Magnificent seven for rampant Blair
Club’s 70th season kicks off in fine style
Blairgowrie kicked off their 70th season with an emphatic 7-0 away victory over Lochore Welfare in the North Division on Saturday.
The Fifers started well, but Blair soon got into the game with new signing Rudi Brown volleying against the post.
After a spell in which the two sides were level-pegging, Gary Axworthy picked up possession in midfield and ran through to rifle a low drive into the corner of the net with 32 minutes played to open the scoring for the away side.
Just two minutes later, Blair’s lead was doubled when Axworthy played a one-two with Sean Kelly to finish with a fierce volley high into the net.
Following some missed opportunities, the third goal came after 55 minutes when Ryan Menzies fired a drive into the top-left corner from 30 yards – already a contender for goal of the season.
It was one-way traffic by this stage and a flowing move in 67 minutes was finished off by Paul Maloney who scored from six yards, turning in a Rudi Brown cross.
Ten minutes later, Allan Cruickshank bulleted home a header from a Menzies cross to make it five.
Stuart Nicoll set up Maloney to score the sixth in the 80th minute after a good run and cross, then a deft Axworthy cross was turned in by Cruickshank with three minutes left.
Lochore rallied and O’Brien made two great saves in the dying moments to preserve the clean sheet.
Blairgowrie: O’Brien, Menzies, Nicoll, Millar, Simpson, Axworthy, Brown, Duncan, Mitchell, Plenderleith, Kelly. Subs used: Maloney, Cruickshank and Pirie.
Saturday’s match was deemed an encouraging start to the season, although Blair boss Billy Mackay and his management team will be aware that there are many tougher assignments lying ahead.
There was some bad news on the injury front as Ross Mitchell pulled a hamstring and may be out for some time.
In a league of 15 clubs, Blairgowrie are ‘odd man out’ this week so, as a result, have no fixture.
The next match is on August 20, at home to Kirrie Thistle in the North Division. Kick-off at Davie Park is 2.30pm. This week’s berry-pickers’ weigh-in numbers were 8, 11, 13 and 15.
There were no winners, which means next week’s jackpot stands at £550.