Cup glory for Tranent as county’s other teams suffer a washout
TRANENT made East Lothian football history on Sunday when, at Cumbernauld’s Broadwood Stadium, they lifted the Lowland League Cup after overcoming East Kilbride by the narrowest possible margin, winning a penalty shootout by five to four in sudden death after sharing four goals equally over 90 minutes, twice coming from behind.
The Belters became the first East Lothian football club to enjoy trophy success in the fifth tier of the Scottish football pyramid – they were scheduled yesterday evening (Wednesday) to play their first game as cup holders, when Albion Rovers were due to visit Foresters Park for a league fixture.
Elsewhere, continuing wet weather destroyed the fixture schedule, with only the handful of games played on artificial surfaces going ahead.
Ormiston Primrose were the only local side due to play at home, but New Recreation Park was waterlogged and so their East of Scotland Football League (EoSFL) Second Division clash with Bo’ness Athletic was one of the many games postponed – the other four county clubs had been set to cross the Forth but their journeys were not necessary. EoSFL Premier Division trio Musselburgh Athletic, Haddington Athletic and Dunbar United had no need to travel to Luncarty, Crossgates Primrose or Glenrothes respectively, with all their opponents’ pitches saturated; likewise, Preston Athletic in the First Division saw their visit to Lochore Welfare cancelled.
With no improvement in conditions by Tuesday evening, Ormiston’s away fixture at Edinburgh United was also called off.
Dunbar were due to take on Hutchison Vale on Premier Division business in the Capital yesterday and there is a full league card scheduled for this weekend. Tranent are at Linlithgow Rose and Ormiston visit Dalkeith Thistle, while there are three games taking place locally – Musselburgh face Kinnoull, Haddington have Glenrothes as visitors, and Preston host Arniston Rangers.
On Tuesday evening, Dunbar welcome Broxburn Athletic to New Countess Park while Preston entertain Kinnoull in a League Cup tie. Ormiston have an away fixture against Peebles Rovers on Wednesday evening.
TRANENT Tranent 2 East Kilbride 2 (5-4 on penalties)
TRANENT went head-to-head with Lowland League champions-elect East Kilbride for the fourth time this season when the pair met at Broadwood Stadium to contest the final of their League Cup on Sunday.
The final came just eight days after the Belters’ South Lanarkshire opponents had come out on top by the odd goal in three in the semifinal of the South Challenge Cup at Foresters Park – East Kilbride had also won the only league meeting so far with a late comeback from two goals down at K Park, while in a Scottish Cup tie, Tranent had pulled off one of the season’s most stunning results when they had ran out 7-0 winners at Foresters Park.
By virtue of their league position – they need just a point to seal the title – and their edge in the series to date, East Kilbride were pre-match favourites to win.
Tranent boss Ian Little made three changes to his starting XI – in came Jack Duncan, Scott Gray and Lennon Walker as replacements for Euan Greig, Cammie Ross and Spencer Moreland;
the latter two were named among the substitutes.
Broadwood is a notoriously windy venue at the best of times given its exposed location, but particularly strong winds on the day meant challenging conditions for both sets of players in front of a crowd of about 650 spectators.
Tranent began promisingly and forced a couple of early corners, much of the play in the opening 10 minutes taking place in the East Kilbride half – it was evident from the off that the wind would have a big impact on proceedings.
With 13 minutes played, however, East Kilbride edged in front through Balde, their Portuguese striker who had netted both their goals at Tranent seven days earlier – his strike from 30 yards hit the underside of the bar on its way into the net.
The lead lasted just six minutes, however, as Tranent levelled, with the goal credited to Dean Brett, though his ball into a crowded goalmouth appeared to take a deflection on its way into the net.
With the conditions making things difficult, there were not too many real scoring chances; however, there was a huge let-off for Tranent on 33 minutes when an opposing forward failed to take advantage of a golden opportunity to restore East Kilbride’s lead, hitting the ball over the bar after rounding Belters’ keeper Kelby Mason.
