Arniston Rangers Football Club

Season started with a 3 - 1 win for Arniston over Easthouses Lily in the League, and was followed with a 2 - 1 win over Musselburgh Athletic. Arniston continued to play well and had further wins over Dalkeith Thistle, 6 - 1, Edinburgh City, 5 - 2 and Rosslyn Juniors, 5-1 in the Scottish Junior Cup 1st Round at Rosslyn. Another early fixture for Arniston was a 'friendly' against Glasgow Benburb and it resulted in a 4 - 2 win for the 'Gers'. Arniston scorers, Cranston 2, Erskine, Cunningham. In goal that day in August, was the Arniston new recruit, A. Glen from Edinburgh City. Further wins followed, starting with a 3 - 1 win over Dunbar United, 3 - 2 win over Easthouses Lily, in which Brown scored all three for Arniston. The Arniston scoring machine was firing on all cylinders and crushing wins were obtained. 7 - 1 win over Bonnybridge Juniors in the Brown Cup at Bonnybridge, a great 4 - 1 win over Whitburn in the outstanding Scottish Junior Cup, 2nd Round.

November performances saw Arniston obliterate Bonnybridge Juniors, 7 - 0 in the Scottish Junior Cup, 3rd Round. Arniston scorers, Cranston, McColl, Brown 2, E. Glen 2, Dickens. The end of November, Arniston played in the Thornton Shield against West Calder and simply demolished their opponents by 9 goals to 0.

February 1955, Newbyres Park, Gorebridge housed its record attendance on Saturday when 9,000 spectators including a large West Lothian contingent, witnessed a great tussle between Arniston Rangers and Bo'ness United. Result: Arniston 2, Bo'ness 4. Press Summary: Arniston played the better football but failed to press home their advantage near goal. They gave away an unnecessary penalty, and were disallowed an apparently justified 'spot' award, and a goal-keeping lapse by A. Glen completed their misfortune. Also E. Glen of Arniston and McBlair of Bo'ness were ordered off midway in the second half. Arniston scorers, E. Glen and Swan.

March, 1955, Arniston recovered their scoring touch at the expense of Linlithgow Rose. Arniston winning by a staggering 11 goals to 2, competition, East of Scotland Cup, of which their opponents were the holders. Arniston scorers, Brown 5, Cranston 4, Glen, Dickens.

April, 1955 saw Arniston still playing well and putting in a great 4 - 2 win over their keen rivals, Bonnyrigg Rose at Dundas Park, Bonnyrigg. Arniston scorers, Brown 2, Hill, Cranston.

Season finished for Arniston losing in the East of Scotland Cup final 3 - 0 to Bo'ness United.

Topics of interest - October, 1954 saw the unfurling of the League Championship Flag under the presidency of Mr. Beaton Hamilton. January, 1955 saw the death of Mr. William Weir, and was felt strongly as he had been associated with Arniston for nearly fifty years, as a player, official and a life member.

ARNISTON ON THE MARK

ARNISTON RANGERS.........6 BONNYRIGG ROSE ATH.....1

Adapting themselves better to the underfoot conditions, Arniston Rangers fully merited their 6 - 1 win over Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic. With the assistance of a strong blustery wind the Rangers quickly endangered the Rose goal. Bonnyrigg staged a brief attack but their forwards lacked the guile to outwit the sound defence of Kidd, Ranken and Smith. Arniston regained the initiative but a tendency for the home side to repeatedly run offside spoilt many chances. A great opportunity fell to Cranston but with only Miller to beat he shot past.

The Rose 'keeper again distinguished himself with a masterly save from a Miller thunderbolt. The sustained pressure eventually told, McCall putting the Rangers ahead. Bonnyrigg had several ineffectual runs but badly lacked finishing marksmen.

In succeeding play only desperate interventions by Wilson, Kennaway and Urquhart averted further goals. Near the interval, after the woodwork had saved the Rose citadel, a partial Miller clearance from A. Glen rebounded to Cranston who promptly netted to give the Rangers a two-goal interval lead.

The issue was practically sealed when McCall added a fourth Rangers goal. Fraser, Arniston's left-half, was carried off on a stretcher following a head injury. Arniston continued to be the more dangerous side. Swan with two smartly taken goals, brought the total to six. Williamson netted the Rose solitary goal.

LINLITHGOW OVERWHELMED

Arniston Rangers 11 Linlithgow Rose 2

Linlithgow Rose, holders of the East of Scotland Junior Cup, made an inglorious exit at Newbyres Park, Gorebridge, when Arniston Rangers overwhelmed the West Lothian club.

Arniston quickly asserted their superiority, but Dickens and McColl squandered chances. A brief Rose attacking innings petered out when Pottinger cleared confidently from a ruck of players. The Arniston goal ran an escape when Pottinger punched a Thomson drive against the upright, but Muir made poor use of the rebound.

Arniston regained the iniative , and after Park had saved from Cranston, Brown connected with a Glen cross and opened the home account. Shortly afterwards Cranston, from a free kick, netted a second. Traffic was mainly oneway, and after a bad miss, Cranston made amends by notching a third, while Brown added a fourth Rangers goal. A minute from the interval McNeish reduced the visitors; leeway.

On resuming, Arniston increased their margin through Dickens, but in a determined foray, McNeish added a second Rose goal.

The Rangers took the honours in succeeding play, Brown (3), Cranston (2) and Glen adding further Arniston goals, to give the home side an easy passage to the third round ballot of the competition.