Love strikes late for Shotts
DARVEL 3-4 SHOTTS BON ACCORD Shotts manager John Mckeown is adamant his team’s stunning start to life in the Championship is proof they belong at this level.
After losing to title hopefuls and league leaders Cumbernauld on Wednesday, they dusted themselves down for a daunting trip to bigspending Darvel Juniors.
The visitors enjoyed a half-time lead thanks to Jordan Love’s first of the match, although the home side levelled early in the second half.
Shotts retook the lead, again through Love, before Darvel squared the scores again just two minutes later.
The hosts then took the lead for the first time and looked set to bag all three points before a late tactical change from Mckeown saw attacking midfielder Jordan Craig join the fray.
He threw the dice and won as Paul Mcgeough levelled with one minute to spare, before Love sealed his hat-trick to send the Shotts team wild.
Mckeown said: “It was brilliant scenes at the end of the game.
“It seemed like every player and member of staff was in the huge pileon at the end!
“Every club will see Darvel as a scalp with the type of players they can afford to bring in so it was a huge result for us.
“If I’d been offered two wins from these first three games I would have bitten your hand off.
“Cumbernauld were excellent when they beat us but that was last-minute and we more than matched them.
“I’m confident that we belong at this level and we just need to keep our focus going into each game.”
Shotts take on Dalry at Hannah Park this Saturday.
And Mckeown admits they’ll have to start picking up points at home if they hope to stay in the division this season.