Edinburgh City coach gives players hairdryer treatment in win

Ross Allum, scorer of a brace for City, challenges Callum Irvine. Pictures: Neil Hanna

Edinburgh City boss Gary Jardine wasn’t happy with his team’s display despite their 3-2 South Challenge cup third-round win over Edinburgh University at Meadowbank.

Jack Guthrie and Finn Daniels-Yeoman twice had Uni ahead in the first half, only for Ross Allum to peg them back with a brace. A brilliantly taken third from skipper Dougie Gair completed the turnaround and sent City through.

Jardine revealed he had some harsh words for his players at the break. “The success we’ve had over the last two or three years has been built on hard work and the simple fact is Edinburgh Uni worked harder than us,” he admitted. “They showed more composure in the first half and deserved to be ahead. There were some choice words said at half-time and I felt we came out and showed the right application and attitude and got our rewards.”

After a scrappy opening period, the students took the lead after 20 minutes. Guthrie went scampering down the left channel chasing a speculative ball over the top. With none of City’s defenders going with him, Guthrie bore down on goal and gave Greg Amos the eyes, slotting home through a gap at the near post. Guthrie should then have doubled Uni’s lead when Paul Sutherland’s deep free-kick found him unmarked, but he sent his free header straight into the grateful hands of Amos. Joe Aitken came even closer when his header was cleared off the line after Duncan Black had kept Sutherland’s corner alive.

The hosts made them pay for those missed chances with a fine counter-attacking move. Gair, pictured left, shared a one-two with Mark McConnell which allowed the skipper to release John Dunn down the left. His first-time centre took the retreating Uni backline out of the equation, leaving Allum with a simple tap-in to level.

Just as City seemed to have worked a foothold, Uni were back in front. Guthrie charged down a Paterson clearance and managed not only to keep it from going for a goal kick, but had the awareness to pick out Daniels-Yeoman in the box, who swept the ball past Amos. City were out the blocks quickly after half-time, with Tait having to get down well to block a Gair effort, which he managed to prevent crossing the line.

The champions scored their second equaliser in controversial circumstances soon after. Another Gair shot was blocked from close range, but the City captain prevented Tait from gathering and worked it back to Allum. His shot crashed off the underside of the bar and bounced down, with the far-side assistant signalling it had crossed the line.

There was no doubt about the hosts’ third. A lofted ball over the top put Gair in behind and, with the ball holding up in the wind, the City captain sent a wonderful dipping volley over Tait and in off the bar.

In contrast to his opposite number, Uni coach Dorian Ogunro was happy with his team’s display. “I thought we played really well,” he said. “First half we are the better team by quite a distance and deserved our lead. They got back in it through some sloppy play by us but we deserved to be 2-1 up at half time. Their second goal, I couldn’t see so you have to assume the assistant’s got it right, but we had chances to clear the ball and didn’t, so that’s where I’m most disappointed.”

Edinburgh City: Amos, Caddow (Dunn 23), Donaldson, McConnell, Paterson, Dunsmore, McFarland, Gair, Allum, Mushin, MacDonald.

Edinburgh University: Tait, Patterson (Evans 86), Sutherland, Vila (Irvine 11), Black, Daniels-Yeoman, Mair, Ritchie, Guthrie, McCrory-Irving, Aitken.