New management team hail win for Farmer’s Boys
NEILSTON........................................2 KILSYTH RANGERS........................1 Neilston’s new management team recorded their first win as the injuryhit Farmer’s Boys saw off Kilsyth Rangers.
Derek Carson, Chris Cameron and Davie Gordon were in the dugout at the Brig O’Lea – although all three were also on the bench as they dealt with a a player shortage on only their second game in charge.
Second- half strikes from Paul Stewart and Dylan Fletcher were enough to seal the win as they dealt with the weather as well as their opponents.
It looked like it could be a difficult afternoon for Neilston as they struggled to get to grips with their visitors in the opening exchanges.
Opportunities rained in on their goal inside the opening 15 minutes as the defence failed to handle the Kilsyth forward line but they had goalkeeper Robert Tripolous to thank as he managed to keep them at bay.
Neilston were restricted to efforts from range, with their only real chance coming from a free-kick which smashed off the foot of the posts.
A half-time talking to was required from both dugouts but it was the Neilston one that did the trick.
Stewart opened the scoring just three minutes into the second period, netting against his former side as the Farmer’s Boys’ direct approach put Kilsyth under the cosh.
Their lead proved to be short-lived however, with Salim Kouider-Aissa racing on to a fine ball behind the Neilston defence to slot under the keeper.
It was end-to-end stuff as both sides went in search of what would prove to be the vital second goal.
With conflicting styles of play, Kilsyth were looking to get the ball down and pass around their opponents. But the route one tactic from Neilston was working every bit as well on the heavy surface.
Their approach finally paid dividends with about 15 minutes remaining when a long free-kick from the back was headed in by Fletcher to put them ahead for a second time. That was how it finished as Neilston held firm in the closing stages.
Neilston: Tirpoulous, Fletcher, McDade, Young, Blakey, Docherty, Robson, Haddow, Patterson, Stewart, Lovering.
Subs: Convery, Gordon, Cameron, Carson, Wilson.
Kilsyth Rangers: Tait, McGoldrick, Higgins, Harrison, Tully, Wingate, Kelly, Neil, Kouider-Aissa, Smith, Dolan.
Subs: Pirrie, Sheridan, McKay, Conville.