Rugby by John Preece
The second leg of the 1872 Cup between Edinburgh and Glasgow was postponed from New Year’s Day as the pitch at Scotstoun was waterlogged. A date for the match, which is also counts toward the RaboDirect PRO12 league, has yet to be agreed.
As that was all the action there was going to be, a wee gaze into the future might be in order….
And we can look ahead to the 11th of January when Edinburgh play Perpignan in the fifth round of the Heineken Cup qualifiers. Edinburgh lost the reverse fixture in France 31-14 after putting in a fairly lacklustre first half, allowing the French side to create an insurmountable gap. However, after beating Gloucester away in the last round, a bit of left over confidence could come to the fore.
The other big ‘Edinburgh’ match is at Raeburn Place where Edinburgh Accies play London Scottish in the fifth round of qualifiers for the British and Irish Cup knock out stages. Accies haven’t fared too well so far, suffering four heavy defeats to the other three sides in their group and, unfortunately, are probably odds-on to suffer another on Saturday.
Football
Hibs won the Edinburgh derby in front of a packed Easter Road on Thursday night. After a goalless first half, Hibs took the lead through James Collins before Hearts equalised with a David Smith goal.
With eight minutes remaining, Jordan McGhee brought down Lewis Stevenson in the penalty box and referee Bobby Madden immediately pointed to the spot.
Hibs’ captain Liam Craig took the responsibility and sent Jamie MacDonald the wrong way to secure the win.
During the game Hearts’ Scott Robinson received his sixth booking of the season and now incurs a one-match ban.
On Saturday, all eyes were on the Ross County v St Johnstone game in Dingwall. A Staggies win would move them to 19 points clear of Hearts whilst a Saints win would see them leapfrog Hibs into the top six.After a hard fought encounter, County grabbed the points with a late goal.
On Sunday, fellow strugglers Partick Thistle arrived at Tynecastle and took an early lead from on loan striker Lyle Taylor. Aaron Taylor Sinclair added a second just before the break, and the Firhill side comfortably held on to secure the three points even after Stuart Brannigan was sent off with nine minutes remaining.
Hearts remain bottom of the table, 19 points behind Ross County.
Hibs travelled to Tannadice and stormed into a two goal lead, thanks to skipper Liam Craig. The first came in the 38th minute then he added a second from the penalty spot in the 61st.
Hibs were playing some excellent football but with the points apparently destined for the capital, two late goals from David Goodwillie and Brian Graham secured a point for United.
Hibs are now in 6th place, three points ahead of Ross County and five behind Dundee United.
Central Taxis East of Scotland League
No fixtures this weekend however the actions next Saturday with the following games
Premier Division
Coldstream v Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale 2:00 pm
Craigroyston v Heriot-Watt University 2:00 pm
Edinburgh University v Tynecastle 2:00 pm
Leith Athletic v Spartans EOS 2:30 pm
Stirling University EOS v Civil Service Strollers 2:30 pm
First Division
Duns v Easthouses Lily Miners Welfare 2:00 pm
Ormiston v Eyemouth United 2:00 pm
Peebles Rovers v Kelso United 2:00 pm
Berwick Rangers EOS v Burntisland Shipyard 2:30 pm
Hawick Royal Albert v Hibernian EOS 2:30 pm
Lowland League
Weather hit the fixture list this weekend with only two matches played.
Dalbeattie Star P Threave Rovers
Vale of Leithen P Preston Athletic
Whitehill Welfare P Spartans
Scottish Sun Lowland League Cup, Groupstage, Section A
Gala Fairydean Rovers 3-1 Selkirk
Scottish Sun Lowland League Cup, Groupstage, Section C
East Kilbride 2-0 Gretna 2008
Athletics
Edinburgh’s marathon specialist Freya Ross has been forced to pull out of the British team for next week’s Bupa Great Edinburgh cross-country in Holyrood Park after doctors ordered her to rest for at least three weeks following a stress fracture in her foot.
Ross, top Briton in the 2012 Olympic Marathon, all but secured her place for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow this summer by earning the qualifying time in Yokohama in November
18-year-old Dylan Ali from Hawick won the £4000 first prize for the famous 110 metres professional handicap New Years’ sprint by fully two metres in the outstanding time of 11.59 seconds from his handicapped start of 7.5 metres on the heavy grass track.
