14th November 2004
Sandbank Rangers vs Sparta Jag
North Kelvinside, Glasgow
SUPER SUBS STUN SANDBANK
Bottom of the league Sparta finally found their winning touch at the 4th
time of asking in the Scottish Supporters League Div 2. Having lost their
first match in the league the previous week Sparta were determined to get
back to winning ways.
Looking resplendent in the new Partick Thistle home strips Sparta started
poorly. After 6 mins a free kick from the left was met by the Sandbank no8
who glanced a header into the back of the net from 6 yards. The Sparta
defence was conspicuous by its absence. Worse was to follow in 13 minutes
when a corner was not defended and the no 11 was left at the back post alone
to slot Sandbank 2 ahead.
Chris Collins was beginning to get his foot on the ball more and more and it
was from his pass that Kirkwood smashed a shot off the junction of post and
bar to give Sparta hope. Next it was Burnside who threatened. When his long
throw was nodded back out to the edge of the box he smashed a right foot
shot off the bar. The challenges were at this point getting more heated and
the referee did well to defuse some flashpoints.
Half time: Sandbank Rangers 2 Sparta Jag 0
Having played poorly in the opening 15 minutes Sparta were still very much
in the match. Sandbank perhaps thinking the job was done were camping out
on their own 18-yard box, containing the lacklustre Sparta attacks. On the
hour mark McIntyre was brought on to replace Condron with Burnside moving to
right back. The substitution proved masterful as with his first touch of
the ball Andy McIntyre rose at the back post to head a Collins corner into
the back of the net.
Sparta with renewed enthusiasm turned the screw, throwing on Thomas for
Kirkwood and this was also to reap its reward. A Collins through ball was
smashed into the top corner from 20 yards by the powerful Thomas: 2-2.
Sensing that the 3 points were still there, Sparta rolled the dice one more
time bringing on Maxwell for Anderson with Ferguson pushing up front. It
almost brought a winner within 2 minutes. Thomas surged down the right side
and laid the ball back to the unmarked Ferguson who with time and space fired
wide of the target.
85 minutes played and it was now Sparta who looked like winning the match.
And win they did. There didn't seem any danger when Ferguson picked the ball
up on the right touchline. Maybe it was a cross, maybe it was a shot, Sparta
didn't care as the makeshift striker's effort nestled in the top corner to
send the Sparta squad into dreamland.
Full time: Sandbank Rangers 2 Sparta Jag 3
Team: Robert Hamilton; Peter Condron, Stevie Walker, Steven Samson, James
Hamilton; James Taylor, Ross Ferguson, Chris Collins, Gordon Burnside; Charlie
Kirkwood, David Anderson.
Subs: Andy McIntyre, Steven Thomas, Alan Maxwell, Brett Phillips.
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