Lowland League | Cammy rustles up winner as Spartans see off Students

Posted on Wednesday, December 29th, 2021

The Spartans extended their Lowland League unbeaten record to fifteen games against hosts Edinburgh University with a 1-2 win at a freezing foggy Peffermill on Tuesday night.

Calum Burns made his Spartans debut in Dougie Samuel’s defensive set-up as the Ainslie Park side looked to end 2021 with the three points.

An early opportunity for Blair Henderson almost sent them on that route but for a decent save from the trialist Edinburgh Uni keeper who flung himself at the ball and denied the striker.

Sean Brown was despatched towards the box and as he got set to pull the trigger to test the rookie keeper, Lewis Turnbull put in a last ditch challenge to keep the scores level.

Brown had another opportunity moments later following a decent Sam Jones delivery but his shot was well saved by the feet of the Student stopper.

Livewire Innes Lawson went on a foot race with Michael Herd and as they entered the Spartans penalty box, the Uni striker was left cuddling the turf that was beginning to glisten with a touch of frost in patches.   The home dug out yelled for a penalty however it was an appeal that wasn’t going to wash with the whistler.

The Spartans dominance finally paid off when they took the lead shortly before the half hour mark.  Jamie Dishington made the early running – and hurdling over a challenge in front of the stand – before Cammy Russell played a well weighted pass to Scott Maxwell whose saw his cross headed home by Sean Brown from deep inside the box.

The penalty shouts were levelled out after Jamie Dishington went down under a challenge at the other end however not only was the spot kick denied, but it earned the Spartans man a caution.

HT: Edinburgh Uni 0-1 The Spartans

Blair Henderson was then denied for a second time by the Trialist keeper who clawed a net bound header almost into the path of Sean Brown however he was an agonising inch or two away from converting the rebound.

That second goal wasn’t far away though and in the 56^th minute, a superb solo effort from Cammy Russell warmed the hearts of the frozen Spartan Army faithful as the fog rolled in.

Ian McFarland won the ball with a timely tackle in the middle of the park which was then collected by Russell who went on an audacious solo run from the half way line, riding a challenge before setting up a fine finish from a tricky angle that flashed past the keeper into the opposite bottom corner.

Sam Newman replaced Jamie Dishington and it could have been the dream introduction to the game when the striker went on a rampaging run only to reach out for a team-mate with a pass when he may have better settled instead for a shot at the sticks.

There was a close shave for Spartans when David Maskrey’s shot rattled the bar before coming down on the right side of Carswell’s goal line before being hoofed to safety.

Another change saw Sean Brown and Sam Jones replaced by Gregor Woods and Lennon Walker as Spartans looked to close off the game.

Alas, the next goal was to come from the Students, setting up a nervy final five minutes for the visitors. A long range effort by David Maskrey once again hit the bar, this time the underside of it and into the net to set up the forever cliched ‘grandstand finish’.

As the game headed into added time, Cammy Russell showed his experience by taking the ball into the corner to tick down the clock and even with the luxury of surrendering possession for a goal kick, there was no time left on the clock and Spartans secured the win.

FT: Edinburgh Uni 1-2 The Spartans

Malt & Hops Man of the Match : Ian McFarland