Spartans run out of luck

Published on Monday 30 November 2009 08:54

Spartans 0 -1 Forfar Athletic

SPARTANS' hopes of progressing to the fourth round of the Active Nation Scottish Cup were extinguished midway through the second half when Chris Templeman nudged the ball into the net with the aid of a wicked deflection.

It was a tale of what might have been for Spartans in their first Scottish Cup tie at their new Ainslie Park as they squandered several opportunities in both halves of an exhilarating contest in front of a crowd of 742.

Before the game, Spartans received bad news when they were informed that one of their strikers, David Etale, who is a regular soldier currently serving in Afghanistan, had been wounded by a roadside bomb. Craig Graham, the Spartans chairman, said: "Overshadowing all the football was the news that David was injured on Friday along with two of his colleagues in a bomb blast."

Etale has been recovering in hospital and is due to be flown home today. He sustained back injuries but can walk a little and was able to phone home.

Mike Lawson, Spartans joint manager, added: "To be honest, the football almost became insignificant and that famous 'life and death' quote by the Liverpool manager Bill Shankly could not be further from the truth. Our thoughts are with David, all his fellow soldiers out there and their families back home."

Spartans started very slowly and Forfar's Ian Harty hit a shot wide. The same player then won a corner before Spartans captain Stewart Fowlie stopped his former team-mate, Ross Campbell, in the penalty box. The first serious effort came when Spartans' Robbie Manson grazed the bar from 30 yards.

Campbell had a chance to open the scoring when his brother Iain and Templeman combined to set up Scotland's leading goalscorer but he lifted his angular shot over the bar from 12 yards. A Donal Henretty cross to the back post then appeared to be handled by Campbell but the referee waved play on. Then Henretty and Keith McLeod both passed up good shooting opportunities in the area and were eventually smothered by the hard-working Forfar defence. Hoskins then cut in from the left, beat two defenders and hit a shot with his right foot which was only inches away from giving Spartans the lead.

The second half started with an excellent opening for Forfar's Harty but he missed the target from close range. Spartans almost took the lead with a bizarre own goal. Goalkeeper Chris Flockhart punted the ball downfield and Forfar's Marc McCulloch headed it over his stranded goalkeeper and the ball bounced inches past the post. Spartans dominated for a spell with Henretty, Hoskins and McLeod all causing problems in the Forfar penalty box without unduly troubling the goalkeeper.

Forfar took the lead in the 63rd minute when Harty, on the right bye-line, picked out Templeman. The big striker showed remarkably quick feet in a crowded area to get his shot away. The ball hit a foot in the six-yard box and took a deflection to the opposite corner where it rolled slowly over the line. It was a cruel goal for Spartans to lose but they rallied and McLeod set up Henretty who sidefooted the ball into the side netting.

Templeman should have sealed the win when he was left unmarked but volleyed the ball wide from ten yards. Spartans had other claims for a handball denied and Forfar held on to make it through to the fourth round.

Campbell, who could have conceded a penalty, said: "The ball did flick off my head and also my arm but it would have been a soft award, although I have seen them given so perhaps we were a wee bit fortunate. It was definitely not intentional. Overall, it was a very tough game and Spartans were unlucky not to at least earn a draw. They used the ball really well and had a lot of pressure although we defended resolutely."

Dick Campbell, the Forfar manager, added: "We knew it would be difficult and Spartans were more than a match for us although we created and missed the best chances of the game."

McLeod, so often the goalscoring hero for Spartans, said: "I am a bit gutted. I thought that for long spells in the game we were the better side, especially at the beginning of the second half. We got corner after corner and missed chance after chance. We certainly did not look out of place and we know how to play against SFL teams."

Fowlie, Spartans captain, said: "There is a mixture of being proud of how we played while also being disappointed at being out of the Scottish Cup. We had half-chances and when playing against SFL sides the margin for error is slim."

The final word went to Spartans joint manager, Sam Lynch, who said: "We more than competed with Forfar and I am proud of our players. We wish Forfar all the best and hope the draw is kind to them."

Spartans: Flockhart, Archibald, Fowlie, Gerrard, Sivewright, Malin, King, Manson, Henretty, McLeod, Hoskins (Kader 75). Subs: McGarrie, O'Donnell, McAuley, Smith.

Forfar: Brown, McCulloch, I Campbell, M Fotheringham, Tod, Tulloch, Gordon, Harty (Deasley 90), Templeman (Smith, 83), R Campbell (Gibson 88), K Fotheringham. Subs: Mowat, Halliwell.