GK1Sam George   
 RB2Michael Oliver Yellow Card 
 LB3Richard Kirwan   
 CB4Alan Benton   
Off45CB5Andy Ward (c)   
Off65CM6Ross Ballantyne (vc)   
 RM7Ian McIntyre   
 CM8Jamie Barclay   
 CF9Andy Selkirk   
Off60CM10Jamie Broadfoot   
 LM11Stephen O'Neill   
  12Robbie Duncan   
  13Stefan McCurley   
On60 14Blair Munn   
On65 15Jonathan Black   
On45 16David Grant   
  17Cammy McKay (u20)   
  18Dylan O’Hagan (u20)   
 

09/09/2015  |  League

Cumbernauld Colts   0  v  4  Spartans

Having secured a first home win of the season against Threave Rovers on Saturday the Colts would have been full of confidence as they welcomed Spartans to Broadwood for the first ever meeting between these two sides.

In truth that pre-match optimism was about as good as it got on the night for Colts followers as the team, to a man, simply didn’t turn up. To make matters worse, Spartans were by some distance the best opponents of the season thus far.

The visitors took an early lead from the penalty spot, skipper Ward adjudged to have handled inside the area. It looked somewhat soft, but Murrell didn’t care as he stepped up to send George the wrong way, rolling in for 1-0.

Spartans had chances to make it two before ten minutes had passed as their quick passing and movement caused problems for the Colts defence, struggling to get up the park with Selkirk isolated and well marshalled.

When the second came it was Murrell again squeezing it in off the post following nice one touch football between he and his wide man. Poorly defended from a Colts perspective and 2-0 early on.

George in the home goal made a number of saves to keep the score at 2-0 but the pattern of the game suggested a third would come for Spartans and it did so before half time. Again, there was no small contribution from the home defence with the Spartans player slotting underneath the exposed George from 4 yards having dribbled into the box unchallenged from the left.

It took until the 42nd minute before the home side threatened the Spartans goal, Broadfoot delivering a free kick from the right which took out the keeper, Ward heading over from close range.

3-0 at half time, the reverse of the scoreline in their previous two fixtures and the home side with plenty to think about in the dressing room.

In the second half only a couple of outstanding saves from George in the home goal and some profligacy in front of goal from the Spartans attack kept things at 3.

O’Neill and Oliver had the best efforts for the home side, both shooting wide from 18 yards from the right, the Spartans keeper relatively untroubled.

The best chance of the half for the Colts fell to substitute Black who showed great technique to fire an awkward volley towards goal from 8 yards, beating the keeper but seeing his effort cleared off the line by the defender.

McIntyre had a half chance, lifting a deflected cross over the bar from 6 yards and Kirwan curled over from 18 yards following a drive forward from left back but the visitors finished the scoring, again from the penalty spot, this time the handball a far easier decision for the officials.

4-0 for Spartans it finished and in truth that probably flattered the home side a little. The positive news is that there’s only a few days before the squad get the chance to make amends as they travel to Gala Fairydean Rovers, a game in which they will have to perform far, far better to have any chance of keeping up their 100% away record.