TYNECASTLE FC (Meggetland Stadium)

EAST OF SCOTLAND LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION, TYNECASTLE 3-2 SAUCHIE JUNIORS, ATTENDANCE: 72 (h/c)

The beauty of this hobby is how quickly plans can change, in the case of today, it was overnight. I should have been heading for a day on the North Ayrshire coast, watching Largs Thistle, but I ended up on the opposite side of the country as a very interesting double presented itself.

The Berwick Charities Cup Final was taking place at 6.30pm at a venue that, after seeing photographs and reports over the last few weeks, simply must be visited so, with this in mind a game nearer to Berwick upon Tweed was required and, after discussion with the others in the travelling party, we ended up at the rather splendid Meggetland Stadium.

The Meggetland Stadium is a council owned facility in Edinburgh and the main pitch has a 500 stand. The grass pitch is used by Boroughmuir Rugby Club but in 2018 Tynecastle moved to set up home here.

Tynecastle FC were formed in 1928 as a boys club and remained so until 2005 when they merged with Tollcross United and the joined the senior football ranks. The club played at Tollcross United's Fernieside Recreation Ground before moving to share the Saughton Enclosure with Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale in 2015. The club certainly fell on their feet when the moved to the superb Meggetland in 2018. As you can guess with a club called Tynecastle, they play in the same maroon colours as Heart of Midlothian.

It was a boiling hot afternoon and the initial pace of the game reflected this but once Sauchie opened the scoring through Connor Kelly, after a howler from Tynecastle goalkeeper Kyle Leiper who let the ball squirm under him, the game certainly livened up. By half time the homesters were 3-1 up, thanks to a Luke Kennedy double and an effort from Taylor Hendry. All of the goals were excellent and well worked, the football clearly doing justice to the wonderful playing surface.

The second half continued in similar fashion to the first with both teams going for it, obviously Sauchie were susceptible to the counter as they chased the game. Ross Crawford pulled a goal back for the visitors, again Leiper not covering himself in glory, before Tynecastle had a chance to extend their lead when they were awarded a penalty. Kennedy missed the chance of a hat-trick when his effort was saved by Chic Bell.

With 5 minutes remaining Sauchie were awarded a penalty of their own and the chance to grab a point but Leiper redeemed himself by saving Kelly's spot kick to earn his side the victory. A thoroughly enjoyable encounter and credit to both teams who played some excellent football throughout.