■ Big Jamie Batho rises above everyone to nod home Spartans Whites third goal

Spartans Whites won their opening game of the season with a well earned, but hard fought, victory over Craigroyston at sunny Arboretum Road this evening.

Spartans were the bigger side and the two players that did most of the damage were Jamie Batho and Azad Fahri who both pitched in with two goals each.

But to the Spartans coaches credit the pair were removed for a large part of the second half and this made for a much more even match with the home side pressing hard and deservedly winning the second 35 minutes 1-0.

Craigroyston were looking to build on an emphatic 9-1 opening day win whilst the visitors were only just getting their season underway having missed out on the first two games. But it was Craigroyston who were immediately on the back foot and within 2 minutes they found themselves 1-0 down.

A good early run down the left wing by Azad Fahri resulted in the low cross ball being swept home by Ruaridh Stirling. It was the perfect start for the young Spartans side and five minutes later they could have been two ahead.

Jamie Batho was sent clear on the right and his fierce shot was saved well by Craigroyston goalkeeper, Jack Buraimoh, who turned the ball away strongly for a corner. Spartans had opened well with Batho and Fahri giving early warning of what was to come as they raided down both flanks.

Craigroyston were limited to sporadic attacks which were dealt with well by the Spartans defence. However on 12 minutes they were awarded a free kick right on the left hand corner of the box. Referee Alan Downie indicated a direct kick and Ben Lamb carried out his coach's instructions to the letter as he floated a high ball over the outstretched arms of Fraser Wright and into the right hand corner of the net.

Suddenly Craigroyston found themselves level but the remainder of this half was played in the home side's territory as Spartans took complete control.

On the quarter hour, Jamie Batho found himself in acres of space in the centre of the box before drilling a low shot underneath Jack Buraimoh and into the back of the net.

Batho got his second two minutes later when a corner was sliced high into the air by the Craigroyston defence and the big flame haired forward rose highest to nod the ball into the empty net.

Craigroyston did look dangerous on the break and Aiden McMuray showed great perseverance as he won, lost, won, lost and then won the ball again inside the Spartans box before hitting a shot that was well saved by goalkeeper Wright.

But that raid was all too unique and on 27 minutes Spartans made it four. This time is was the turn of Azad Fahri to get on the scoresheet as he showed great balance cutting in from the left touchline before sliding the ball into the bottom right hand corner of the net.

Fahri then added his second and Spartans fifth when he finished off a great sweeping move that involved the ball being played left to right and left again between Robert Bough, Innes Burns and Daniel McIvor.

Half Time 1-5

If the first half was dominated by Spartans then it was the reverse in the second 35 minutes. A resurgent Craigroyston took the game to Spartans but never really created too many chances to pull this game back early enough for them to make an impact.

Their best chance in an opening period of almost 15 minutes of constant pressure came on 40 minutes when Ben Lamb swept a corner inches over the crossbar.

Sam Knight was looking increasingly lively in and around the box, Frazer Crichton was making inroads up the right hand side and Sam Addy and Ben Lamb were driving things forward in the middle. Goalkeeper Jack Buraimoh's long kicks from hand and ground were an added threat.

But Spartans looked comfortable at the back with big David Morrison commanding things in the middle and the impressive full backs, Innes Burns and Harry Ollif always ready to take the ball to feet from their goalkeeper.

It was fully 60 minutes before Craigroyston looked to seriously threaten the Spartans goal with any real menace. Ben Lamb's free kick sliding just past the left hand post.

By this time Jamie Batho was back on the pitch and he thundered a tremendous shot that scraped the top of the bar from fully 20 yards.

On 64 minutes Craigroyston finally got the goal that their second half pressure merited. A corner on the left was played away from the packed box onto the edge of the 18 yard line where Frazer Crichton was lurking. He controlled the ball before hitting a lob shot high towards the centre of the goals where Fraser Wright was able to only get a weak hand to the ball before it beat him and fell into the back of the net.