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Ainslie Park, August 2014, East of Scotland Cup, Edinburgh United, Falkirk, football blog, Gordon Herd, Hearts, Hearts Legends, Linlithgow Rose Select, Lowland League, Penicuik Athletic, Penicuik Park, Prestonfield, Scottish Championship, Selkirk, September 2014, Spartans, Testimonial, Tynecastle Park, wandywatson
Saturday 30 August 2014, Tynecastle Park
First trip of the season to Tynecastle to watch top of the Championship Hearts, with 3 wins out of three against Rangers, Hibs and Raith, up against Falkirk, who have had a bit of a mixed bag of early season results. A draw at Cowdenbeath after being 2 down, a slightly unfortunate loss at home to Rangers and a win at Easter Road in their most recent league game. Both teams will have been confident before the game.
Amazing how far Hearts have come since the well-publicised issues of the previous seasons. The home fans have bought all available tickets in a crowd of 16,369 and there is beginning to be a strength of squad when you see that Holt, Walker and recent signing El Hassnaoui are all on the bench. Both first choice goalkeepers are injured along with Paterson and Carrick.
Falkirk have sold 18-year-old Conor McGrandles for a Club record transfer fee to Norwich City just before the game. The Bairns are also missing the injured Kieran Duffie and Lewis Small, as well as Thomas Grant, who is recovering from illness.
Hearts are getting the better of the opening exchanges and they take the lead in 17 minutes. A corner from King is misjudged by former Hearts keeper Jamie MacDonald and Jordan McGhee rises unchallenged to head into an empty net.
A good effort from Alston in the 20th minute almost puts Falkirk back on level terms but it goes just wide. Hearts quickly punish that miss by going two up in 25 minutes. A lovely bit of skill by Nicholson on the wing to beat Maybury sees him surging into the box, only to be held back by the same defender. A daft foul really, but a clear penalty. MacDonald redeems himself by getting down low to save Keatings penalty, and his follow up from the rebound, but the ball breaks to King who slams the ball past the luckless keeper.
Hearts are playing some great stuff now and you can see the confidence flowing through the team. A lovely cross from Keatings find the head of King who nods past MacDonald to make it 3-0 after 37 minutes.
Only a combination of poor finishing and fine goalkeeping prevents Hearts being even further in front at half time after a very polished performance.
The interval sees Hearts legend and coach John Robertson undertake the ice bucket challenge on the sidelines. The tannoy tells us that Hibs are one up at Alloa in the “relegation battle”.
Falkirk make a couple of changes after 48 minutes and their change to their formation seems to get more of a foothold in the game. (Why they didn’t just make the substitutions at half time is beyond me. 3 minutes after half time. Possibly to get the time added on at the end in case of a comeback?).
The game is a bit more even now, but everyone in the ground knows it is already won. Hearts still look quite dangerous in the attacking third and on another day, Keatings could have had at least a hat-trick.
Prince Buaben is shown a straight red card in the 72nd minute for what is reported to be a two footed tackle. I didn’t see the incident, but it certainly seems to have been a daft one.
Despite the team going down to 10 men, six minutes later it’s Hearts who score again, with Wilson playing Sow in. As he reaches the box, he is brought down by Vaulks. Only a yellow card for the defender and Sow himself takes the penalty and sends the keeper the wrong way.
With 4 minutes to go, Rory Loy cuts the ball back to substitute Botti Bia Bi, who lashes past Hamilton.
An impressive performance by the home team against a Falkirk team who had a bad day at the office.
Full Time: Hearts 4 Falkirk 1
Admission: £23
Hearts: 13 Hamilton, 30 McGhee, 3 McHattie, 6 Gomis, 5 Ozturk (McKay 66), 4 Wilson, 11 Nicholson (Walker 68), 17 Buaben, 20 Sow, 19 Keatings, 12 King (Holt 73). Subs: 7 Walker, 9 El Hassnaoui, 10 Holt, 16 Oliver, 22 McKay, 25 Hollis, 44 Eckersley.
