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.

MURRAYFIELD STADIUM

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE 2nd QUALIFYING ROUND, 2nd LEG, CELTIC 4-0 KR REYKJAVIK, ATTENDANCE: 40,000 (est)

This evening was, for me, a rare one on many levels. Due to my job it is impossible to do midweek games unless I take holiday, however the chance to watch football at a world famous rugby ground was not to be sniffed at and well deserving of a night off.

With Parkhead, and the usual fall back of Hampden Park, out of commission due to being used for the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, Celtic opted to play their Champions League qualifiers in Edinburgh at the home of Scottish rugby, Murrayfield.

For myself, and indeed many other of the groundhopping glitterati, it was therefore a Tuesday trip north and we joined the green and white army as they decamped to the Scottish capital.

The Murrayfield Clock (left) and War Memorial (right)

Murrayfield officially opened on March 21, 1925, when Scotland beat England 14-11, on their way to the Grand Slam. Murrayfield has previously hosted football matches when Heart of Midlothian used Murrayfield as their home venue for their European campaign in the 2004/05 season, and again in 2006, as their Tynecastle Stadium did not meet UEFA criteria. Hearts, and Hibernian, have also used Murrayfield for pre-season friendlies against Barcelona.

Celtic, who have a proud Champions League history, being the first British winners of the trophy in 1967, were 1-0 up from the first leg against Icelandic champions KR Reykjavik. To be honest the tie was over as a contest within 27 minutes as Celtic eased into a 3-0 lead. The part-timers defence being carved open at will.

A brace from Virgil van Dijk (13 & 20) in the opening 20 minutes was quickly followed by a goal from Teemu Pukki (27). KR were not without there own chances and with a little more composure they might have got on the scoresheet. The closest they came was a Gary martin effort smacking the crossbar in the opening minute.

The second half was pretty much a non-event as KR went on a damage limitation act and Celtic, understandably, took their foot off the pedal. Pukki netted his second on 71 minutes to make it 4-0 and see Celtic through to the next round where they will play Polish champions Legia Warsaw.

I was very impressed with Murrayfield as a stadium, once I eventually got through the turnstiles after having problems with my print-at-home ticket (I was ultimately issued with a proper replacement) and also impressed with the Celtic fans, who created a good atmosphere and backed their team throughout. The nature of the singing was good (apart from, obviously,  a certain song long associated with a team in red) and I didn't hear any sectarian chanting at all, which was pleasing. The overall experience of tonight made the long midweek journey very much worthwhile.