Lowland League: Fans log in to watch Dawson’s noggin seal late win

Posted on Wednesday, October 14th, 2020

An 89th minute Cameron Dawson header was enough to give Spartans a late winner at home to Berwick Rangers and give gaffer Dougie Samuel back to back victories as the Lowland League season continues in front of empty terraces.

Leading the team out once again was Captain Adam Corbett, although in doing so this time, he became the latest Spartans centurion, notching up 100 appearances or the Senior side.

Team-mate Scott Maxwell was also celebrating a significant Spartans milestone, reaching 150th games for the club.

Just like the first time attempts to live feed the match, the action itself was rather stop and start and the picture unclear during the opening period as to who was going to take the early running.

An early opportunity for the hosts saw Aaron Murrell whip in a telling ball across the face of the goal however he couldn’t find a willing colleague to take advantage.

There was a significant shout for a spot kick from the Spartans players and the dug out when a net bound strike appeared to strike the arm of a defender in the box.  There was to be no joy in the appeal and to rub salt into proverbial wounds, the linesman then put his flag high into the cold Pilton air for offside.

Berwick went almost immediately up the other end of the park and were awarded a free-kick some 20 yards out.  Following footage of a fantastic dead ball delivery at the weekend, Spartans faithful persevering with the video link were right to be nervous however the delivery this time from Jordan Sinclair was dealt with rather comfortably by the wall.

With the sands of time edging closer to the interval, Berwick keeping Dougie Horne kept his side in the game with a fine double save, firstly denying Sam Jones from range then Aaron Murrell swooping in on the rebound.

Half Time: Spartans 0-0 Berwick Rangers

The only change made at the break was the cable in the laptop being used to stream the game – and what a fantastic replacement it turned out to be.

Opportunities were still in limited supply however the home side were out of the traps for the second half with renewed vigour and enthusiasm. 

For the second time in the game, the Spartans players felt somewhat aggrieved at the lack of penalty award, this time when the ball struck the arm of Jordan Sinclair as it bounced up following a collision between Grant Nelson and Sam Jones which saw the pair on the deck.

The Spartans stand-in stopper pulled off another fine intervention when he came off his line to take the ball off the head of Jack Wright as the Berwick man eyed up a chance.

Dougie Samuel opted for the bench in the 68th minute with a double substitution as Cameron Dawson and Scott McCrory-Irving replaced Aaron Murrell and Scott Maxwell.

Another great stop by the Trialist keeper saw Spartans remain on level terms when he pulled off an acrobatic diving save, this time denying Calum Smith.

A further double swap from the bench with nine minutes left saw Alan Brown and Joe Tait enter the fray whilst Ian McFarland and Archie Meekison were withdrawn.

Then, in the last minute of normal time, for the second match on the bounce, up stepped substitute Cameron Dawson to secure another three league points.

Skipper Corbett threaded the ball out wide, with it finally finding Scott McCrory-Irving on the flank.  A quick exchange of passes with Sam Jones saw McCrory-Irving skip by his man before sending the most perfectly weighted cross into the six yard box where Cameron Dawson eluded the static Ryan Finnie and headed home.

Delighted for home side, who, on the balance of play probably had done enough to edge out the Berwick outfit. 

Full Time:  Spartans 1-0 Berwick Rangers