Dalbeattie Star v Nithsdale Wanderers

HOT SHOT STAR ON THE GOAL TRAIL AGAIN
Dalbeattie Star made it 15 goals in two matches so far in 2013 by scoring an impressive eight goals away to Nithsdale in what looked like being a tricky tie for the Champions before the game. As promised manager John MacBeth fielded a strong starting XI as he looked to give his players some continuity after a stop start period over the past month or so.
With a healthy crowd in attendance it was important the visitors got off to a good start and in the 6th minute they did just that when Scott Milligan fired a 25 yard free kick low past Martin in the home goal. Soon after Curtiss Wilson was denied by the woodwork and Milligan was thwarted by a fine save by Martin as Star looked to build on their early lead. Midway through the first half Nithsdale had a great chance to equalise when a long ball over the top caught out the Star defence and Jardine ran clean through, and as Ally Cathro came out to narrow the angle the forward pulled his shot wide. The home side were made to pay for this as within a minute the Star went 2-0 up when Hugh Cameron cut the ball back for Lewis Sloan to fire the ball high in to the net from 12 yards. Nithsdale were not deterred by this setback and just after the half hour Cathro produced a superb save to keep his clean sheet intact when former Star striker Kennedy seemed certain to score.
Nithsdale’s misery was compounded a minute from the interval when Bell’s pass back to his keeper took a bad bounce and bobbled past Martin and trickled in to the net to give the Star a commanding three goal advantage at the interval. If the first half was closer than perhaps  the scoreline suggested then the second was one way traffic as the Star ran in another five goals.
In the 56th minute Wilson and Milligan combined to set up Gary Kerr for number four and 6 minutes later Milligan scored his second with a straightforward header after brilliant play by Sloan down the right. Goal number six arrived soon after when Milligan’s cross landed at the feet of Grant Parker and he made no mistake from the edge of the box. Twenty minutes from time Milly completed his hat trick after good lead up play by Parker and in the 82nd minute the scoring was finished as Milligan netted his 29th goal of the season when he rounded the keeper after a long through ball by Stuart MacPherson. New signing Grant Middlemiss nearly made it two goals in two games since joining the Star but keeper Martin saved well to keep the score at 8-0.
All in all an excellent afternoon’s work for John MacBeth’s side and next week they will be looking to continue this fine goalscoring form as Fleet Star visit Islecroft on league duty.    
NITHSDALE WANDERERS 0           DALBEATTIE STAR 8                                                  Milligan (6, 62, 68, 82)                                                  Sloan (23)                                                  M Bell og (44)                                                  Kerr (56)                                                  G Parker (68) NITHSDALE WANDERERS: Martin, Bennie, Houston (Livingstone 38), M Bell (Thomson 60), Currie, McGinley, Irving, Paterson, Johnston (Bell 70), Kennedy, Jardine Subs not used: Kilpatrick, Schneider Yellow Cards: McGinley, Livingstone DALBEATTIE STAR: Cathro, Maxwell, Wilson, Wells, MacPherson, McMurdo (Dingwall 68), Cameron (McKie 76), Kerr, G Parker (Middlemiss 72), Milligan, Sloan Subs not used: Wright Yellow Cards: None Ref C Haswell