Match Detail

Salters notched up a third straight league win in a row on Sunday against a good Pentland Thistle team. 

Salters started strongly with Paul Nelson and Richard Murray causing all sorts or problems for the Pentland backline. Kris Murdoch and Darren Smith at full back were heavily involved in the attacking play and Salters were pulling our opposition all over the place. We got the opening goal after a throw in from Shane Thomson was headed home, via a slight deflection, by Mikey Thomson. Salters second goal was excellent. Good build up from the back then down the right through Kris Murdoch and finally on to Richard Murray who beat the full back and put in a great cross from the touchline, Paul Milligan arrived right on time to power home a header. The same combination gave Salters their third goal. Richard cutting in from the right and playing Paul Milligan in on goal, Paul took one touch and neatly chipped the ball in the far corner. The Pentland goalkeeper was keeping the score down at this stage. He produced some magnificent saves, in particular a brilliant tip over from Shane Thomson’s 20 yard volley and an unbelievable point blank save from a Paul Milligan shot from 10 yards. Salters also hit the post and bar during the first half. John Paget in the Salters goal didn’t have a single shot to deal with in the whole first half as the defence gave Pentland no time at all on the ball. Salters could and maybe should have gone in 6 or 7 up at half time, however the first half ended 3-0.

The second half was not as impressive in terms of the passing and movement. However Salters still dominated the game and created many more chances. Salters went 4-0 after a long diagonal pass from Kris Murdoch put Paul Nelson through on goal; Paul calmly lobbed the ball into the far corner. Salters fifth goal came from Stephen Brown. Stephen won the ball in midfield and powered forward playing a one two with Paul Milligan before shooting low and hard into the far corner. Again Salters created more chances, Paul Milligan hitting the post and bar, a Richard Murray effort was again well saved by the Pentland goalkeeper and Mikey Jones shooting over from just inside the box. Again in the second half John Paget in the Salters goal was a virtual spectator.

At times some of the football Salters played, particularly in the first half, was as good as you will ever see in Sunday League football. Passing and moving it all over the pitch and creating chance after chance. Pentland also tried to pass the ball and have some very good players, however on this occasion Salters ran out comfortable winners. The only thing over the 90 minutes Salters could have done better is the finishing, had we took even half our chances it could have ended in double figures.

This game was played in excellent sporting spirit. Not a single tackle or booking to mention from either team.

Best of luck to Pentland for the coming season, they are a good bunch of lads and in time they will cause teams a lot of problems.

Newton Heath away up next for Salters in what is likely to be one of our hardest matches of the season. A test that Salters will have to be up for if we really want to do well this season.

Team: John Paget, Kris Murdoch, Ryan Newton, Jon Weir (Neil McDonald), Darren Smith, Richard Murray, Shane Thomson, Michael Jones, Mikey Thomson (Danny Watson), Paul Nelson (Stephen Brown), Paul Milligan. Subs not used: Paul Kivlin, Steven Faughnan.