Congratulations to Spartans and Hibs EOS for winning their respective league titles.
Rugby by John Preece
Edinburgh suffered a catastrophic loss to foot of the table, Zebre, in Italy on Saturday as it ended their hopes of a top six place in the league and, with it, a place in the top European competition next season. Already suffering from some key injuries up front, Edinburgh lost another player which disrupted their set-up somewhat. Despite scoring first, they were 14-6 down at half time having suffered a couple of penalty misses. Things picked up after the break with the returning Tim Visser helping Matt Scott to his third try in as many games, but Zebre soon hit back to go 19-13 ahead. An injury to Roddy Grant forced Solomons to replace him in the scrum with centre Andries Strauss, thus handing the forwards’ advantage to Zebre, who duly took the said advantage to finish the match off 26-13.
It was the Scottish Rugby Club Finals at the weekend with six matches in the Bowl, Shield and Cup categories being fought over by the various men’s and women’s finalists. As the matches are covered in depth in the ‘Sports’ section, it is sufficient to say hear that Edinburgh sides featured in five of the six matches and Broughton (Women’s Bowl), Preston Lodge (Men’s Shield) Murrayfield Wanderers (Women’s Cup) and Heriots (Men’s Cup) all won their respective matches – some by a substantial margin – but Watsonians (Women’s Shield) came up short against Cartha Queens Park. (Photo – Scottish International front-row, Suzy McKerlie–Hex, scoring the first of Wandies 12 – that’s TWELVE – tries against Melrose)
Football
There were mixed fortunes for the Capital clubs this weekend. Hearts ended a historic week in style with a fine 2-0 win over Ross County thanks to goals from Jamie Hamill who was later sent off and Dale Carrick.
That result did neighbours Hibs a favour as County are now in second bottom place only three points behind Terry Butcher’s men.
A large travelling support followed Hibs to Paisley but were silenced in 13 seconds when Kenny Mclean scored the fastest ever Premiership goal. Paul McGowan added a second 14 minutes later before Saints’ skipper Jim Goodwin was shown a red card for a terrible tackle on Kevin Thomson.
Despite the numerical advantage Hibs were unable to breach St Mirren’s defence.
Although Hibs are only three points above the play off slot, they remain in seventh place.
Hibs face on form Hearts at Easter Road next Sunday.
Scottish Lowland League
Spartans have been crowned the first Scottish Lowland champions – on a day they lost at home to Dalbeattie Star.
Vale of Leithen’s 2-0 defeat at home to Whitehill Welfare ensured that Spartans could not be caught in the race for the title.
South Challenge Cup
Spartans crashed out of the South Challenge Cup following a 3-2 semi final defeat at home to Dalbeattie Star.
Dalbeattie opened the scoring after just 6 minutes through Wayne Gordon then Spartans equalised ten minutes later thanks to Willie Bremner’s clinical finish.
Dalbeattie regained the lead midway through the second half when Scott Milligan’s accurate finish found the bottom corner of the net, then added a third with ten minutes remaining with a fine strike from Lewis Sloan to rifled his shot into the net from the edge of the box.
Deep into injury time Donal Henretty managed to head home a corner kick from just a yard out, but Dalbeattie held on for the win and will progress to face East Kilbride following their 5-4 AET win over Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale.
Scottish Sun Lowland League
Preston Athletic 0-2 Gretna 2008
Threave Rovers 0-5 Edinburgh City
Vale of Leithen 0-2 Whitehill Welfare
The King Cup, Second Round
Selkirk 1-3 University of Stirling
Easthouses Lily MW 4-3 Peebles Rovers
Central Taxis East of Scotland League, Premier Division
Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale 5-0 Spartans (Monday)
Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale 2-0 Stirling University EOS (Tuesday)
Civil Service Strollers 3-1 Heriot-Watt University
Coldstream 1-2 Leith Athletic
Edinburgh University 1-1 Craigroyston
Tynecastle 0-2 Spartans EOS
Central Taxis East of Scotland League Cup, Preliminary Round
Stirling University 3-0 EOS Kelso United
Central Taxis East of Scotland League, First Division
Burntisland Shipyard 1-2 Peebles Rovers
Hawick Royal Albert 1-0 Eyemouth United
Hibernian EOS 2-0 Easthouses Lily MW
Ormiston 2-3 Duns
These results mean the Hibernian EOS are Central Taxis East of Scotland League, First Division champions in their first season in the league.
Women’s football
Hibernian Ladies continued their impressive run of form with a 4-0 win over Hutchison Vale at Albyn Park Broxburn on Sunday.
Lucy Graham scored a double whilst Rachael Walkingshaw and Susan Fairlie scored the others.
Celtic beat Spartans 1-0 at Lennoxtown with a 71st minute goal from Abigail Harrison.
Speedway
On Friday, the Edinburgh Scotwaste Monarchs won their seventh successive match to set a new start-of-season club record, which means they have qualified for the League Cup semi-finals as section winners.
The Armadale side defeated Glasgow by 55 to 38 with Craig Cook top scoring with 14.
Afterwards Alex Harkess said “We weren’t at our best in the early stages but we came good in the end as we often do, and these two late wins by Craig Cook sent the crowd home happy.”
On Sunday the Monarchs once again travelled to Glasgow and beat Tigers 58-35 in what was victory number 8 out of 8 at the start of the season.
Photo 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.
