The Blue Toon traveled to Edinburgh to face the Spartans for the first time in 2025. There were six meetings between the two sides in 2024, the last of which ended in a 2-1 victory for Peterhead. The Spartans were coming off the back of a 2-2 draw away at Bonnyrigg Rose, their first game of the new year following two postponements, whereas Peterhead were looking to make it a perfect 4 wins from 4 in the month of January.
There was just one change to the starting lineup that defeated Stirling Albion at Balmoor last week, with Danny Strachan being replaced by Peter Pawlett.
There was not much to separate the two sides in the early exchanges, Peterhead managing to get more shots away than the hosts, but nothing too testing for Carswell in the Spartans goal. Jack Brown then thought he had put his team in front, latching onto a ball chipped in behind the Spartans defence and lifting the ball over the oncoming Carswell and into the back of the net. Jack celebrated with his teammates, and both sides made their way back into shape for the restart, but all the while the referee was speaking with his linesman. After a lengthy discussion, the pair of officials came to the decision of offside, despite the linesman not raising his flag at the time, and the scoreline was reverted to 0-0. Peterhead remained on top of the game and of their opponents for the restart of the first half, pressing high and getting crosses into the box, but no one in blue could find the all important finish.
Half-time: The Spartans 0-0 Peterhead.
Cammy Smith was introduced at half-time and Peter Pawlett made way, after being on the receiving end of some hefty challenges in the first 45. The hosts began to grow into the game as it wore on, getting more efforts in on goal but yet to produce a real save from Blessing Oluyemi. The deadlock was then broken on 59 minutes, Mark Stowe putting the Spartans in front. Craigen slipped a ball into the channel for Stowe to run onto, and the Spartans number 29 made no mistake, prodding the ball past Oluyemi. Both managers made a number of substitutions to try and influence the game in their favour, but still chances were few and far between. Russell almost managed to double the hosts’ lead in the 78th minute, trying to drive the ball past the goalkeeper from a similar position that his teammate scored from earlier, but this time Oluyemi made an excellent reflex save with his right boot. Among the Peterhead substitutes brought on were Rory McAllister and Oliver Colloty, the Blue Toon going for an all-out attack to try and grab an equaliser with time wearing thin. Peterhead threw everything they had at the Spartans defence, even sending Oluyemi up for two corners in stoppage time, but to no avail. What was maybe the best chance of an equaliser came from Colloty in the 83rd minute, an effort from the edge of the Spartans’ 18-yard box was deflected into the penalty area, and Oliver Colloty with a brilliant swivel and volley from close range was able to get his effort on target, but swatted away by the Spartans ‘keeper. The performance was perhaps summed up by the last shot of the game, Seb Ross working the ball into a good area and getting a right footed strike away from the edge of the box, but his effort agonisingly dragged high and wide. Not to be on this occasion for the Blue Toon.
Full-time: The Spartans 1-0 Peterhead.
(Stowe 59’)
Starting XI: Oluyemi, Goldie (Danny Strachan 72’), Wilson (McAllister 83’), Jason Brown, Dunne, Forrest, Pawlett (Smith 46’), McCarthy, Barry, Jack Brown (Seb Ross 69’), Shanks (Colloty 83’)
