SALTCOATS VICTORIA 1

DALRY THISTLE 7

SEVEN wonders Dalry swept aside Vics with a ruthless performance.

As the shoreline suggests, this was a comfortable win for Thistle, who controlled the game almost from start to finish.

Inside the first minute Mark Archdeacon had a great opportunity to score. The opener was only delayed until four minutes, however. when Jordan Stewart, who even at this early stage had been tormenting the full back got in a cross from the right and it was Kyle Cummings who was at the far post to score.

It was 2-0 in eight minutes when once again Jordan Stewart was the supplier from the right and this time Archdeacon finished it.

In 10 minutes Stewart had a great chance but the ball bobbled badly and his shot went well wide.

Saltcoats pulled a goal back in 13 minutes when they were awarded a free-kick wide on the right and when the ball was played into the box Callum, McDade was given time for a free header.

In 19 minutes Thistle restored their two-goal lead when Archdeacon became the supplier of the cross for Liam Hood to score.

Cummings then neatly turned his defender but his shot went over.

Dalry got their fourth in 31 minutes.They were awarded a free-kick just wide of the right hand corner of the box and Archdeacon curled the ball round the wall and into the bottom corner of the net.

Dalry were now comfortable, but Saltcoats did threaten a couple of times before the break - firstly when Stephen Reid shot into the side net and then McDade shot over the bar.

Dalry keeper Blair Lochhead took and nasty knock to his ankle blocking a shot and had some lengthy treatment before he could continue.

Into the second half and Saltcoats tried to get more in the faces of Dalry and it made a slight difference for a while.

However Dalry were soon back on the offensive again and a Chris McGowan header from a corner went just over the bar.

Just when it seemed that Dalry might be getting a bit complacent sitting on their lead, they added number five. Cummings sent a cross to the far post and Robert Boyd volleyed the ball into the net.

Dalry took the opportunity to make changes, with McLaughlin replacing Jordan Stewart, Martin Stewart replacing William Boyd and Harris Beech going on for Cummings, all in quick succession.

It made little difference to the flow of the game which was still mostly Dalry pressure.

Three minutes from time a poor clearance from home goalie Shaun Kirkland fell to Archdeacon but his shot from 25 yards went wide.

A minute later it was 6-1 when a quick break found Beech clear in front of goal to score.

Then in the final minute a powerful headed clearance from the halfway line fell for Kieran McLaughlin, who scored with a powerful shot.

A comfortable win then for Dalry, which takes them to fourth in the table.

SALTCATS VICTORIA: Kirkland; Hardin, Quinn, Patrick, Easdon, Arthur, Santos, Anderson, Reid, McDade, McKie. Subs. Hollis, Kean, Kean, Patterson, Farrell.

DALRY THISTLE: Lochhead; Hunter, McGowan Junior, R Boyd, McGowan Senior, Brown, J Stewart, W Boyd, Archdeacon, Cummings, Hood. Subs McLaughlin, Lavery, M Stewart, Beech, Marshall.