GeoSonic Lowland League: 50th Carswell clean sheet as Spartans go top

Posted on Sunday, September 9th, 2018

Spartans returned to the top of the GeoSonic Lowland League after a first half strike by Jamie Dishington was enough to secure victory over Whitehill Welfare at Ainslie Park.

With fellow title contenders East Kilbride in cup action, Dougie Samuel’s side had the chance to retain an early pole position spot as they welcomed Welfare to North Edinburgh.  Following Selkirk’s recent demise and departure from the League, Welfare dropped to bottom spot by default and arrived with renewed confidence to rectify this, following a win last weekend.

Spartans were the first to press as they attacked the café end in the opening stanza.  An early break by Steven MacDonald saw the American burst in on goal, only for Welfare’s keeper Jardine to get down low to smother the ball.

There was a matter of centimetres between MacDonald and a Spartans lead as McPartlin somehow managed to get a toe to the ball on the line to edge it to safety.  Moments later, MacDonald had the ball in the net only to be flagged offside.

The deadlock was finally broken and it was to prove to be the decisive goal of a largely one-sided game.  Jamie Dishington collecting the ball midway inside the Welfare half before he unleashed an unstoppable low drive into the bottom corner from 25 yards.

HT: Spartans 1-0 Whitehill Welfare

The second half had a feeling of deja vu about it as Spartans continued to spread the ball around with consummate ease whilst the stuffy Welfare side continued to defend resolutely.

Patient build up play almost saw Craig Stevenson put light between however his header found the wrong side of the bar.  It was the woodwork that featured in the next Spartans effort, this time it was rattled by Jack Smith who cut inside before sending a rasper onto the bar with the keeper rooted to the spot.

Smith then had another goal bound effort sent over the bar this time by some desperate defending as Welfare remained on the ropes.  Jardine then pulled off a fine save to deny Jack Nixon’s header as the game entered its final stages.

Jardine was by far the busiest of the goalies, with Blair Carswell largely untroubled as the collected his 50th clean sheet of his senior Spartans career.

FT: Spartans 1-0 Whitehill Welfare

Malt and Hops Man of the Match: Craig Stevenson