Sound sail for Paisley Pirates

The Paisley Pirates have picked up some wind in their sails as they glide into the final week of the regular season in the Scottish National League (SNL).

The Braehead-based team picked up four points with two wins at the weekend to boost them up the table ahead of the season’s end.

On Saturday, March 16, they travelled to North Ayrshire where they overcame Wild 4-2, taking revenge for their reverse against them in February.

Garry Simpson netted three of the goals for the Pirates, with Tom Johnston also getting in on the act. Forward Ryan Parkin was named manof-the-match.

The good times rolled on with a home match at the Braehead Arena the following day when Pirates took on Kilmarnock Thunder.

Prior to Sunday’s game the two sides were level on 26 points in the SNL.

But the plundering Pirates took a step above their league rivals, storming to a 6-0 win in front of the jubilant home crowd.

Four goals in the final period masked what was a hard-fought win.

Michael Dobson opened the scoring in the fourth minute of the match, with Gary Simpson finally adding to Paisley’s score in the 37th minute while on a powerplay.

With the Thunder pushing hard to reduce the arrears in the third period, Pirates finished them off. Pirates’ manof-the-match Alex Lane in the 51st and 59th minutes, Fraser Kerr in the 52nd, and Marcus Murdoch in the 56th with the goals.

Speaking to club media after the game, Alex Lane said: “Really great effort from our whole team top to bottom, it feels really good. I’m really happy.

“You can see the progress we’ve made all season in the match today. We’re moving in the right direction for the play-offs and we’ll do our best to keep that momentum going forward.”

Head Coach Ian Turley however, was more concerned that the Pirates didn’t secure the game earlier.

He said: “I’m obviously happy with the result, but I didn’t think we were great in the first and second period.

“I don’t know what our conversion rate on the powerplay was, but we were pretty poor and that was something I was disappointed in.

“I thought we were just a bit flat in the first and second.”

But he recognises that in that game and throughout the season his team have stuck to their task, saying: “But you talk about the four point weekend and tonight, going into the third, sometimes it’s just about persistence and perseverance and eventually you reap the rewards of that.”

The Pirates will be hoping to continue their good form into their final game of the regular season when they take on Kirkcaldy Kestrels on Sunday at 5pm at the Braehead Arena, with their final league position determining the calibre of opponent they will meet in the first round of the play-offs.

Ian Turley however is not concerned about who they come up against.

He said: “I don’t think at this stage it matters who we’re going to get, we’ve seen how the league has been with teams taking points off each other.”  Pics courtesy of Al Goold

Photo.

I’m obviously happy with the result, but I didn’t think we were great in the first and second period

Ian Turley

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