Falkirk: 1 MacDonald, 17 Maybury Booked (Rowan 69), 15 Dick (Leahy 49), 7 Taiwo, 5 McCracken, 6 Vaulks, 4 Durojaiye, 8 Alston, 33 Loy, 10 Sibbald, 20 Cooper (Bia Bi 49). Subs: 12 Bowman, 14 Grant, 19 Leahy, 21 Rowan, 23 Shepherd, 28 Bia Bi, 35 Boulding.
Referee: Kevin Clancy.
Programme: £3.50
Wednesday 3 September 2014, Ainslie Park
A return to the Lowland League for last season’s Champions Spartans, against Selkirk, who have started the season well. There looks to be around 130 in attendance.
It’s the home side who show first, grabbing an early corner which keeper Newman punches away. Selkirk show next, with See shooting wide before a great strike from Stevenson produces a fine save from Newman. Spartans are piling the pressure on and McLeod is clean through, but the keeper is out quickly. An inswinging corner from Beesley finds summer signing Douglas who heads home at the front post. 6 minutes are on the clock.
Selkirk are playing a very high line and McLeod looks to be clean through but for a late flag from the linesman. Selkirk are struggling to get to grips with Spartans fast start and after giving the ball away deep in their own half, they are lucky to see Beesley shoot over from close range.
Selkirk attempt to get into the game with a great run from Addison ends with him being brought down on the edge of the box. O’Connor fails to clear the wall from the free kick. The former Scotland striker needs no introduction (except maybe to himself, as he sometimes thinks his name is Jos). More on him later.
Another free kick for Selkirk sees Tonelle’s effort go just over onto the roof of the net. Selkirk are starting to come into the game.
The referee is frustrating both sets of players, and fans, with his late whistle.
A great scene as clearance into the crowd sees a man, probably in his 50s, take the ball on the shin and sees him backpedalling like the referee who was pushed over by Di Canio, but he manages to stay on his feet.
The 34th minute sees Bremner head home for Spartans, but there was adjudged to be a foul on the keeper. The same player follows this up 6 minutes later by being booked for something he said to the ref.
There are a fair few people watching from the non-paying side of the fence and several watching from the flats overlooking the ground.
Right on half time, Selkirk’s high line is breached again with Beesley clean through, but he mishit his shot. Surely Selkirk will change tactics at half time, with their high line not working and Spartans forwards being quicker than the away side’s defence. They have come back into the game after a fast start from Spartans, but their offside trap is really not happening for them.
The second half begins with Beesley racing down the wing and crossing to the back post where it is somehow put over the bar from close range. McLeod has often been the recipient of chances created by Selkirk’s defensive formation, but it hadn’t looked like it was going to be his night. This all changed when he slotted home after 55 minutes from a Stevenson pass to put Spartans 2-0 in front. A mix up at the back almost lets Selkirk back into it right away, but the home side escape.
O’Connor keeps trying to take players on and keeps losing it. Another quick break from Spartans sees McLeod with another chance and his strike ends up with the unfortunate Guiney putting through his own net for number 3 in 67 minutes. And almost right away, Spartans get a fourth, this time it’s Bremner grabbing the glory.
Selkirk haven’t learned the lessons of the first half and continue to play with that high line. Although it is 4-0, there doesn’t look like 4 goals between the teams.
A lengthy injury to Orain doesn’t do anything to give Selkirk any respite and substitute Henretty crosses and it almost seems to hit off McLeod for 5-0 with 10 minutes left.
A mix up at the back sees Selkirk score a consolation goal, nicely taken by Addison who lobbed it over Swain.
An odd game where Spartans could easily have scored more with the kamikaze defending on offer, but Selkirk showed in spells they can play some good stuff. Not to detract from Spartans who looked like they would trouble any defence.
So 5-1 and a score that O’Connor will know only too well. He has been scoring a lot of goals for Selkirk and looks to have lost some weight, but I don’t think I saw him on a good night and nothing seemed to come off for him.
Spartans will certainly be challenging for the title again this season despite a poor start to the season by their standards.
