Spartans go down to Colts at Broadwood

Posted on Sunday, April 2nd, 2017

Goals from Jamie Broadfoot and Daniel McFarlane earned Cumbernauld Colts all three points, a result that dents Spartans chances of a second place finish this season in the Lowland League.

With East Kilbride crowned champions, Spartans headed to Broadwood Stadium looking to close the gap on East Stirlingshire.  Dougie Samuel added new loan signing Shaun Turnbull to the bench following the defender’s move from neighbours Civil Service Strollers.

As the sunshine threatened to breakthrough the clouds, Spartans looked to penetrate the Colts defence and Craig Comrie was first up to test Chris Fahey between the sticks.

However, it was the hosts who took the lead in the 10th minute.  Jamie Broadfoot collected the ball midway inside the Spartans half of the synthetic surface and launch a speculative lob effort that caught Blair Carswell off his line.  The backtracking keeper was unable to make enough ground to prevent the strike from nestling in the back of the net.

Scott Maxwell was close to converting a header from a decent dead ball delivery from Jack Beesley as Spartans looked to reply without delay.

The visitors finally had the ball in the net as the first half edged towards the interval, unfortunately for Blair Tolmie, he was adjudged to have impeded Fahey as the two collided in an aerial clash.

Maxwell then unleashed a rasper from the edge of the box, leaving the crossbar wobbling like a freshly set jelly and Fahey flat-footed.

HT: Cumbernauld Colts 1-0 Spartans

Shaun Turnbull made his Spartans debut following his introduction as the teams returned from the sheds, replacing Tolmie who suffered a broken nose for his troubles just before the half time hooter.

With twenty minutes left on the clock, Spartans task of reigning in the Colts got decidedly harder when McFarlane doubled the lead.  A shot from Stephen O’Neil was blocked by Mikey Herd on the edge of the Spartans penalty area.  The ball fell into the path of McFarlane who just about managed to get his boot to it ahead of an Alan Brown / Shaun Turnbull combo to squeeze home tightly inside the outstretched Blair Carswell’s post.

Youngster Jonny Grotlin came off the bench and his pace proved a challenge for the Colts defence.  His through ball found Jack Hay who was denied by the feet of Fahey who raced off his line to deny the substitute striker and secured the three points.  Hay had one final effort to set up a grandstand finish, only to see his header narrowly clear the bar.

FT: Cumbernauld Colts 2-0 Spartans

Spartans: Carswell, Herd, Stevenson, Tolmie (Turnbull), Townsley, Comrie (Hay), Beesley (Grotlin), Greenhill, Allum, Maxwell, Brown.  Subs (Unused): Dishington Saunderson, Gilpin)

Malt and Hops MOTM: Craig Stevenson