SPARTANS, who were unsuccessful in their bid to join the SFL earlier this month, proved that they would have been a valuable addition to the Third Division when they beat last season's champions East Fife 2-0 on the Fifers New Bayview pitch.
"To be honest, I went there a bit apprehensive but the boys were magnificent," enthused Spartans' joint manager, Mike Lawson.
"We kept our shape and competed for the entire 90 minutes. East Fife probably had more possession although we had the cu
tting edge."
The Fifers had the benefit of a slight breeze in the opening 45 minutes and tested Spartans' 19-year-old goalkeeper Mark Lunn, who was previously with Livingston, with a series of shots from Bobby Linn, Kevin Gordon and Gordon Stanic. The keeper proved equal to all of them though, and the score sheet was blank at half time.
Five minutes after the break Spartans took the lead when Ross Campbell glanced in a header from Robbie Manson's flighted free-kick.
Spartans introduced Struan Preston and Kenny Young with 15 minutes left, and Preston ensured victory when he advanced on to a Campbell pass 35 yards out. He raced forward, drew the East Fife goalkeeper Michael Brown and slipped the ball into the net.
"It is a shame that some of our older players will never get the chance to show what they could have done in the SFL," lamented Lawson. "Overall, the score was not too important, it was more about fitness and formations."
The full article contains 259 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
