Martin makes the cut for China
Livingston futsal player Martin McCann has been called into the Scotland squad for the IFA World Cup in China later this month.
The 30-year-old is part of the 11-strong squad to make the cut as the Scots make their debut at the event, which is being staged in two 6000-seater stadiums in Jiangmen.
Martin, who coaches West Lothian College women’s futsal team and plays for Murieston admits he was stunned to make the cut after attending a series of trials and training sessions.
Speaking to the Courier, he commented: “I got invited along for the trial and I didn’t expect to get picked at all.
“There’s a lot of good players and at 30 I’m the oldest in the squad so I was a bit stunned but delighted to hear I had made it.
“We’ve been drawn in the same group as India, Australia and Mexico and all of these will be tough games and but we’ll enjoy the experience.”
He added: “It will be a bit surreal as we’re playing in two 6000-seater stadiums when I’m used to 30 men and a dog so that will be something special.”
EAST OF SCOTLAND
The 2019/ 20 East of Scotland season got underway on Saturday for West Lothian’s three representatives – and it was a full set of results with a win, a loss and a draw on opening day.
Linlithgow Rose head into the campaign as one of the favourites for the Premier League title and they got off to the perfect start at the expense of neighbours Blackburn United at the Purdie Worldwide Community Stadium as they picked up a 4-2 win.
The visitors started like they meant business as they dominated the early proceedings, but it was Blackburn who opened the scoring against the run of play on six minutes when Danny Campbell slotted home from close range.
The game continued to ebb and flow and Linlithgow were soon back in it when Ross Barbour drilled a low ball in from the right with Ross Allum finishing to level things up after 11 minutes.
Blackburn, who will no doubt consider survival in the East of Scotland’s top tier to be a successful season, were holding their own and nudged ahead once more midway through the first half after confusion in the Rose defence.
The returning Andy McQuillan drilled beyond the keeper for his 183rd goal in United colours – his first in senior football.
There was controversy just before the break when a United defender appeared to deflect the ball into his own net only for the goal to be disallowed for a prior offside.
This seemed to galvanise Linlithgow heading into the second half and they were level only a few minutes after the restart when Michael Browne inadvertently headed beyond his own keeper at a corner-kick.
Linlithgow continued to press and were rewarded on the 54th minute when the talismanic Tommy Coyne got his account up and running after a great cross from Barbour was steered home to give his side the lead.
The visitors peppered the Blackburn goal but could not add to their advantage and almost paid the price when United came on strong in the closing stages.
They had a late shout for a penalty that was turned down but Linlithgow duly broke up the park in the 89th minute and Coyne notched his second of the day and his team’s fourth to seal the victory.
United boss Mark Campbell confessed then early stages of the second half cost his team dear, but said his team put in a ‘great’ performance.
He said: “I’m hugely disappointed with that. The first five minutes of the second half changed the game because we just switched off.
“We tried to play with the ball in an area where we should have just cleared it but listen we put in a great performance.
“We just have to survive this season but we have to maintain that performance. I said to the boys if we let that drop we are cheating ourselves. It is a disappointing start but a positive display.”
Rose gaffer Mark Bradley was delighted with the win, but believes his side will need to perform at a higher level if they are to fulfil their ambition of winning the league.
He said: “The first half wasn’t good enough, we were too open and our line was too deep but we were down to the bare bones and we had a lot of boys missing.
“But they were excellent second half and we deserved the win. To win the league is what we are here for but we need to play better than we did in that first half.”
United were able to bounce back in dramatic fashion on Tuesday night as a 90th minute penalty from Craig Young saw them win 2-1 away at Camelon.
Following a goalless first half,
Blackburn once again conceded just after the interval as the hosts took the lead in the 47th minute.
However, McQuillan levelled the game up on the hour mark before they were dealt a blow in the 74th minute when John Drummond was shown a red card.
Despite being a man down, United were handed a golden opportunity to pick up their first points of the campaign when they were awarded an injury-time penalty which was duly fired home by the veteran Young.
Broxburn Athletic will also have an eye on a run at the title and they started their campaign with a 1-1 draw at home to Bo’ness United.
The Brox will no doubt feel they should have had a more comfortable lead at the interval following an impressive first half display but Andrew Gillen’s goal was all that separated the sides after 45 minutes.
United, managed by former Broxburn boss Max Christie, came out strong in the second half and nabbed an equaliser on 73 minutes when a Connor Wallace punch fell kindly for Ryan Stevenson to fire into the net.
The hosts had the better of the final stages and almost got their season off to the perfect start but Ross Nimmo saw his strike cleared off the line as they were forced to settle for a draw.
FIXTURES
Premier Division: Camelon v BROXBURN ATHLETIC, Crossgates Primrose v Bo’ness United, Hill of Beath Hawthorn v Dunbar United, LINLITHGOW ROSE v Whitehill Welfare, Musselburgh Athletic v Sauchie, Newtongrange Star v Dundonald Bluebell, Penicuik Athletic v BLACKBURN UNITED, Tranent v Jeanfield Swifts. All games kick-off at 2.30pm.
JUNIORS
The Junior football season kicks off on Saturday with the new-look divisions ensuring there’s plenty of West Lothian derbies on the first week of action. A restructure within the East Region Juniors sees four new divisions – North and South Super League and North and South Premier League.
Seven West Lothian teams will compete in the South Super League which means there’s five derbies across the first two rounds of fixtures on Saturday and Wednesday.
In the lower tier, three local teams are featured in the South Premier League, including new boys Linlithgow Rose CFC.
The Rose were admitted into the Juniors over the summer and they play their first competitive fixture on Saturday when they host Rosyth.
FIXTURES (Saturday, August 3)
South Super League: ARMADALE THISTLE v BATHGATE THISTLE, Kennoway Star Hearts v Thornton Hibs, LIVINGSTON UNITED v Lochore Welfare, PUMPHERSTON v HARTHILL ROYAL, WHITBURN v FAULDHOUSE UNITED.
Premier League South: Kirkcaldy & Dysart v WEST CALDER UNITED, LINLITHGOW ROSE CFC v Rosyth, Lochgelly Albert v Bo’ness United, Newburgh v Syngenta, STONEYBURN v Sauchie. All games kick-off at 2.30pm.
FIXTURES (Wednesday, August 7)
South Super League: BATHGATE THISTLE v LIVINGSTON UNITED, FAULDHOUSE UNITED v ARMADALE THISTLE, HARTHILL ROYAL v Kennoway Star Hearts, Lochore Welfare v PUMPHERSTON, Thornton Hibs v WHITBURN.
Premier League South: Newburgh v Rosyth, Sauchie v Kirkcaldy & Dysart, STONEYBURN v Bo’ness United, Syngenta v Lochgelly Albert, WEST CALDER UNITED v LINLITHGOW ROSE CFC. All games kick-off at 6.45pm.