Full Time: Spartans 5 Selkirk 1
Admission: £5
Spartans: 1 Kevin Swain, 2 John Grant (Beacher 73), 3 Gary Cennerazzo, 4 Kevin Sivewright, 5 Michael Bruce, 6 Craig Stevenson, 7 Jack Beesley, 8 William Bremner (O’Donnell 73), 9 Errol Douglas (Muhsin 64), 10 Keith McLeod, 11 Alan Brown. Subs: 12 Sean Muhsin, 14 Daniel O’Donnell, 15 Jack Beacher, 16 Donal Henretty, 17 Ian Thomson, 19 Ross Gilpin.
Selkirk: 1 Jamie Newman, 2 Barry Milven, 5 Sean Guiney, 6 Garry O’Connor, 8 Daryl Johnson, 9 Osman See, 10 Jon McInally, 11 Julio Tonelle, 13 Philip Addison, 15 Mark Samson, 25 Jordane Orain (Harley 79). Subs: 7 Benjamen MacKenzie, 12 Ryan Scott, 14 David Battle, 16 Liam Henderson, 17 James Harley, 22 Antony Bal, 26 Benjamin Huteau.
Referee: Peter Stuart
Programme: £2
Saturday 6 September 2014, Penicuik Park
Penicuik Athletic have come on a fair bit since I saw them on the opening day of their season. Since that opening day loss, they have won at Linlithgow, drawn at Bo’ness and beaten Fauldhouse, who were promoted with them. They have also lost heavily at home to Kelty Hearts. Today they face Edinburgh United of the East Premier League in the first round of the East of Scotland Cup. United have had a promising start to their season and look set to challenge for promotion to the Super League this year.
Despite Penicuik being the favourites, the away side took the game to them right from the start and a lacklustre home team just couldn’t get going.
Hume jumped into Jancyzk during an aerial challenge for the first foul of the game and seemed to chirp at the referee for the next 5 minutes. The ref showed admirable patience to not book him.
It only took 9 minutes for the underdogs to take the lead, Fisher seeming to mishit a shot along the ground which deceived everyone and hit the post before coming back into keeper Bejaoui’s arms. There were lots of complaints as the linesman flagged that the ball had crossed the line, but Penicuik had plenty of time to find their way back into the match.
It was good to see Ryan McCallum starting for the home team, having been out injured for several months, although he certainly didn’t look match sharp and not a patch on the goalscorer of the previous season before the injuries began. Manager Meikle had picked himself again to play in defence, but the cautious approach he deployed with one up front was not working, particularly with the one not looking fully fit.
One of the away fans shouted “keep going in hard, they don’t like it!” and there was certainly no holding back in the challenges as the Edinburgh team showed a high level of commitment.
Penicuik were struggling to deal with the hefty challenges and after giving the ball away in midfield, Bejaoui had to look sharp to save from Knight to prevent the lead being doubled.
The home team didn’t create anything until just past the half hour when a great cross field ball by Ross found Rennie racing through, but his well struck shot was turned round the post by Inglis. Edinburgh were soon on the front foot again and Fisher held the ball up well before passing to Mitchell who turned and shot in one movement in the box and saw his shot flash narrowly wide with the keeper rooted to the spot.
Just before half time Meikle was caught dwelling on the ball which resulted in a free kick for United which was sent just over the bar. Still one goal in it at half time.
Penicuik quickly changed to a more attacking formation after a substitution early in the second half but it was United who could have gone further in front with a decent shout for a penalty, but the ref gave a corner.
Penicuik had their best spell around the hour mark with a great run from Gay saw him shoot wide and then a good passing move saw McCallum fire over. But they were not having it their own way and Fisher should have claimed his second when set up by Knight but Bejaoui was there to save.
Knight himself then forced the keeper to tip over in 67 minutes and Penicuik were given a lifeline when Lothian received his second yellow card to put the away team down to 10 men with about 20 minutes to go, but the advantage didn’t last long with substitute McCulloch getting his own marching orders just two minutes later for his second yellow too.
The home side almost grabbed an undeserved equaliser but Inglis would not be beaten with two fine saves, one from Lister. United almost got a second right at the death with a break which saw them with a 3 on 1 advantage, but the keeper saved from Knight.
