Comfort for Spartans in cup victory

Spartans under-16s put a disappointing start to their league campaign behind them to comfortably defeat Tranent Juniors BFC 3-0 in the second round of the South East Region Steve Maskrey Cup in an entertaining clash at Polson Park.

The Ainslie Park side have so far failed to record a single league victory in pursuit of the Division One title while their gutsy, lower division opponents have secured nine points from their opening three fixtures to sit at the top of Division Two.

The condition of the playing surface permitted both sides to engineer a passing game with the away side looking the more threatening within the opening exchanges. Striker Dylan Rintoul cleverly turned his marker to charge down on the Tranent goal, but with the angle becoming increasingly narrow, the little No.?17 could only find the palms of Dillon Lovatt who gathered the ball first time.

Tranent were quick to respond with a crisp move of their own. After a quick breakaway midfielder Lewis Thomson's attempted cross from the right deceived everyone in the Spartans box apart from the dominant figure of goalkeeper Keiran Davidson, who managed to punch the ball over the top of the crossbar and out to safety.

Spartans reacted instantly and grabbed a deserved lead after 15 minutes. An energetic burst of pace from winger Liam Ireland created an opening for the unmarked Sean Stewart, who clinically finished from ten yards.

Tranent striker Myles Doig must have thought he had restored parity after producing a tremendous glancing header from a teasing Lewis Slight cross, but Davidson once again proved up to the task by turning the ball behind.

Stewart should have had his second of the game after finding both space and time after a pinpoint Ruariadh Smith cross but failed to execute the ball in the fashion he had shown previously and his wayward shot failed to trouble Lovatt.

However, Tranent suffered a cruel blow just before the half time whistle.

Ireland's inviting cross from the right hand side was merely watched by a static Tranent back line and Peter Mair lashed the ball past an incensed Lovatt from six yards.

Tranent were quick out of the traps after the interval and should have pulled one back within the first minute of the restart. Doig slipped an impeccable pass through to partner Dale Shanks who only had Davidson to beat from 12 yards. However, the striker was again thwarted by the impressive Spartans goalkeeper who produced another fine stop.

Tranent's hopes of a recovery evaporated as Spartans added a third, moments later. Defender Arron Robertson's hesitancy was capitalised on by the effective Rintoul, who coolly ran through and provided a crisp finish to send Spartans into the next round of the competition.

Doig's persistence and drive should have rewarded the striker with a deserved consolation goal. The youngster's lively run presented him with an opportunity on the edge of the area where he fired a sweet, low-driven shot which the rooted Davidson could only watch as the ball thundered back off the far post.

Spartans coach Ali Mitchell was delighted to witness some self-belief run through his side, a lack of which he believes has contributed to the club's disappointing start to the league campaign. He said: "We've had three defeats and one draw so it hasn't been great. We just need more of that belief."

Tranent Juniors BFC: Dillon Lovatt, Alistair Pollock, Lewis Slight, Arron Robertson, Lewis Thomson, Daniel Innes, Benn Tully, Ryan Leishman, Dale Shanks, Stephen Lamb, Robbie Murray, James Peggie, Glenn Ferguson, Christopher Summerville, Grant Wilson, Myles Doig.

Spartans FC: Keiran Davidson, Gregg Veitch, Gordon Aitken, Ruariadh Smith, Sean Davidson, Bradley Laing, Scott Murchie, Jesper Price, Peter Mair, Liam Ireland, Bruce Corrie, Elliot Mitchell, Harry Moore, Sean Stewart, Dylan Rintoul.