Spartans respond to half-time rollicking

SPARTANS progressed to the semi-finals of the King Cup although Whitehill Welfare, who were reduced to ten men only five minutes into the second half when Allan Cornett was sent off, gave them a stern test.

Whitehill were unlucky not to take the lead in the 13th minute when a Daryl Devlin cross was headed out of the penalty box by Dan Gerrard. The ball fell to Cornett 20 yards out and his first-time left-foot volley cannoned off the post with Chris Flockhart beaten.

Much of the early part of the game was played in a crowded midfield area and neither goalkeeper was seriously tested although Keith McLeod found space and his attempted lob was easily held by goalkeeper Youssef Bejaoui. In a breakaway which came from a Whitehill free-kick, Spartans almost took the lead when McLeod picked out Gavin Malin but his low shot was comfortably gathered by Bejaoui.

Spartans did take the lead midway through the first half when Cornett fouled Malin 25 yards from goal. Malin stepped over the ball and Dean Hoskins hit the free-kick inches under the crossbar to leave Bejaoui clawing at fresh air.

Spartans almost increased their advantage when a Ross Archibald header across the face of the goal was only inches from the inrushing Sean McAuley.

However it was Whitehill who came closest to scoring when another defensive header from Spartans landed at Kevin Lee and from 30 yards the Whitehill defender hit a cracking first-time volley which hit the side netting. Flockhart then had to pick the ball from the toes of Banji Koya before, at the other end, Malin pulled a shot well wide of the target.

The second half began in sensational fashion with the dismissal of Cornett who brought down Omar Kader 22 yards from goal as the winger raced in. The referee decreed that the defender had denied Kader a goalscoring opportunity and promptly brandished a red card.

Kader, who was a constant thorn in the side of the Whitehill defence, set up Malin who shot wide from a good position then Kader himself brought out a great save from Bejaoui at the expense of a fruitless corner.

The game was finally put beyond Whitehill in the 71st minute when McAuley again tested Bejaoui who made another great blocking save. However Whitehill failed to clear the ball properly and allowed Ross Archibald to cross it to the back post. McLeod controlled the ball and Fairly smashed an eight-yard shot high into the roof of the net giving Bejaoui no chance. It proved to be McLeod's final touch as he was immediately substituted by the Spartans management.

Kader and substitute Donal Henretty both had further chances to increase Spartans' advantage while Whitehill did not give up and both Danny Taylor and Darren McGlashan shot wide as the Rosewell club tried to rescue the cup tie.

McLeod said: "The surface was a bit sticky and there was not a lot of free-flowing football in the first half although Whitehill had a couple of chances when they hit the post and side netting. However, Omar was causing them problems and then Dean hit in a great free-kick. Whitehill were still in the game and if they had managed to keep 11 men on the park, then the outcome might have been different.

"We got a bit of a telling off at half-time and we upped our game by adapting better to the conditions. The ball did not fall for me at times although for my goal, Ross picked me out and I brought it down and hammered it towards goal. I did not actually see the ball going in but I was delighted to have scored. I could not believe that I was taken off just 30 seconds later!"

Mike Lawson, Spartans joint manager, said: "Overall I was delighted with the result but disappointed with our performance. I gave the players a bit of stick at half-time.

"I think it was a missed opportunity for us to put a marker down because Whitehill were well in the game until they had a man sent off."

Gary Aitchison, the Whitehill manager, said: "

If we had managed to play 11 v 11 then it might have been different but Spartans are well organised and played good possession football so I now wish them all the best."

Whitehill Welfare: Bejaoui, Cornett, Lee, Johnston (Campbell, 46), Adamson, McGlashan, McCormack, Allum (Taylor, 59), Koya (Lynch, 70), Calvey, Devlin. Subs: MacBrayne, Haldane.

Spartans: Flockhart, O'Donnell, Hoskins (Henretty, 75), Gerrard, Sivewright, Archibald, McAuley, Manson, Malin (Smith, 78), McLeod (Vinelli, 72), Kader. Sub: McGarrie.