the net.

Full Time: Spartans 4-0 BSC Glasgow

Spartans XI: Gilpin, Brown, Stevenson (Mair 62), Saunderson, McNab, Greenhill, Beesley (Hunter 62), Herd, Murray, Dishington.  Subs (Not Used) Thomson, Maxwell, Rae (GK)

Malt and Hops Man of the Match: Jamie Dishington