East Stirlingshire 0 Edinburgh City 1 (agg 1-2)
Scottish League Two Play-off, 2nd leg – Saturday 14 May 2016, Ochilview
There was further joy for Scottish Lowland League champions Edinburgh City on Saturday when the Meadowbank side became the first club to be promoted to the SPFL via the pyramid system after their triumph over East Stirlingshire at Ochilview.
After last week’s first leg at Meadowbank Stadium ended 1-1, City secured their place in the history books when Dougie Gair scored the game’s only goal with just four minutes left of the regulation ninety.
Backed by a huge travelling support, City looked as if the occasion had got the better of them in the first half but turned things around after half-time and dominated the second period.
The winner came as fans of both sides nervously contemplated the prospect of extra-time and even the dreaded penalty shoot-out. Neither team had looked like scoring although City did have a couple of half chances. The moment of glory came when Ross Allum raced through on goal only to be brought down by Donaldson. Penalty said referee Don Robertson before sending the Shire man packing with a red card. Gair – who scored City’s goal in the first leg – duly despatched the penalty kick to spark wild celebrations among the impressive travelling support.
It means Edinburgh City will take their place in the Ladbrokes SPFL League 2 next season and is a fine reward for the hard-working manager Gary Jardine and his players.
East Stirlingshire will take City’s place in the Lowland League next season but with the likes of Spartans and East Kilbride in the league will find coming straight back up will be no easy task.
Edinburgh City: Amos; Dunsmore; Mbu; Patterson; McKee; McConnell; McFarland; Gair; MacDonald; Allum; Guthrie
Referee: Don Robertson
Att: 1,286
Top Man: City’s Joe Mbu was immense at the back. What a pity he won’t be around for their SPFL league campaign next season.
Author of The Team for Me - 50 Years of Following Hearts. Runs Mind Generating Success, a successful therapy practice in Edinburgh. Contact me if you want rid of any unwanted habits. Twitter @Mike1874
