Our women’s side earned their first three points of the SWFL Central-West league season with a thunderous 9-1 win over West Park United at Mountblow this afternoon.
Head Coach Gerry Gallacher was able to name an unchanged starting XI for the first time this season from last weeks valiant performance away to Linlithgow Rose and the players repaid his faith with an outstanding performance.
After a slow start in which both sides traded possession, it was the captain Eva McInnes who opened the scoring.
A good pick out from Gemma Russell found Mya Logan on the right side of the area – her shot come cross was tapped home by the skipper at the back post for the opener and the first of what would be five assists for player-of-the-match Logan.
15-year-old Amy MacPherson would net her first goal in senior football shortly after, Logan again the provider, teeing up MacPherson on the edge of the area who unleashed a dipping half-volley into the bottom corner.
It would be three after just 20 minutes, Russell nicking the ball off the toes of the defender before racing in on the onrushing keeper before unselfishly laying off McInnes to tap into the empty goal.
Gracie Williamson, Iona Russell and McInnes would come close before the captain completed her hat-trick before half time with another tap in after good play from Logan.
Into the second half and Russell looked as if she finally had her goal after McInnes repaid the favour by laying her off for an open goal but it was called back by the referee for offside.
She would then come close by rounding the West Park keeper but was only able to strike the post from a tight angle before forcing a save with a point-blank header.
West Park would pull one back with a well-placed spot kick past Kira Swallow after Mirren Esdale conceded a penalty on the hour mark.
But top scorer Russell would not be denied – another excellent pass from Logan found her in the area and the Dumbarton number nine added herself to the score sheet with a powerful finish.
She would then turn provider for the sixth – teeing off Williamson at the far post who finished at the second time of asking after forcing a good stop.
Logan would force the keeper into a good save but Russell was on hand to grab her second and the sides seventh before Logan herself curled in the goal of the afternoon for number eight.
Russell would get her hat-trick with the last kick of the game to match her captains achievement at the death.
The victory is the ladies first in the league this season and moves them up the table ahead of today’s visitors ahead of a trip to Alloa Athletic next Sunday.