A bad day at the office for both Hibs and Hearts ahead of this week’s derby, but congratulations to Spartans’ Keith McLeod who scored his 250th goal for the club. A remarkable achievement at any level.
Rugby by John Preece
There was a full calendar this week in the RBS Premiership with Edinburgh Accies and Stirling County returning from B+I Cup duties and it was ‘straight to jail, do not pass go, etc…’ for Accies as they were soundly beaten in Glasgow by Hawks 24-8. Heriots fared much better and had a 30-17 bonus point win over table leaders, Melrose. Currie, however were hammered by Gala at home, 48-16.
The table has changed little, but Heriots are still in second, but are now within 2 points of Melrose at the top. Accies are a place down from last week in eighth, with 18 – but still with two games in hand, and Currie are maintaining tenth and last place with 6 points.
In the RBS National League Boroughmuir had a narrow 25-24 victory at Hillhead/Jordanhill. No bonus point win? Are things looking bad for ‘Muir? No, probably not. Watsonians were in Peebles where they defeated the home side 18-9 in the reverse of the opening weekend’s fixture – which they also won. Stewarts-Melville made it three-out-of-three Edinburgh wins with their sixth win on the trot, 34-28 against GHA at Inverleith.
‘Muir stay 12 points clear of ‘Sonians at the top with 48 points against 36, but Stew-Mel – see the pattern? – have crept up unseen on the rails into third with 34 points, so things are looking good for the local sides in the race to the play-offs with eight more league weekends to go, interrupted on the way by District and Scottish Cups, Bowls, Shields and goodness knows what other non-league competitions.
A rather remiss omission is the Women’s game. Three Edinburgh teams are in the Premier Division – Watsonians, Murrayfield Wanderers and RHC Cougars – and so far this season, the Wandies have won five out of six matches for second in the table, RHC three out of six for fourth while ‘Sonians play the ‘Currie role’ and sit at the foot of the table, but with six straight defeats.
Their Sarah Beaney (not THAT Sarah Beaney) Cup competition kicks off next weekend with a series of, what appears to be, half match, round-robin fixtures. Time, of course, will tell.
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Football
Two bad results for the Edinburgh teams this weekend as Hibs lost out to two late goals from Scott Vernon and Greg Wylde against Aberdeen, whilst Hearts lost 2-0 to second bottom side Kilmarnock thanks to a double from Kris Boyd.
The clubs face each other at Easter Road on Wednesday night in the quarter final of the League Cup. Kick off 7pm.
Lowland League
A Keith McLeod hat-trick helped Spartans return to the top of the Scottish Sun Lowland League with an emphatic 4-0 win over Preston Athletic.
Spartans took the lead in the 9th minute lead when Keith McLeod capitalised on a Preston defensive mix up before hammering the ball past Liam Robertson in the Preston goal. The Ainslie Park outfit added a second in the 52nd minute with a spectacular effort from McLeod, his 250th for the club.
Thirteen minutes later Jack Beacher made it 3-0 then McLeod wrapped up the scoring with a fine header from a Main cross.
Afterwards Hat-trick hero Keith McLeod was “absolutely delighted” to have burst through the 250 goal barrier and told the club website. “I’m absolutely delighted to have scored my 250th – and 251st – however to be fair, I’m just happy to carry on playing and scoring”
Manager Dougie Samuel said, “I still think Preston are a really good side but I think today’s result shows how well we played as a team. We let ourselves down a few weeks ago at Pennypit but to bounce back and respond today with the big win was fantastic.”
Coming back from injury and grabbing his first competitive goal for his new club was also extremely pleasing for striker Jack Beacher. “I’m delighted to have broken my scoring duck however the main thing was that we got the win and three points as well.”
Spartans: Bennett, MacKinnon, Cennerazzo, Sivewright, Main, Bremner, Brown, Motion, Beacher, McLeod, Beesley. Subs: Blaikie, O’Day, Atkinson, MacCuish, Gilpin
Malt and Hops Man of the Match: Hat-trick hero Keith McLeod (Obviously)
Elsewhere Edinburgh City hammered Whitehill Welfare 5-1.
