18.1.15
Marks Celtic 1 , Spartak 5
With the Fettercairn pitch surprisingly declared playable, Spartak headed out to play the league leaders on a bitterly cold morning.
The pitch was grassy and very bumpy and did not lend itself to flowing football.
Spartak took the lead on 10 minutes a combination between Dave Kernan and Marcel Bajors saw the latter’s cross cleared for a corner; Steve Walsh’s flag kick saw Karl McCullough make the decisive challenge and Neil McGowan pounced to knock in from close range. All the good work was almost undone as a silly Stuart Love challenge conceded a soft penalty; Jason Northey got down to his right to parry the spot kick away, but minutes later was beaten by a long range effort for the equaliser.
Martin Costello drove in a loose ball on 35 minutes to restore the lead, and then Spartak opened the second period well; a Kernan/Steve Grier combination gave Costello a chance, and his blazed shot was touched over. Steve Grier headed in from the corner kick to make it 3-1.
Spartak then played some of their best stuff and created a succession of chances – Steve Grier had a driven effort just wide; Karl McCullough fired over from close range; Marcel Bajors had a fine header cleared off the line; Steve Walsh fired just over , from play, and then from a free. The local team’s frustration grew and the no. 7 was dismissed for a second bookable offence.
Dave Kernan’s run was halted illegally and Martin Costello fired home from the spot, and the win was capped when a Grier/ McGowan move saw Walsh fire home from a narrow angle.
A satisfactory morning’s work.
Form Report
Jason Northey 7 Dave Kernan 5 Aodhan McCahill 5 Paul Kinsella 6 Karl McCullough 8 Stuart Love 7 Neil McGowan 7 Steve Grier 9 Marcel Bajors 7 Martin Costello 8 Steve Walsh 5.
Subs: Mick Leslie 6 Dave Browne 6 Ken Buckley Niall Hanratty.
