A TRUE CITY SLICKER
Dunsmore takes care of business
For full-back Aaron Dunsmore, this historic match neatly encapsulated football’s highs and lows. The 19-year-old has spent the second half of the season at Edinburgh City on loan from Hibs, and his unbridled joy at helping them become the first team to ascend to the SPFL via the pyramid playoffs was in stark contrast to the despair of his parent club less than 24 hours earlier.
Hibs’ devastation at their play-off defeat to Falkirk on Friday night was mirrored in the faces of East Stirlingshire’s officials, players and fans as the reality of an uncertain future in next season’s Lowland League hit home.
It was an unforgettable experience for City, earned courtesy of Dougie Gair’s decisive 87th-minute penalty.
‘Saturday was very special,’ beamed Dunsmore. ‘When I came on loan, the main aim was to get to the play-offs and then, beating Cove and getting to the final, we believed we were going to win. It’s a great feeling for all the boys.
‘obviously it wasn’t so good for Hibs but I was always fully focused on Saturday, to make sure I took care of my own business and got Edinburgh City up.’
referee Don robertson adjudged reece Donaldson to have upended City striker ross Allum in the box and flashed red at the Shire defender.
Gair then belied the significance of the penalty to fire City back into the senior leagues they once graced in a former guise until 1949.
Shire’s relegation will be softened by a £40,000 payment, but money was not uppermost in chairman Alan Archibald’s thoughts.
‘I don’t think I’ve ever felt like this before in my life,’ he said. ‘You plan for this but you hope you’re going to pull through. It just didn’t happen.
‘This club has been around since 1881, so we’re not going anywhere. All we can do is get ready for next season. There’s a parachute payment but money can’t soften the pain.’