Rugby by John Preece
Edinburgh lost their latest match in the RaboDirect PRO12 League to Ulster on Friday night. The match kicked off in torrential rain, but Edinburgh were quickly on the attack. However, they had to settle for a penalty after a quarter of an hour of hammering away at Ulster’s defence. Ulster than came back with two penalties of their own before the break. The second half scoring was confined to a single penalty from Ulster, and, although Edinburgh finished much the stronger, the match went to Ulster 9-3.
(Full match report in the Sport section)
In the RBS Premiership all three Edinburgh teams were in action on what was, effectively, the final round of matches in the 2013-14 season. Unfortunately all three lost their matches. Heriots went down 31-21 to Hawick, Edinburgh Academy were beaten by Stirling County 23-17 and newly crowned Champions, Melrose, brought Currie’s fine run of wins to a halt by beating them 26-10.
Heriots finish the season in fourth place, with the final coveted British and Irish Cup place in the bag, on 58 points. Currie clawed their way off the bottom of the table and find themselves in sixth place with 34 points. And finally, Edinburgh Accies fall from grace continued and they have ended the season in ninth place and will play Watsonians in a play-off to try and avoid relegation.
In the RBS National League, Boroughmuir consolidated their run-away table topping position with a comprehensive demolishing of GHA to the tune of 76-5. The other two teams, Watsonians and Stewarts-Melville, played out a tense, but nonetheless exciting, match at Myreside which Watsonians won 19-15 (Full match report in the Sport section). Unfortunately, as Stew-Mel had gained an all-important losing bonus point – Alan Whittingham (pictured) scoring their three tries – it is they, and not Watsonians, who go forward to play Accies in the relegation/promotion play-off match.
The table finished with ‘Muir on top with 78 points, winning 16 of their 18 games on the way. Stew-Mel finished second with 63 points, rounding off the season with a 14 match winning run and Watsonians finished in third with 62 points, just failing to sustain the very good start to their season.
Football
Another dismal weekend for the Capital sides with both Hearts and Hibs losing ahead of next week’s derby.
Friday night football arrived at Tynecastle when Dundee United visited the city and took a two goal lead through Brian Graham and Nadir Ciftci before Danny Wilson pulled one back with a late header.
The following day Hibs travelled to Perth knowing that a defeat would end their hopes of a top six finish, and goals by Steven McLean and Ryan McGivern (og) secured a deserved victory for the Saints. Hibs’ misery was compounded when Danny Haynes was sent off for a reckless challenge on former Hibs’ star David Wotherspoon.
Hibs and Hearts face each other at Tynecastle next Sunday in a game dubbed the relegation derby as a defeat for Hearts would see them relegated although they could already be down by the time the game kicks off.
Finally congratulations to Paul Hanlon who was voted the Hibernian Supporters’ Player of the Year, Alex Harris who won the Young Player of the Year award and Lewis Stevenson who won a Special Recognition Award.
Image Printer’s Cup Final
Whitehill Welfare beat 9 man Spartans in a dramatic sudden-death penalty shoot-out in front of a crowd of circa 400 at Craigroyston FC’s St. Mark’s Park to win the Image Printer’s Cup on Saturday.
Welfare took a 20th minute lead from the head of Noon before Spartans drew level on the stroke of half-time thanks to Whatley.
Five minutes after the restart top scorer Keith McLeod was shown red for an off-the-ball incident in the Welfare box and Spartans and the 90 minutes ended all square.
The Ainslie Park outfit took the lead when Sean Muhshin drilled the ball low and hard under the keeper to give 10 man Spartans an unlikely lead however after the celebrations subsided, the referee pulled across Brown before brandishing a second yellow card, ending his involvement in the game.
With seconds left, Welfare made use of their numerical advantage and Gareth Thom was free to bundle the ball over the line to send the match into penalty kicks.
McIntosh hit the bar before Anderson’s kick was saved. Noon, Whatley, Bruce, Mushin, Grant, Kidd, Henretty and Sproule were all successful with their spot-kicks sending the shoot-out into sudden death. Cennerazzo stepped up but his attempt was saved by Young.
Penalty Kicks: Spartans 4-5 Whitehill Welfare.
Scottish Sun Lowland League
Threave Rovers 1-4 University of Stirling
Scottish Sun Lowland League Cup, Groupstage, Section A
Preston Athletic 2-2 Selkirk
Vale of Leithen 1-4 Gala Fairydean Rovers
Scottish Sun Lowland League Cup, Groupstage, Section C
Dalbeattie Star 4-3 Gretna 2008
The King Cup, Second Round
Edinburgh City 1-3 Berwick Rangers EOS
Central Taxis Premier Division
Stirling University EOS 2-1 Craigroyston
Coldstream 2-0 Spartans EOS
Leith Athletic 1-0 Heriot-Watt University
Central Taxis First Division
Duns 0-2 Burntisland Shipyard
Eyemouth United 1-4 Hibernian EOS
Hawick Royal Albert P-P Peebles Rovers
Qualifying League Section A
Civil Service Strollers 1-1 Tynecastle
Kelso United 1-3 Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale
Women’s Football
Another big win for Hibs who beat Inverness City 7-1 at Albyn Park Broxburn thanks to goals from Lucy Graham (2), Ellis Jenkins (2), Caroline Heron (2) and long serving captain Frankie Brown who is leaving the club to pursue a new career at Bristol Academy.
