The Edinburgh Reporter’s Weekly Sports Roundup
Rugby by John Preece
Edinburgh were on Heineken Cup duty at Murrayfield, playing English Premiership side Gloucester in Round 3 of the competition and, in spite of Edinburgh scoring the opening try, Gloucester were too good for the hosts, doing enough to keep their noses in front on the way to a 23-12 victory. This leaves Edinburgh in fourth place – sounds better than last – in their pool with, realistically, only the possibility of Amlin Challenge rugby on the cards.
It was back to Edinburgh Regional Cup action for the clubs on Saturday and in Pool 1, Boroughmuir beat Musselburgh 46-17 away and, also away, Watsonians trounced Haddington 81-12.
In Pool 2, Lasswade were beaten 19-0 in Biggar and in Pool 3 Heriots beat Murrayfield 31-0, whilst Stewarts-Melville saw off Livingston to the tune of 82-21.
SPFL Football
Hundreds of Hibs’ fans attended a ceremony in the Eastern Graveyard to watch club legend unveil a headstone to mark the last resting place of former manager Dan McMichael. The event was organised by the St Partick’s Branch of the Hibernian Supporters Association and among those in attendance were the McMichael family, the Hibernian FC Board, Sir Tom Farmer and current manager Terry Butcher.
Terry Butcher’s first home game in charge ended in a 1-1 draw thanks to an injury time goal by James Collins after Kris Doolan had given the Jags the lead after 49 minutes.
Hearts travelled to Tannadice to face on-form Dundee United and went a goal down in the 16th minute from Stuart Armstrong. Jamie Hamill equalised four minutes later from the penalty spot but three second half strikes from Brian Graham, Gary Mackay-Steven and former Hibs midfielder John Rankin ensure that Gary Locke’s youngsters would return to Edinburgh empty handed.
Hibs sit seventh in the table with 17 points from 15 games, whilst Hearts remain bottom on minus three, 14 points behind Ross County who have a game in hand.
Butcher’s men travel to Parkhead next week to face Celtic whilst Hearts will host John ‘Yogi’ Hughes’ Inverness Caledonian Thistle at Tynecastle in a rehearsal for the League Cup Semi-Final which will take place at Easter Road in February.
Scottish Sun Lowland League.
Spartans beat Selkirk 11-2 to finish 2013 at the top of the Scottish Sun Lowland League.
Keith McLeod opened the scoring in the 14th minute then John Grant added a second three minutes later.
McLeod made it three on 19 minutes then Jack Beesley added a fourth seven minutes later.
It was 5-0 in the 37th minute thanks to Bremner then McLeod grabbed his hat trick just before the break,
Half-Time: Spartans 6-0 Selkirk
Mushin added a seventh before Selkirk pulled one back in the 69th minute.
Beacher made the score 8-1 before Ross made it 9-1. Addison made it 9-2 in the 87th minute when he broke the offside trap then Bremner grabbed his second of the afternoon in the 89th minute following some fine play by Beacher.
Beesley completed the scoring in time added on.
Final Score: Spartans 11-2 Selkirk.
Malt and Hops Man of the Match: Jack Beesley.
Elsewhere
Edinburgh City v Preston Athletic was postponed.