Just before the break, Tranent skipper Sean Murphy, an influential figure in midfield throughout, worked his way into the East Kilbride penalty area and hit the ball towards goal, only to see it cleared off the line – the sides therefore went in tied at the break on a goal apiece.
Lennon Walker had a chance within two minutes of the restart but, from a tight angle, his shot went into the hands of Avci in the East Kilbride goal.
Things looked encouraging from the Tranent perspective in the opening stages of the half, while their opponents saw a shot from outside the box deflected out for a corner on 55 minutes.
With 62 minutes played, Tranent introduced top goalscorer Ross from the bench to replace Broque Watson, then just four minutes later they found themselves behind for the second time when East Kilbride once more found the net from distance, captain Lockie smashing home an unstoppable effort from about 30 yards out.
This time, the lead lasted twice as long as their first-half advantage, but Tranent levelled again with 12 minutes remaining when veteran striker Kallum Higginbotham curled the ball beyond Avci at the second time of asking, his free-kick initially coming back to him off the opposition’s defensive wall.
Tranent made a double change eight minutes from the end, with birthday boy Moreland and John Ward replacing Scott McCroryIrving and Higginbotham – there was no more scoring, however, and so a penalty shootout was required to decide who would lift the cup.
It could have been different, with Ross through on goal in the last minute of regulation time, but he was unable to keep his shot down.
The shootout was a dramatic affair which saw nerves severely tested on both sides, on and off the pitch.
Brett netted the first of Tranent’s five penalty kicks, giving them the initial advantage as East Kilbride then missed the target.
Jamie Watson made it 2-0, then the opposition successfully converted, as they did again after Ross made it three from three for the Belters.
Moreland then hit the bar with their fourth effort, allowing East Kilbride to draw level, and level it stayed after five kicks each after Gray netted before an opponent did likewise.
Robbie McIntyre hit the bar with Tranent’s first sudden-death spot kick, but East Kilbride failed to take advantage.
The tension grew as Sean Murphy put his penalty over the bar, then East Kilbride again failed to take the opportunity offered them.
Jack Duncan found the net with Tranent’s eighth effort, then Kelby Mason saved from Samson to spark celebrations among their players and jubilant supporters.
Following their cup heroics, Tranent were due to return to Lowland League action yesterday evening (Wednesday) when they were set to host Albion Rovers for the first time.
Following that match, they have three league fixtures left to play: at Linlithgow Rose on Saturday, then at home to East Kilbride and Celtic B.
MUSSELBURGH ATHLETIC Luncarty P Musselburgh Athletic P
MUSSELBURGH had been due to play a league match at Luncarty’s Brownlands Park for the first time on Saturday in what would have been an important contest for both clubs, but as elsewhere, steady rain through much of the week rendered the playing surface there unfit for football.
With the EoSFL having given clubs dispensation to call games off on Friday given the awful weather, Luncarty announced late that afternoon that the game would not go ahead as scheduled.
Assuming conditions have been drier, Burgh will take on Luncarty’s near-neighbours Kinnoull this Saturday in what will be their 24th Premier Division fixture.
They ran out 4-0 winners in Perth in the reverse fixture at the end of September, by which point Kinnoull were already rooted to the bottom of the table – the promoted side have not left that position since and it is a very safe bet that they will be relegated come May.
Anything besides a comfortable home win would be considered a surprise – Burgh boss Liam Burns will have his team well-prepared as they look to continue their fine league form and maintain a little pressure on leaders Broxburn Athletic.
HADDINGTON ATHLETIC Crossgates Primrose P Haddington Athletic P
HADDINGTON were hoping to make it four games unbeaten at Crossgates’ Humbug Park on Saturday.
However, with all grass pitches across the EoSFL having been battered by rain for most of the preceding week, the Friday-evening news that the game could not go ahead came as no surprise at all.
The Hi Hi’s 26th Premier Division game will therefore now be this Saturday’s home clash with Glenrothes, assuming that this week’s weather conditions have shown improvement on last week’s.
The Glens are battling hard to try and avoid an immediate return to the First Division and no longer occupy one of the three relegation spots, having spent most of the season in that zone.
