The Teams Come Out

A late decision to pop along to Meadowbank to watch the football. A reminder of when I used to live in Forrest Road back in the late 1980s and would sometimes decide I was going to watch a game after lunch, having watched Football Focus. I'd leave the flat at about 2pm to walk to either Easter Road or Tynecastle, depending on who was at home, and still get a decent spot on the terraces before kick off. Today I left the flat after 2:30pm but got a bus that got me into the ground just in time to see the players coming out onto the pitch. Edinburgh City at Home to Stranraer and my first visit to the ground in its new incarnation. I saw Meadowbank Thistle a few times in the old stadium. That was a considerably more impressive place to watch football, even if it too was built for athletics. The current ground is very poor, at least from a spectator's point of view. Is it the worst place I have ever paid to watch football? There is a three-step stand down one side of the pitch, tucked under the main sports centre building with a full running track between the fans and the pitch. And no places to stand close to the action pitchside like at Spartans.
The game itself was entertaining enough. City seemed to have the slight edge early on without seriously threatening the oppositions's goal but then Stranraer took the lead with a good goal following a smart passage of play.  The Stranraer keeper made a good save from quick shot from outside the box to keep the visitors 1-0 up at half -time. The City keeper just in front of where I was sitting kept up an expletive-laden commentary on the referee-ing, presumably un-noticed by the officials. Isn't dissent a thing? City managed to get an equaliser about half way through the second half. A good cross field pass and the attacker beat the keeper to the ball to lob it into the net. Both teams had chances to win it but it looked to be heading for a draw until Stranraer poked home the winner at close range well into injury time. Cue wild scenes from the away fans and a mini pitch invasion. The win took Stranraer above their hosts and pushed City down to the foot of the table. The attendance was 306.