Everyone a winner as Rose welcome Hibs
Both teams get a lot out of pre-season friendly
Callum Carson A crowd of 2200 crammed into Prestonfield as Linlithgow Rose welcomed Hibernian in what was the hosts’first game since their move to senior football.
Having been a giant of the Junior game for more than 120 years, the Rose were amongst a slew of clubs from the East Region who jumped ship from the Juniors to join the East of Scotland Football League and become part of the SPFL pyramid system for the upcoming season - joined by fellow West Lothian sides Blackburn United and Broxburn Athletic.
Hibs captain David Gray made his long-awaited injury comeback as substitute Danny Swanson netted twice in the second half to ensure his side got the better of a stubborn Rose outfit.
While the top-flight visitors were at full strength, the same certainly can’t be said for the hosts who were brought back for pre-season early for the fixture.
At the heart of the Linlithgow defence was Luke Whelan, who had returned from holiday only the night before, and former Rose defender John Ovenstone, who was featuring in his first match for nine months and had to leave for his shift as a firefighter in Glenrothes after just half an hour.
The home side also featured Livingston’s third-choice goalkeeper Gary Maley in goal as a trialist with their West Lothian neighbours, helping Mark Bradley’s men out in return for using Prestonfield for their upcoming Betfred Cup match against Annan Athletic on July 21 as pitch work at Livi’s Tony Macaroni Arena means a change in venue was required.
Showing no signs of rust following his lay-off from a ruptured Achilles in January, Gray teed up the opening goal for fellow second- half sub Swanson on 52 minutes.
He slipped a neat pass through to the playmaker who duly curled a fine effort beyond the outstretched Maley.
As the sun beat down on a glorious afternoon, Swanson was the man who really shone. He ensured he made it a double with eight minutes remaining when he met a slick Oli Shaw cutback to fizz a low drive into the net past Linlithgow’s second trialist stopper, Matthew Kerr.
Despite the defeat, Ross boss Bradley lavished praise on his makeshift side.
He said: “John has played for us before I signed him, but he hasn’t kicked a ball for nine months.
“We had to take him off because he had to get to his work. He’s a fireman and he had to get himself to Glenrothes for the start of his shift.
“So we didn’t have much choice with that substitution, but it’s great that he turned up.”
He added: “It was a makeshift team we had – we had to call in some favours from former players but it was a great occasion, we got a lot out of it.”
For the visitors, it was ideal preparation for the Europa League clash against NSI Runavik of the Faroe Islands, and there can be little doubt that they deserved the victory.
And it was a welcome financial boost and a fine occasion for the hosts as they prepare for their new life in the senior game.