Ice Hockey by John Preece
Edinburgh Capitals won both of their matches at the weekend, beating Fife Flyers in Kirkcaldy 3-1, after being one down at the end of the first period, and beating Coventry Blaze on penalties following a 3-3 scoreline after overtime at Murrayfield on Sunday.
The Capitals were down a goal after only 87 seconds against the Flyers, but that proved to be the only goal of the first period. Richard Hartmann scored the only goal of the second to draw the visitors level, before Mārcis Zembergs and Martin Cingel took the Edinburgh side clear for the victory, with a goal each in the third.
Against Coventry on Sunday, the Capitals went two up in the first period with goals from Hartmann and Cingel, but the Blaze pulled one back with less than a minute to go. They then scored the only goal of the second to draw level, and had to come back again in the third after Jan Safar scored Edinburgh’s third. With no goals in overtime, the match went to a 6 round penalty shoot-out which Edinburgh won 2-1.
A full report on Sunday’s match will appear soon in the Sports section.
Cyclo-cross by John Preece
The 2014 ‘Dig in at the Dock’ cyclocross race was held in Bo’ness at the weekend with the support of several local and Edinburgh businesses. 150 riders signed on to race for the ‘54 minutes + 1 lap’ event which was won by Gareth Montgomery (Pedal Power RT), with David Lines (Starley Primal Pro Cycling) in second and Gary McCrae (Team Leslie Bike Shop/ Biker’s Boutique) coming in third. Isla Short (Team Thomson’s Cycles) won the women’s race. The Edinburgh Reporter’s own Sean Gordon (Team Thomson’s Cycles – pictured) finished in 21st place after a mechanical failure resulted in his having to carry his bike the last few hundred metres to the line. A full report on ‘his race’ will be available elsewhere from Sean once he has sufficiently recovered from his efforts.
Speedway
Three Edinburgh Monarchs’ riders have competed in the first round of the Australian Championships at Kurri Kurri.
Sam Masters was on 9 with a win in the opening heat, and finished fourth in the B Final.
Max Fricke scored 9 with a great win in his final qualifying heat, re-passing the very promising Jack Holder.
Justin Sedgmen scored 8, no race wins but a steady performance.
Basketball
Basketball returns next weekend with the following fixtures. (Dates and times subject to change)
10/01/14 08:00 PM City of Edinburgh Kings SM Boroughmuir Blaze SM Portobello High School
10/01/14 08:00 PM Clark Eriksson Fury SM Glasgow Rocks SM Mariner Centre
11/01/14 01:30 PM Glasgow Storm Stirling Knights SM North College (Glasgow)
11/01/14 03:35 PM Glasgow University SM St Mirren West College Scotland SM Stevenson Building
11/01/14 04:10 PM Troon Tornadoes SM Dunfermline Reign SM Belmont Academy
11/01/14 2:00 PM Polonia Phoenix SW Clark Eriksson Fury SW The Crags
11/01/14 03:00 PM City of Edinburgh Kool Kats SW Tayside Musketeers SW Portobello High School
Volleyball
Volleyball also returns next Saturday with the following games; (Dates and times subject to change)
Mens’ Division One
Dundee – City of Edinburgh Craigie High School 11.00am
Beacon Fire – Edinburgh Jets Aberdeen Grammar School 10.30am
Bon Accord – South Ayrshire Aberdeen Grammar School 12.30pm
City of Glasgow Ragazzi – Glasgow Mets Coltness High School 10.00am
Womens’ Division One
Kyle TA – QTS Troon Team Ayrshire Marr College 12.30pm
Aberdonia – North Lanarkshire Aberdeen Grammar School 2.30pm
Su Ragazzi – Edinburgh Jets Coltness High School 12.00pm
Edinburgh Jets II – City of Edinburgh St Augustine’s R.C High School 3.00pm
Division Two East Men
Edinburgh Jets II – NUVOC St Augustine’s R.C High School 12.30pm
Beacon Flame – Bellshill Cardinals Aberdeen Sports Village 10.30am
Su Ragazzi II – City of Edinburgh II Carluke High School 12.30pm
Division Two Women
Su Ragazzi II – NUVOC Carluke High School 10.00am
Photos by John Preece
http://www.photoboxgallery.com/jlp-photography
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
