Edinburgh South tasted defeat for the first time in 2025 on Saturday afternoon, losing 2-1 to league leaders Camelon Juniors in an ill-tempered matchup at Saughton Enclosure.
The hosts struck first in the second half through Blake Wales, before conceding a penalty that Camelon converted five minutes from time. A very late goal for the visitors soon followed in extra time, leaving South with little to show from a committed performance.
The bitter defeat sees Ainslie Hunter’s men maintain their mid-table presence in the East of Scotland First Division, eight points clear of the relegation zone.
Excellent defensive performances allowed South to build into a tricky fixture: the hosts showed little of the rust to be expected from a team twice hampered by fixture postponements. Adam Uphill and Lee Taggart both displayed intelligent defensive acumen, radiating confidence in front of the in-form Lewis Whitelaw.
Two brilliant chances within the opening 10 minutes nearly saw South take the lead, with wonderful play from skipper Kenny O’Brien gifting opportunities to Ciaran Vaughan and Taggart. All-time top scorer Stuart Martin had scraps around the fringes to work with, but demonstrated fantastic intent both in attack and defence. Martin’s tracking back was particularly impressive, given his relentless attacking runs forward.
Despite the metronomic accuracy of pinpoint balls over the defence courtesy of O’Brien, a physical Camelon defence kept the South forwards at bay. The visitors were frighteningly quick on the counter, but Hunter’s defence was well drilled and able to deal with several tricky situations. The tireless industry of Vaughan and Wales and an excellent set of Uphill headers from two consecutive O’Brien crosses were ultimately futile in attempting to break the deadlock.
After swinging momentum their way in the first half, the hosts came out with guns blazing in the second. Nearly scoring in the opening minute of the half, the pressure told and captain O’Brien stood over a 50th minute free kick. Whipping in a gorgeous curling cross, Wales found a pocket of space and stabbed the ball into the far corner. South had a deserved lead, much to the fury of Camelon players and supporters who protested the initial foul.
The tight nature of the match naturally led to tensions boiling over on 57 minutes. Unhappy with a challenge from Camelon, Martin gave a shove to his opponent that had both teams – and their benches – clashing together. A flurry of cards and a extensive delay ensued, breaking up the momentum that Camelon had gained since conceding.
Graham Taylor had a spectacular half for the visitors, with quick attacking play forcing excellent interventions from Whitelaw and Declan Patterson 20 minutes into the half. Repeated opportunities for Camelon came and went, the lack of a clinical touch suggesting that South might take home the rewards.
Yet it was an unlucky foul from South that invited a questionable – but ultimately fatal – spot kick. A smart strike sent Whitelaw the wrong way, giving Camelon the impetus they required to seize the game. The crucial moment came minutes later, as a big deflection took the ball past Whitelaw and sparked bedlam amongst a vocal away support.
The tensions of a closely-fought match then spilled over completely, as Jordan Cropley cut down a Camelon player on the edge of the South box. Both sets of players clashed again as the away fans made their thoughts known, leaving the referee reaching for his back pocket as more red cards were shown. With barely time for a restart, the whistle blew after 12 minutes of added time.
South will look to bounce back next Sunday, with an intriguing home fixture against fellow midtable side Thornton Hibs at 14:30 at Saughton Enclosure.
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