Spartans finally find fireworks

Spartans were given an almighty fright by the Central Taxis Premier Division’s newest recruits, Leith Athletic, who led 4-1 at half-time after a display of near-perfect football against the current champions and league leaders.

However, whatever the Spartans management duo of Mike Lawson and Sam Lynch said to their players at the break had some effect with their leading goalscorer Keith McLeod netting the winner with less than two minutes of normal time remaining in an nine-goal thriller.

McLeod, who has now scored 218 goals for Spartans, said: “Micky [Lawson] gave us the worst rollicking that I have ever seen in my ten years at the club.”

Almost the entire length of the Premier Division separated the teams at kick-off although that was definitely not obvious in respect of the quality of football played by Leith. Twice within a five-minute spell early in the game Chris Barrie swung over corners which Neil Lowson headed wide of the target. Leith did take the lead from another corner in the 17th minute when Barrie’s cross was headed powerfully home by defender Gavin Tainsh. Leith increased their lead in the 25th minute when Kerr Dodds fouled Jon Manson some 30 yards from goal. Up stepped Chris Barrie to hit the free-kick in off the crossbar.

There was more good news for Leith in the 32nd minute when Dean Hoskins hauled down Willie Bremner and Jack Combe neatly dispatched the penalty into the bottom corner.

A 3-0 scorline in favour of Leith was just rewards for their attacking style of play although they conceded a goal when McLeod galloped down the right wing and crossed for Dodds who hit a first-time shot from 16 yards into the net.

However, Leith quickly restored their three-goal advantage when Lewis Tracey picked the ball up on the left and, from the apex of the penalty box, hit an accurate shot across the goal and into the net at the far post.

Spartans started the second half on the front foot and within eight minutes they had reduced the leeway when Dodds was allowed space to curl a low shot from 20 yards past the unsighted Leith goalkeeper Matthew Banks. The goal spurred Spartans on and Banks had a number of breathtaking saves to deny Dodds and Omar Kader. He was beaten in the 69th minute when substitute Donal Henretty crossed to the back post where McLeod rose to head the ball home from close range to make it 4-3.

Spartans were given the ideal opportunity to equalise when Chris Barrie upended Kader in the penalty box. The normally reliable Gavin Malin struck his spot-kick well but Banks dived full length to save the ball and keep Leith in the lead.

Spartans enjoyed almost constant pressure and with only five minutes left they scored the equaliser. Hoskins crossed from the left and McLeod flicked the ball on to Kader who sneaked in at the back post to head the ball over the line.

Just one minute later Leith had a superb opportunity when a slack throw-in from Spartans’ Daniel O’Donnell went straight to Combe who had only Chris Flockhart to beat from 12 yards but the Leith striker was thwarted by a fine save from the Spartans custodian.

It proved to be a pivotal moment as Spartans went straight to the other end of the park where Robbie Manson crossed from the right for McLeod to power home his header and score the winner.

Lawson, the Spartans co-manager, said: “We were absolutely abysmal in the first 45 minutes. I honestly feel for Leith because they put so much into the game and did not take anything out of it.”

Derek Riddel, the Leith manager, said: “We were exceptional in the first 45 minutes, worked really hard and scored four cracking goals. We knew that Spartans would come at us in the second half and unfortunately we could not hang on.”

Spartans: Flockhart, Fusco (O’Donnell, 63), Hoskins, Sivewright, MacKinnon, Malin (Finnie, 85), Kader, Manson, Dodds, McLeod, Anderson (Henretty, 63). Subs: Seeley, Smith.

Leith Athletic: Banks, C Barrie, Thom, Tainsh, Lowson, Black (Smith, 77), Stevens (Cairns, 64), Manson (Lynch, 61), Combe, Bremner, Tracey. Subs: S Barrie, Gordon.

Referee: John Weir.