Ainslie Park, The Spartans
Ainslie Park is the new home of The Spartans FC. It has been home to the club since November 2008 when the team moved out of the old City Park not too far away from the new ground. As it is part of a complex, it is not the only pitch in sight. 
The first competitive game of the 2013-2014 scottish season was played here between The Spartans and Threave Rovers. Last season, these two teams were in different leagues and wouldn’t have expected this fixture to happen, but it is going to be a regular fixture from now on with the newly formed Lowland League of 12 teams including these two. However, this was not a league game but a Ramsdens Cup preliminary round tie. How did these two teams enter this competition? Well the SFL decided to invite 2 extra teams into the competition of 32, the highest licensed team in the Highland League and the winners of a game between the highest licensed teams of the East and South of Scotland leagues. Threave finished 4th in the South of Scotland division, whilst Spartans finished 3rd in the East league. The game was the first of a two legged tie and promised to be an exciting encounter, with champions Queen of the South awaiting the winners.
I made the journey down on the train from Stonehaven, arriving at Haymarket around half 1 and made a 2 mile walk to the ground, taking around 30-40 minutes in the process. On entry to the complex, I noticed a match being played on an astroturf with a Spartan coloured team and another team in yellow. For a moment I thought I had missed the start but this was a separate game on another astroturf pitch as opposed to the stadium, which sat back to back with the other. As this was the first time I will watch a non league team south of Aberdeen, I decided to buy a programme to remember the occasion along with a diet coke to drink whilst I read it. There was some interesting stories in the programme, one of which showed a game being played between a Rod Stewart team and a Spartans old guns. Gordon Strachan played for the Rod Stewart team and won 3-1.
The teams were now out and ready to go and the referee blew his whistle to start the match. The home side were my favourites for the tie and it was them who were in control of the possession, with Threave having to play 1 man up front with the rest defending the Spartans attack. Despite Spartans in control, they struggled to find an effort on goal and it was Threave with the first clear chance of the game. Justin Nicholl delivered a free kick in towards the back post which wasn’t dealt with and gave a Threave attacker a great chance to score, but his shot hit his own player and went wide of Scott Bennett’s post. Spartans then responded and new signing Jack Beacher caught on to a through ball but blasted over the bar. Very little else was created by either team for the rest of the half as both seemed to be playing cautiously. It must be noted how composed both teams set of defenders are on the ball when being closed down by the attackers. I was impressed how they still tried to find a pass around the back as opposed to having a panic attacking and hitting a long ball upfield.
The second half started off with a bit more urgency from both sets of players. Spartans took the lead within 5 minutes when Jack Beesley dribbled down the right wing and crossed a great ball allowing another new signing, Robert Ross to side foot a volley into the net. This was exactly what the game and Spartans needed and it wasn’t long until they made it 2-0. Ross again was the hero when he got his head onto another cross and with the help of a deflection, the ball found the side of the net. Threave listened to their managers shouts of “Keep working hard” and their efforts resulted in a goal. Some good play from Grant Parker followed by a cross found Shaun Milligan who tapped the ball past Bennett and helped spur a comeback! There was then a bit of controversy resulting in a Threave goal. A Spartans player broke towards the half way line, a Threave defender tackled heavily but fairly resulting in the ball landing between Bennett and Milligan. Milligan took the ball around the keeper but was clattered before he could shoot on goal. The referee had no option and awarded the penalty. Scott Wilby stepped up and smashed a penalty into the bottom right corner. Bennett guessed right but the pen was too strong and accurate. The game was no all level and opened up again. Both teams structure then dropped as they both fought forward for a winner. Time flew by and it looked as if it were to finish 2 a piece. But it isn’t over until its over and Gary Cennerazzo drove into the Threave box beating 1 or 2 defenders before being tripped over resulting in another penalty which Kevin Motion converted. The goals were not finished and a cross from Jack Beacher beat 3 defenders but not the foot of Daniel Main whose volley across goal found Chris Anderson with an open goal and he made no mistake. A 4th goal for Spartans and the game was finished by the sound of the referee’s whistle.
From a neutrals point of view, I think both teams have a lot of potential to cause a good title challenge in the upcoming Lowland League. Spartans will need to work on killing games off and Threave will need to strengthen their defence after Spartans spurned quite a few opportunities. Overall, an enjoyable trip to Edinburgh at a fantastic facility.
