Homesbook Factoring Caplan

The Spartans 1-1 Clyde

The Bully Wee shared the spoils with SPFL new boys The Spartans on the opening day of the cinch League 2 season this afternoon.

Brian McLean named three changes to his side, with the experienced trio of Neil Parry, Peter Grant and Ross Forbes replacing Jack Leighfield, Josh McCulloch and Euan Cameron.

The first real action of the afternoon came after a quarter of an hour when Parry got down low to turn behind a Cammy Russell shot for a corner.

The Bully Wee took the lead midway through the half when Jon Craig dinked a cross from the by-line into the box and Martin Rennie timed his run perfectly to nip in at the front post and head home.

Both sides also created chances with the interval looming; Jamie Dishington found space on the wing before cutting back for James Craigen but his effort went narrowly off target, whilst at the other end Kian Leslie tried a low drive from outside the box but Blair Carswell got down to save.

Forbes tried his luck from distance just after the restart but his shot bounced past the post, before Leslie twisted and turned past his opponent and sent a cross into the six-yard box but it was just out of Rennie’s reach.

The Spartans got back on level terms in the 69th minute after Dishington drove towards the box and cut back inside before firing beyond Parry.

The hosts almost took the lead as the match entered the final 10 minutes after a flick on saw Whyte through on goal, but Parry made a vital stop with his fingertips to send the ball behind.

The last chance fell to Euan Cameron after Conor Scullion created space on the flank and sent a cross to the box post, where the former was on hand but he had to stretch to meet the ball and couldn’t direct it on target.