Dalbeattie Star 1-5 Whitehill Welfare
East Kilbride 1-1 Threave Rovers
Gala Fairydean Rovers 2-3 Vale of Leithen
Gretna 2008 0-1 University of Stirling
Central Taxis Premier Division
Civil Service Strollers 0-4 Spartans
Craigroyston 2-2 Tynecastle
Edinburgh University 2-2 Coldstream
Heriot-Watt University 0-1 Stirling University
Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale 2-1 Leith Athletic
Central Taxis First Division
Burntisland Shipyard 1-1 Hibernian
Duns 1-1 Kelso United
Eyemouth United 3-2 Hawick Royal Albert
Peebles Rovers P Ormiston
Basketball
City of Edinburgh Kings SM 75-51 Stirling Knights SM
Troon Tornadoes SM 70-95 St Mirren West College Scotland SM
Boroughmuir Blaze SM 70-52 Dunfermline Reign SM
Glasgow Storm 74-64 Glasgow Rocks SM
Clark Eriksson Fury SM 78-54 Glasgow University SM
Clark Eriksson Fury SW 63-47 Tayside Musketeers SW
City of Edinburgh Kool Kats SW 62-54 Polonia Phoenix SW
Tayside Musketeers SW 55-53 City of Edinburgh Kool Kats SW
Clark Eriksson Fury SW 37-58 Lady Rocks SW
Ice Hockey by John Preece
Edinburgh Capitals were away in Belfast on Saturday to play the Giants in the latest round of the EIHL. 1-1 at the end of the first period, the Capital’s keeper had played a blinder to fend off the assault on the visitors’ goal. However, the Giants scored three unanswered goals in the second to go 4-1 up with one period to play. And they took a stranglehold on the match by scoring two more to go 6-1 ahead before the Capitals pulled two late goals back to end the match 6-3 to Belfast.
(Photo – Caps v Giants at Murrayfield) Web – http://www.photoboxgallery.com/jlp-photography
On Sunday, the Caps hosted Hull Stingrays at Murrayfield. The Humberside team took the lead at 8.05 but the Capitals equalised at 10.58 through Martin Cingel.
The Stingrays regained the lead at 12.46 and retained their advantage at the end of the first period.
The Stingrays increased their lead to 3-1 at 23.21 then added a fourth at 29.01 before the Capitals fought back with goals from Tomas Horne and Curtis Leinweber at 30.14 and 33.53 but the Stingrays made it 5-3 at 35.41 to end the second period with a two goal advantage.
Maris Zembergs made it 5-4 at 54.53 but the Caps were unable to take the game into overtime and the game ended with a victory for the English team.
Speedway
Australian Justin Sedgmen will join the Scotwaste Monarchs for next season. He told the official website: “Obviously I’m really happy to get back into a good team for next season. I’ve worked pretty hard to get it, so when Edinburgh came asking I jumped at the opportunity. I want to knuckle down and get into it.”
“I think I’ve been to Armadale three or four times, the first time being my first year in England. I really do like the track, firstly the shape and also that it is always well prepared. It’s one of the clubs I most wanted to join.”
“It’s a good feeling to have, knowing that you’ve worked for a year and done everything properly to get back racing in Britain. A lot of people take a year off and don’t do anything but I knew what I wanted to do and I’ve done it right.”
“I’m not 100% sure yet where I’ll be staying but initially I might be in Swindon, I’m still a Swindon asset and I’ve got good connections there and a good bunch of friends. I might stay in Edinburgh for the weekends or something like that.
“I hope to double up eventually but to begin with my main focus is on Edinburgh. I want to concentrate on one thing and get it right, get to the potential I know I can ride at.
Team so far: Craig Cook, Steve Worrall, Sam Masters, Justin Sedgmen.
Cycling
Former City of Edinburgh cyclist Katie Archibald featured in the GB women’s team pursuit squad at the UCI World Cup in Mexico.
19 year old Katie is now a member of the British Cycling Academy in Manchester and riding for the Madison Boot Out Breast Cancer Team.
She combined with Dani King, Joanna Rowsell and Elinor Barker to clock four minutes 19.115 seconds in qualifying, taking around half a second from the previous best and set up a gold medal decider against Canada.
Boxing
Edinburgh middleweight Craig McEwan (31) lost his six-round bout against American Dashon Johnson by a unanimous decision at the BB King Blues Club in Manhattan, New York.
Judo
Edinburgh’s Sally Conway won a bronze medal at the Korean Grand Prix in Jeju to add to her bronze in Abu Dhabi a fortnight ago.
Conway is seeded ninth in the world and is on the verge of a top-eight place which would guarantee seeding going into the next Olympic cycle, which begins in May.