Under 20s: Spartans reach League Cup Final after reigning in Colts

Posted on Tuesday, January 23rd, 2018

Les Atkinson’s Under 20s reached the Final of the League Cup after a last four victory over Cumbernauld Colts at Ainslie Park on Monday evening.  The 3-1 victory sees them await the outcome of the other Semi Final between BSC Glasgow and Edinburgh City which takes place in seven days time.

With Spartans and Colts jockeying for the first past the post position at the top of the league table, this semi final offered to deliver more bang for one’s buck with both sides champing at the bit for a place in the final.  After a bit of a false start however, it eventually resulted in unbridled joy for the hosts after a stable second half showing.

Spartans were looking to get back to winning ways after a couple of hiccups and there was a little bit of heart in mouth early on when keeper Jordan Pettigrew slipped as he looked to control a pass back.  The goalie getting to his feet in just about enough time to clear under the pressure of a Colt galloping down his throat.

At the other end, Arron Singh was looking to stirrup some noise around the Colts box.  The pint sized playmaker just not able to turn his trickery into goals as the deadlock remained unlocked after a quarter of an hour.

That elusive strike was however to come in the 36th minute.  An in-swinging corner from Singh found Lewis Grant who nipped in ahead of the Colts keeper to head home his first goal in Spartans colours.

The lead that didn’t last furlong.  A defensive lapse just four minutes later finally saw Michael McGarahan nudge the ball over the line to square up proceedings.

It was almost a double from the head of Grant on the stroke of half time, only for the defender to watch on as the Colts shot-stopper done tremendously well to push the effort over the bar.

HT: Spartans 1-1 Cumbernauld Colts

Spartans regained their advantage nine minutes after the break when Josh Wishart’s leap of faith saw him head home and nudge his side back in the lead for the second time.

Further light was put between the sides midway through the second half when Rowan Fife broke the offside trap and, with what felt like suspended animation, he shaped up, considered his options, then duly blasted home into the back of the net.

The rest of the half was played out in relatively scrappy mode.  The hosts happy to play ‘keep ball’ with the two goal cushion and the visitors frustrated by a lack of possession and opportunity which ultimately lead to the Referee reaching for his yellow ticket on more than a couple of occasions to reign in the visitors.

It was a stable second half showing from a Spartans side and one that will send a signal to the neigh-sayers to say they are back to winning ways.

FT: Spartans 3-1 Cumbernauld Colts

Spartans: Pettigrew, O’Neil, Hill (Sutherland), Wishart, Grant, Hall, Hand, Laing, Fife (Hosey), Singh (Crowe), Hetherington.  Subs (Not Used) Urquhart (GK)