Lowland League | Henderson at the four as Spartans go nap against Vale

Posted on Sunday, January 16th, 2022

A Blair Henderson quadruple helped The Spartans give their goal difference stats a boost as they put on a show in front of 216 fans Ainslie Park to defeat Vale of Leithen 8-0.

With Sean Brown and Lennon Walker having been recalled to their parent clubs East Fife and Dundee United respectively, Dougie Samuel had Mr A Trialist on the bench, a proud day for Mr & Mrs Trialist once again.

Spartans set out their stall early doors as they attacked the Cafe end, but they were to find the Vale keeper Kyle Wilson trickier than they’d wished him to be as he pulled off a couple of fine early stops, including one from the head of Blair Henderson as the striker pressed for the opener.

Cammy Russell then delivered a telling corner, only for Scott Maxwell’s shot to be cleared off the line by Vale defender Andrew Mackay.

Then, in the 19th minute, the deadlock was broken. Jamie Dishington’s cross from the right found Blair Henderson who headed home.

Shortly after, that lead was doubled and it was the same scorer, this time from the spot after Cammy Russell was upended in the box, an easy decision for the match official although not an opinion widely shared in the tourist’s technical area.

Cammy Russell was then on the scoresheet himself when he robbed the Vale dilly-dallying defender and raced in before driving home low in the net across the face of the keeper.

Three turned into four after Jamie Dishington saw his header well stopped but the Vale keeper couldn’t hold and Scott Maxwell needed no written invitation to slide home into the empty net.

With the last play of the half came the best goal of the game. Cammy Russell chased the ball to the corner flag before pulling out a pinpoint precision header which found an unmarked Blair Henderson who bagged his hat-trick with a delightfully executed header.

HT: The Spartans 5-0 Vale of Leithen

Spartans then made it six after seven second half minutes as Blair Henderson slotted home his fourth of the afternoon from close range after the keeper failed to hold a Cammy Russell shot.

Then the hosts rung the changes with the aforementioned Trialist, Burns and Woods all swapping spots with Herd, Jones and Maxwell.

With just under 15 minutes left on the clock, Spartans were awarded another free kick as the tired Vale side resorted to whatever was left in the locker to halt the rampant home side’s progress.

Jamie Dishington stepped up and from 25 yards, he unleashed an unstoppable effort that might have required two MacKays to keep out. A cracking strike served up by Dish and one he’ll dine out on for some time to come.

As the game entered the final stages, a turn of pace from just inside the Vale half from Cammy Russell saw him pull away from his pursuers and from deep inside the box, he bagged a Man of the Match brace of his own to complete the rout.

FT: The Spartans 8-0 Vale of Leithen

Malt and Hops Man of Match: Cammy Russell