Fantastic win for Arthurlie
Arthurlie got their league campaign off to the perfect start with their biggest league win since 2010.
The Barrhead side issued a statement of intent as they try to bounce back from the disappointment of last year’s relegation.
But it was the guests who got off to the best start as they took the lead after nine minutes.
Ryan McManus burst into the home penalty area where he clashed with Connor Bradley and the referee pointed to the spot.
Up stepped Kieran Daw who coolly sent James Digney the wrong way to open the scoring.
Where last season going behind would have seen the Arthurlie players heads go down, it had the exact opposite effect and the home side came more into the game.
They deservedly levelled after 20 minutes after great work on the right from Josh Payne saw him feed Del McNab who fired a rocket past John Paul Stark, giving the keeper no chance. Seven minutes later, Arthurlie went ahead. McNab burst into the area and, when he was pulled back the referee pointed to the spot.
Former Renfrew striker Jamie Docherty stepped up confidently to send Stark the wrong way.
Although Arthurlie were dominant, keeper Digney had to be at his best on the half hour to tip over a great effort from Daniel Lafferty.
The second half was one-way traffic and barely a minute had gone when Docherty burst through on Stark’s net but the visiting keeper did well to block.
Docherty wasn’t to be denied though and, on 55 minutes, he rose highest at the back post to head home a cross from Payne.
Stark was then at full stretch to deny Docherty but, when the ball broke to McNab, he calmly waited before teeing up Jamie Gray to fire home number four.
Docherty bagged his hat-trick soon after from another header and then, with three minutes remaining, substitute Dom O’Halloran put the icing on the cake by slotting home from the edge of the penalty area.
Arthurlie: Digney, Bohme, Bradley, Mushet, Etherson, Roulston, Payne, Wilson, Docherty, McNab, Gray.
Subs: Forbes, O’Halloran, McNeil, Moffat and McPhee.