Westerton 6-1 Clyde Thistle
 
AFTER a positive start to the season in the PJDYFL First Division with a draw against Broomhill and a 7-2 victory over Giffnock, Clyde Thistle are now looking to return to winning ways following disappointing defeats to Thorn last weekend and Westerton yesterday.
 
While warming up at the Donald Dewar Leisure Centre for their fourth league match of the campaign, it was clear Westerton would provide another tough challenge on their home patch, with several players in their starting eleven towering above the Thistle boys - and even the coaches and parents on the sidelines!
 
Nevertheless, the Rhu Jags started the match brightly and they were competing well and creating goalscoring chances in the early stages.
 
Kieran O’Donnell went through one-on-one with the goalkeeper on a couple of occasions but couldn’t find the net. Jack Smith then opened the scoring when a long punt up the park from Aidan Dixon found Thistle’s number 18 who sprinted clear and finished confidently to make it 1-0.
 
At this point Thistle deserved to be in front but poor defending from a corner allowed Westerton to equalise and the home side again scored to make it 2-1 before the interval.
 
With too many heads down during the half-time team talk, Chris told the players to basically get a grip, to stay positive, to keep trying to play football on the deck and to give their all to try and get back on level terms.
 
However, it was Westerton that won the battle in a second half which saw Ross MacKinnon – who was excellent at the back - sent off for a last-ditch tackle.
 
After the 6-1 defeat Chris Hedley said: “We are all disappointed with the result, especially as we competed very well in the first half and were unlucky to be a goal down.
 
“A few of the boys were upset at the break but, to be blunt, we don’t want to see that from them again, we want them go out and work even harder for each other and have the belief in themselves when they are behind that they can still win the game.
 
“I didn’t feel we had that confidence and belief in the second half yesterday, which is a shame because when we got the ball down and tried to play our passing game we looked good and made it difficult for them.
 
“When the game is fast and you are not getting a lot of time or space on the ball it’s important to be calm, to find space, pick the right pass and show a bit of composure. This is something we are really trying to work on with the boys in training right now with a lot of possession based drills.
 
“In this league we will learn a lot from wins but also from defeats, and as we have always said every game is going to be a great challenge for our players this season.
 
“It is just important they compete, they tackle and they give 100 percent to win their individual battles - and that we keep trying to play the kind of football that got us into the top Paisley league in the first place.
 
“In terms of the man of the match award for Thistle, Zak Logan was excellent again yesterday as was Ross, who took one for the team with his sending off when their striker was running through on goal.
 
“But for his overall performance, his desire to win the ball and his attitude throughout the game, the coaches’ man of the match on Saturday goes to Jay Black. Well done Jay!”