Spartans drew 0-0 away to Rangers whilst Hutchison Vale lost 2-0 to Celtic at Barrowfield.
Speedway courtesy of the Scotwaste Monarchs’
Not the team though, but two Monarchs’ riders were in action on Friday evening as the season begins to step up a gear with more and more teams opening their season.
Craig Cook made the long trip down to Poole to race in the, well deserved, Gary Havelock Farewell meeting. Craig lined up for Ricko’s Raiders, a team managed by ex-World Champion, Tony Rickardsson.
He had some fairly powerful support in his team as he is joined by Chris Harris, Chris Holder, Freddie Lindgren, Scott Nicholls, Ty Proctor and Richie Worrall. They were up against Loram’s Legends, managed by ex-World Champion, Mark Loram. That team boasted a powerful line up also with Greg Hancock, Maciej Janowski, Antonio Lindback, Vaclav Milik, Bjarne Pedersen, Darcy Ward and Davey Watt.
A bit further north found Stevie Worrall in action for his National League team, Cradley Heathens in the Travel Plus Trophy match against Coventry Storm. These two teams are seen as likely contenders for the National League championship.
Both riders then faced a long journey north, particularly in Craig’s case, to be at the Monarchs’ Press Day on Saturday afternoon.
Ice Hockey by John Preece
Dundee Stars 3 Edinburgh Capitals 1
A goal in each period from the home side was enough for them to see off Edinburgh. With the win it guarantees the Gardiner Conference winners finishing third in the league.
Only the one goal separated the teams after the opening period and it came the way of the home side as Nico Sacchetti found the net at 12.47.
The home side doubled their advantage as Sacchetti scored his second of the game at 30.15. Edinburgh pulled one back with a powerplay goal at 32.10 from Martin Cingel.
The game was ended as a contest as Stars captain Brock McPherson was on target at 49.13 with the only goal of the third period.
(Match report courtesy of EIHL’s R&J Stats)
In the return match at Murrayfield on Sunday, the Capitals avenged their defeat with a 4-1 win over the Dundee Stars.
Three powerplay goals in the second period for the home side, scored by Leinweber, Cesky and Zembergs, and one for Dundee, from Sacchetti, gave the Capitals a 3-1 lead going into the third. Another goal from Zembergs four minutes from time sealed the victory in Edinburgh’s final league match of the season.
Basketball
C : C Quarter-Final Troon Tornadoes SM  49-65  City of Edinburgh Kings SM
C : C Quarter-Final Glasgow Rocks SM  97-91  St Mirren West College Scotland SM
C : C Quarter-Final St Mirren West College Scotland SM  90-79  Glasgow Rocks SM
C : C Quarter-Final Clark Eriksson Fury SM  100-57  Glasgow Storm
C : C Quarter-Final Glasgow University SM  73-73  Boroughmuir Blaze SM
Polonia Phoenix SWÂ Â 60-62Â Â St Mirren West College Scotland SW
Volleyball
Division One Men
South Ayrshire 0 3 City of Glasgow Ragazzi
Edinburgh Jets 3 2 City of Edinburgh
Beacon Fire 3 0 Dundee
Bon Accord 2 3 Glasgow Mets
Division One Women
Edinburgh Jets 3 0 North Lanarkshire
Aberdonia 0 3 Su Ragazzi
QTS Kyle TA 3 0 Edinburgh Jets II
QTS Troon Team Ayrshire 3 1 City of Edinburgh
Division Two East Men
Su Ragazzi II 3 2 City of Edinburgh II
Beacon Flame 2 3 Edinburgh Jets II
NUVOC 3 0 Bellshill Cardinals
Judo
Edinburgh judoka Sarah Clark won the Under-63kg title at the Pan American Cup in Montevideo, Uruguay beating Brazil’s Katherine Campos in the final.
In the Under-73kg event, Edinburgh’s Patrick Dawson, lost his first match to Russian Khabib Murtuzov.
Hockey
Grange will meet Western Wildcats next Saturday for a place in the Aberdeen Asset Management National League Grand Final after a 2-1 win over Hillhead at Peffermill on Sunday.
Rob Barr scored from two penalty corner attempts with Andrew Hilton scoring for Hillhead.
In Pool A, Grove Menzieshill beat Watsonians 6-0 at Peffermill. Ben Cosgrove gave the Taysiders a1-0 half-time lead, before two goals from Adam Fallis, another Cosgrove strike, plus goals from Oliver James and Paul Martin secured the win.
AAM Gordonians beat Edinburgh University 2-1.
In Pool B, Inverleith are safe after a 5-2 win over Dundee Wanderers. Adam MacKenzie rifled home four penalty corners in addition to a Phil Hall goal from open play.
Hillhead Ladies took a large step towards promotion with a hard fought 2-2 draw against CALA Edinburgh in Glasgow.Both CALA goals came from Millie Brown.
Grange EL are destined for the relegation play-off after an 8-0 defeat at the hands of capital rivals Watsonians. Hat-tricks for Cathryn Pollock and Lucy Ramsey, added to strikes from Nicki Black and Kirsty Hill ensured Watsonians have an excellent chance of survival going into next weekend.
Photos by John Preece
http://www.photoboxgallery.com/jlp-photography
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.
