10th October 2004
Sparta Jag vs Sandbank Rangers
Ibrox Community Complex, Glasgow
Sparta began their league campaign with a home match against their Glasgow
rivals. Having won their previous game against St. Johnstone 7-1 the Jags
were in buoyant mood, despite this manager Kirkwood rang the changes with 6
changes in the starting line up. In came Hamilton, Walker, Stirling,
Collins and O'Donnell with Maxwell, McIntyre, and Gordon dropping to the
bench.
Despite Sparta's good form it was the visitors who threatened early on
forcing a series of corners, and it took some good defending from the home
side to make sure that Grenfell didn't have a save to make.
More and more Sparta's passing football got hold of the game with the
influential Stirling and Montgomery pulling the strings in the centre of
midfield. After some nice passing football the Jags took the lead towards
the end of the first half, started by a sensational 40 yard diagonal pass by
Collins to Anderson who showed good control, before great play by Anderson
allowed him to send over a vicious cross for the onrushing Ferguson, however
the defender positioned himself between the attacker and the goal and
bulleted a volley past the helpless keeper.
Half time: Sparta Jag 1 Sandbank Rangers 0
Manager Kirkwood changed things around at half time replacing Taylor with
the more left footed McIntyre.
Sparta started the second half the way the left off the first half on the
front foot, and Anderson almost doubled the lead with a snapshot at the edge
off the box that the goalkeeper did well to keep out. Sparta extended
their lead in the 52nd minute from the unlikeliest of sources. Full back
Reston picked the ball up on the touchline and beat the Rangers no 8, then
took on and beat another 3 Rangers players despite some crude challenges
from the Sandbank squad before unleashing a thunderous right foot drive into
the corner of the net from 20 yards, much to the delight of the Sparta side.
Sparta continued to create some good chances to extend their lead. Some
wicked freekicks from captain Walker just failed to be converted by Montgomery
and McIntyre was also off target.
Kirkwood then changed things further by introducing the fresh legs of 17 year
old whizzkid Alan Maxwell, on for the unusually subdued Ferguson, and Gordon
for Montgomery.
Sparta were left to rue those spurned chances with 10 minutes left when an
incisive midfield move cut open the left side of the home defence, and the
Rangers no 15 slammed home from 15 yards.
Now on the back-foot Sparta struggled to hold on. And with only a couple of
minutes left disaster struck. Stirling was caught on the ball and the
Rangers striker gleefully snapped up the half chance and slotted in his
strike partner who coolly fired home to make it 2-2. Sandbank celebrated an
unlikely point while Sparta were left to rue missed chances.
Full time: Sparta Jag 2 Sandbank Rangers 2
Team: Ruairidh Grenfell; Colin Reston, Chris Collins, Stevie Walker, James
Hamilton; Ross Ferguson, Kenny Montgomery, Robert Stirling, James Taylor;
Ryan O'Donnell, David Anderson.
Subs: Andy McIntyre, Gordon, Alan Maxwell, Ross Cuthbertson.
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