Haddington were 1-0 winners in Fife in the
reverse fixture six months ago and can expect another stiff test, with plenty at stake for their visitors.
With the season’s conclusion fast approaching, it remains to be seen if Scott Bonar’s men can achieve a finish in the top half of the table; however, if they are to have a chance of doing so, three points this weekend are pretty much a must.
DUNBAR UNITED Glenrothes P Dunbar United P
CONSISTENT steady rainfall throughout most of the week meant that fixtures due to be played on grass pitches were always bound to be vulnerable to postponement, particularly in Fife, where many clubs have been hit that bit harder than their counterparts in other areas home to EoSFL clubs.
Glenrothes’ pitch at Warout Stadium had been declared unplayable on six previous occasions since November, the latest postponement prior to Saturday having come just a week earlier, so it was wholly predictable that Dunbar’s visit would not in the end be necessary.
Glenrothes’ social media accounts confirmed before 6pm on Friday that the match had been postponed.
Dunbar’s game against Hutchison Vale yesterday evening (Wednesday) ought to have gone ahead on the artificial surface at Ainslie Park in the north of Edinburgh.
The Seasiders have no game this weekend but there is an important league match due to take place at New Countess Park on Tuesday evening when long-time leaders and title favourites Broxburn Athletic provide the opposition.
The West Lothian side currently require 12 points from their six remaining league fixtures in order to clinch the title; however, their recent results have pointed towards the possibility of nerves setting in there.
Dunbar are one of just two opponents this season to have inflicted defeat on Broxburn in the league, running out 3-0 winners on October 7, and will be eager to complete the double.
PRESTON ATHLETIC Lochore Welfare P Preston Athletic P
THE pitch at Lochore Welfare’s Central Park home having nowhere close to sufficient drainage capacity to deal ably with last week’s rainfall, it was wholly expected news when a Lochore official made contact with Preston early on Friday evening to confirm that they need not trouble themselves travelling to Fife as scheduled.
Fortunately, contingency plans had been made, which resulted in Preston travelling to West Lothian for a friendly match with Armadale Thistle, who appear set for a second successive promotion which more than likely will see them in the EoSFL First Division alongside Preston next season.
The Panners enjoyed a fine 3-1 win on their first visit in many years to Volunteer Park, where an artificial playing surface was laid in recent times – Ano Subasic, Buster Briggs and Seb Mrowczynski claimed Preston’s goals.
This Saturday’s card has Preston down for a home First Division fixture with Arniston Rangers, who, following last season’s promotion, have been a bit of a thorn in their side recently with three wins in three meetings – besides a 3-0 success in the reverse fixture in early August, the Gorebridge outfit also ended Preston interest in both the South Challenge Cup and the King Cup.
On Tuesday evening, Preston are set to play their delayed League Cup second-round tie at home to Kinnoull, bottom of the Premier Division for more or less the entire season.
ORMISTON PRIMROSE Ormiston Primrose P Bo’ness Athletic P Edinburgh United P Ormiston Primrose P
STATING that Ormiston Primrose’s 202324 campaign has been affected by prevailing wet weather conditions is to understate things more than a little – their bread-andbutter business of playing football matches on a Saturday has been severely affected by waterlogged pitches, both their own and others’.
On Saturday, they had been due to welcome Bo’ness Athletic to Ormiston for the first time, but the EoSFL Second Division champions-elect must wait now to pay their first visit to the village after New Recreation Park’s problematic drainage system was once more stretched beyond capacity – 12 times now this season the pitch has been declared unplayable, from a total of 22 scheduled fixtures.
With the weather then failing to improve and the downpours continuing, it was inevitable that Tuesday evening’s league fixture against Edinburgh United in the Capital would also fall victim to postponement – and so it proved.
Ormiston are due to play two fixtures away from home this week – against Dalkeith Thistle on Saturday and Peebles Rovers on Wednesday evening.
With suitable application, Ormiston have a chance of picking up points from both games, with neither Dalkeith nor Peebles setting the heather alight currently.