Lowland League Cup | Spartans in stalemate against Students

Posted on Tuesday, March 8th, 2022

Blair Henderson was on target once again as The Spartans kicked-off their Lowland League Cup qualifying group stage with a 1-1 draw against Edinburgh University at Peffermill.

Dougie Samuel welcomed club captain Ian McFarland back to the fray against the Students who once again put on a fine array of cakes in the café courtesy of our friends the MacKinnon’s.

Under a blanket of blue sky with the imposing Craigmillar towers overlooking the Peffermill paddock, the hosts made the early running and Jack Newman had to look likely to deny an early break.

Cammy Russell then got his toes round the ball to find Sam Jones with an inviting cross but the latter just couldn’t find enough purchase on his header to trouble the Uni keeper.

Horse racing commentators would have most certainly described the surface as soft as the ground chewed up throughout the half which was littered with loose passes that saw the ball disappear behind the far-side fence on a number of occasions.

Unsurprisingly therefore, that the sides went into the sheds at the interval with absolutely nothing between them.

Half Time: Edinburgh University 0-0 The Spartans

During the break, Spartans found out their opponents in next week’s South Challenge Cup, with Vale of Leven disposing of 8-man Thorniewood with some ease.

Alan Brown replaced Michael Herd as the sides re-emerged from the changing rooms.

There was an early opportunity for the visitors to break the deadlock when Blair Henderson nodded down into the path of Allan Smith however he couldn’t work the ball out from under his feet in time to find the target.

However cometh the hour, cometh the Blair! A corner to the back post saw hitman Henderson leap head and shoulders above the defence and his header made its way over the line despite the valiant attempts of a covering player in Green looking to scoop it away from inside the goals.

Before the re-start, the visitors emptied the bench with Dishington, McFarland and Newman swapping with Russell, Smith and Jones.

Midway through the half and the hosts were offered the opportunity to level proceedings via the penalty spot, with Innes Lawson accepting from 12 yards.

Man of the Match Craig Brown came close to retaining the lead with a brace of back-to-back chances, the first well stopped by the keeper and his second offer clearing the bar.

Spartans tried to turn their possession into full points and Scott Maxwell looked likely to nod home from deep inside the box however his header cannoned off the back of Blair Henderson’s napper.

Full Time: Edinburgh University 1-1 The Spartans