East of Scotland League
Central Taxis EOS Premier Division
Spartans EOS 2-0 Heriot-Watt University
Craigroyston 0-1 Lothian Thistle HV FT
Tynecastle 2-3 Stirling University EOS FT
South Challenge Cup, First Round, North & East
Gala Fairydean Rovers 5-2 Selkirk
Civil Service Strollers 0-8 University of Stirling
Hawick Royal Albert 2-4 Leith Athletic
Ormiston 4-4 Burntisland Shipyard (Burntisland won 4-3 on penalties)
Kelso United 4-2 Duns
Edinburgh University 0-3 Easthouses Lily
Coldstream 5-3 Eyemouth United
Women’s Football
An early goal from Jane Ross following a mistake by keeper Emma Higgins helped Scotland to victory over Northern Ireland 2-0 in World Cup qualifying. Jennifer Beattie settled the victory with a fine low finish in the second half, and the Scots remain top of Group 4 with a 100% record after three matches.
Scotland face Poland on Thursday.
Scotland: Fay, L Ross, Lauder, Little, Sneddon, Beattie, Lappin, J Ross, Corsie, Evans, Brown. Substitutes: Lynn, Crichton, Mulvey, McSorley, Love, Murray, Weir.
Speedway
The Scotwaste Monarchs beat Somerset Rebels 45-43, on a hard-fought first leg of the Premier Playoff Final at Armadale on Friday night; however the win was sadly overshadowed by a bad accident in which Jozsef Tabaka suffered a compound fracture to his shin bone.
The Monarchs head for Somerset on Monday for the second leg.
Basketball
Edinburgh University SM beat Dunfermline Reign SM 77-50in the last 16 of the Scottish Cup.
City of Edinburgh Kool Kats SW lost 57-63 to Lady Rocks SW.
Volleyball
In Division One Men, Edinburgh Jets beat City of Glasgow Ragazzi 3-2 (23-25, 25-19, 18-25, 25-21, 15-12 and City of Edinburgh beat South Ayrshire 3-0 (25-20, 25-23, 25-12)
On Division One Women, City of Edinburgh beat North Lanarkshire 3-0 (25-15, 25-22, 25-19) and Edinburgh jets beat Edinburgh jets II 3-0 (25-14, 25-8, 25-6)
In Division 2 East Men, Edinburgh Jets IIbeat Beacon Flame 3-2 (26-28, 25-18, 25-15, 20-25, 15-12) and City of Edinburgh II beat Belshill Cardinals 3-0 (25-23, 25-21, 25-20) whilst NUVOC lost 3-0 to Su Ragazzi (14-25, 22-25, 7-25)
In Division 2 Women, NUVOC lost 2-3 to Su Ragazzi II (21-25, 25-19, 25-22, 22-25, 13-15)
Ice Hockey
Edinburgh Capitals 3 Hull Stingrays 4 at Murrayfield.
The Capitals’ slumped to a 10th loss on the bounce against Hull Stingrays at Murrayfield on Saturday night.
Carl Lauzon fired the visitors ahead on the powerplay in 74 seconds but Capitals were on level terms again 33 seconds later thanks to a shot from Peter Holecko.
Capitals then took the lead at 6.14 with a 5 on 3 powerplay strike from Michal Benedik but Stingrays equalised when Omar Pacha fired in on the powerplay at 15.26.
A third powerplay goal for Stingrays, scored at 27.17 from Silverthorn saw his side lead 3-2 then Stingrays effectively made the game safe when Silverthorn scored his second and Stingrays fourth powerplay goal of the night at 56.18. Capitals pulled one back through Holecko with 34 seconds remaining it was too little too late and Stingrays claimed the valuable points.
On Sunday, the Caps travelled to Hull and lost 5-2 to the Stingrays.
Jason Silverthorn opened the scoring for Hull with a powerplay goal at 8.39. The Capitals equalised at 11.13 with a strike from Jan Safar.
The Capitals took the lead as Michal Dobron found the net at 26.22, then the Stingrays drew level with a strike from Jereme Tendler at 30.33.
Guillaume Doucet was on target at 36.57 and then Silverthorn with his second powerplay goal at 38.14 made the score 4-2 before Doucet netted his second at 55.09 to put the game out of the Capitals reach.
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