Uncompromising defender Miller had a great game for the away team in defence and Gay, who showed lots of nice touches but couldn’t find a final ball looked the best for Penicuik.
Full time: Penicuik Athletic 0 Edinburgh United 1
Admission: £5
Penicuik Athletic: Bejaoui, Ross, McDermott, Meikle, Cunnison, Lister, McPartlin (Miller 70), Jancyzk (McCulloch 51), McCallum, Gay, Rennie. Subs: Millar, McCulloch, Young, Burrell, Hill
Edinburgh United: Inglis S, Smeaton, Smith, Murray, Miller, Inglis C, Fisher, Lothian, Mitchell (Pagilero 45), Hume, Knight. Subs: Pagilero, McLennan, Milne, Paterson
Referee: Mr D Doig
Programme: £1
Sunday 7 September 2014, Prestonfield
A Testimonial match for Linlithgow Rose stalwart Gordon Herd, with a Linlithgow Rose Select taking on the Hearts Legends in honour of Herd’s 10 years’ service to the club.
Lots of former Rose players make up their lineup, with “Herdy” the star of the show and former manager Jim Sinnet returning to boss the team. The Legends team is made up of predominantly ex-Hearts players but depending on availability can also involve players who have represented other professional clubs. This afternoon includes Henry Smith, Scott Crabbe, Jose Quitongo, Alan Lawrence, Ian Ferguson, Alan Lawrence and Scott Severin. Former Rose and Hearts player Mark Bradley is also on the Legends side as is Rose player Derek Fleming.
The Rose team enters the field all sporting the number 9 on their backs which makes it a bit of a nightmare for someone like me who doesn’t recognise them!
It’s been a while since Jose Quitingo was terrorising Scottish defences, but he doesn’t look any different from then and he looks full of running and trickery in the early exchanges. It’s from one of these runs that the Hearts team opens the scoring in the 20th minute. He charges down the right wing, beating three players before crossing for Ferguson who miscontrolls before finding the net. As Rose hit back, Henry Smith turns back the years with a wonderful diving save to turn the ball round the post and he gets up to mine taking a photograph. Current Rose manager Danny Smith limps off after 25 minutes.
Crabbe is heard to shout to give the ball to Jose “so we can all get a rest” and this seems to be the first half tactic. It’s from another Jose run and cross that sees Crabbe double Hearts lead with 40 minutes gone.
Rose get a goal back before half time when the ball is played to Andy Dick on the edge of the box who rifles the ball past Smith into the bottom corner.
The second half is only 5 minutes old when Kevin Donnelly, scorer of the goal which won the Junior Cup for Rose in 2010 gets the equaliser when the Hearts defence fails to cut out a through ball to him and he sends Smith the wrong way from close range.
Five minutes later and Herd gets his goal. Sent through with just the keeper to beat he duly obliges to put Linlithgow in front for the first time. He goes off before the teams kick off again to a great ovation from the decent sized crowd. (He does later come back on though).
Jose, not as involved this half creates yet another goal for Hearts when his mazy run sees him brought down in the box and Crabbe puts the penalty away to make it 4-3 after 60 minutes. But a clearly tiring Hearts give the ball away in their own half after 65 and it is cut back for Dick to put the home side 2 in front. I think the Legends team needs to bring more subs with them.
A terrible mix up between Quitongo and Smith sees Linlithgow score another with Flannery running the ball into an empty net after 78 minutes. Then, two minutes later, Dick scores an absolute screamer from 25 yards, which hits the post, runs across the line and hits the other post, before then hitting the first post again before rolling in.
An entertaining afternoon played in a great spirit.
Full Time: Linlithgow Rose Select 6 Hearts Legends 3
Admission: £5
Linlithgow Rose: Pinkowski, Gallacher, Byle, Gibson, Donnelly, Smith, Whyte, Hogg, Herd, Carrigan, McArthur, Dick, Landells, McLellan, Dair, McDowell, Kane, Nimmo;
Hearts: Smith, Fleming, Suds, McAllister, Severin, Ferguson, Bradley, Crabbe, McCann, Lawrence, Quitongo, Crabbe Jnr.
Programme: None.
Wandywatson Football 