TT No.172: Mike Latham - Sat 10 March 2007: Scottish Junior Cup Quarter-Final. Lanark United 0-1 Kelty Hearts. Attendance: 1,000 (estimated); Admission: £5; 8pp programme: 50 pence; FGIF Match Rating: 4*
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Lanark is a county town on the central belt of
The nearby restored 18th century cotton mill village, New Lanark, is a World Heritage site; the first meeting of the Scottish Parliament was held here in 978; William Wallace was born here in 1297 and Lanark racecourse was one of the oldest in the
But on a bright but blustery March afternoon Lanark was the centre of importance for more compelling reasons, its football club hosting
Lanark United, members of the Central District First Division, have a splendid club website and the portents were good despite a wet week weather-wise. The local newspaper reported that the game was ‘almost’ certain to go ahead after club officials covered parts of the pitch and, sure enough, an early morning ‘phone call to the club received the good news that the game was definitely on.
Kelty were formed as recently as 1975, taking the nickname of the Jambos after their more illustrious rivals Heart of Midlothian. Playing in the Premier Division of the East Region they were perhaps a shade favourites for this tie though were mindful that Lanark had already accounted for several higher ranked sides this season.
The journey northwards was easily negotiated and the welcome in Moffat’s legendary Café Ariete (one mile from J15 of the M74) as warm as ever. Turning off J12 towards
Sure enough, even with an hour to go to kick-off cars were being parked and a steady stream of spectators, many hunched up against the biting wind, were wending their way to the ground. Parking was easy, some fans taking their cars inside the ground and others leaving them parked on the streets nearby. With an elevated location looking towards the loch and farmland and further towards distant rolling hills,
Entering through a white-pained turnstile block, the welcome was warm and though facilities are rather rudimentary there was no mistaking the air of excitement at one of the biggest games in United’s history, their third appearance at this stage of the competition. It was also clear that Kelty, beaten finalists in 1999, had brought with them a large travelling support.
On entering the ground there is a tea hut and the dressing rooms. The tea hut, from where a rudimentary eight-page programme was dispensed, sells only four other items- Mars bars, cans of Irn Bru, pies and Bovril. Ask for anything else, a coffee or a tea perhaps or even chips and you will be directed to re-examination of the menu. Having stocked up on one of the Café Ariete’s finest meals the need for partaking of the best that Lanark United’s culinary chefs could conjure up was reduced- perhaps a good job considering the muttered comments from the Kelty fans about the fare on offer.
The ground’s main features are two covered stands on the entrance side of the ground, painted in the club’s blue and white colours. The rest of the ground is open standing behind a post and rail fence with a shallow terrace of sorts on the far side. With the natural bowl type effect of the oval-shaped ground there are plenty of good vantage points to be had.
By the 2-30pm kick-off time a good crowd had assembled, most sheltering from the elements under cover and a few watching from their cars. The action was fast, furious and highly entertaining. Played in a good spirit, the game was a typical cup-tie, Kelty having the better of the first half as they kicked downhill with the benefit of the wind behind them but then being forced onto the defensive after the break.
The only goal came largely against the run of play, clinically despatched by the Kelty number 9 from the corner of the penalty area midway through the second half. So Kelty march on, joining Arthurlie, Linlithgow and Kilwinning in the semi-finals- another headache for their fixture secretary given they have fulfilled only half-a-dozen league games so far this season.
This was a splendid occasion, a proper game of football played in the right spirit watched by a knowledgeable and appreciative crowd. Despite the rivalry, the afternoon appeared to pass off peacefully and everyone I spoke to was extremely friendly.
Lanark’s most famous recent resident, Willaim Wallace notwithstanding, is the former Celtic and
amended & contributed on 11/03/07