Thistle are back with a bang

Craigroyston's draw at home to Joppa United ensured Beeslack leaped into second place behind Redpath, with the top two scheduled to face-off at Pilrig Park on Sunday.

Thistle will be buoyed by their first-half blitz of Salvie, in which they fired three goals past the formidable Connor Fruish to seal victory.

Beeslack's attacking centre back Kyle Grier and flying winger Euan Faulkner will deservedly take the plaudits for inspiring their team's win, but the visitors' goalkeeper Fruish was in fine form, pulling off some spectacular top corner saves to deny the hosts.

Fruish was grateful for the presence of the alert Salvie midfielder David McKenzie as Beeslack created the first clear opportunity of the game. Grier's fiercely struck half-volley from the right-hand edge of the penalty area was headed off the line and over the bar by McKenzie.

The pace of Thistle's roving left winger Faulkner was the catalyst for the opening goal a minute later, as the No.?7's jinking footwork in the box drew a foul from Josh Evans, and Grier cleverly disguised the resultant penalty, intimating to Fruish that he'd choose the right-hand corner but planting the ball to the left.

The well-worn surface on the left flank of Beeslack's attacking third of the pitch took another pounding by the fleet-footed Faulkner on 28 minutes as the home team doubled their advantage. Thistle midfield schemer Scott Inglis played a precise pass forward from halfway, with Faulkner cutting in from wide to seize possession before driving into the box and flicking the ball with the outside of his right boot past Fruish and into the far corner of the net.

Grier forced the first of two blinding stops by Fruish soon after, sending the ball towards the top right-hand corner only for the keeper to flash a hand across and push the ball away.

Kyle Grieve in the Salvie attack was the only player to call Beeslack No.?1 Ruaridh Tait into action in the first half when, after beating Thistle's Ryan Johnstone on the right, he set up a one-on-one, scooped his shot over the advancing goalkeeper but wide of the right-hand post.

Two minutes before the break, Beeslack all but concluded matters with a third strike.

Fruish elicited gasps of disbelief from both touchlines when he acrobatically tipped Grier's free kick, destined for the top left corner of the net, away for a corner. But, from the subsequent flag-kick, a cross-ball ricocheted off an unfortunate Salvie defender and into the net.

In a scrappy second period, Beeslack's Finlay Price nodded a Connor Quinn corner inches over and at the other end Salvie's Christopher MacDonald dragged a shot wide of the left-hand post. The perpetual running of Thistle wideman Faulkner was halted only by injury to the game's star player, but Beeslack's loss did not affect the outcome.

Alex Johnstone, the Beeslack coach, said: "We were a bit rusty as we haven't played since November 21st but we are happy to get the three points, which puts us second in the table. We are trying to put on two training sessions this week before our match with Redpath Albion."

Douglas Bruce, head coach of Salvesen Colts, said: "We were desperate to play, but you could tell the boys hadn't played in a long time. I am, however, delighted with their effort."

Beeslack Thistle: Ruaridh Tait, Iain Johnstone, Finlay Price, Kyle Grier, Jack Elliott, Euan Faulkner, Scott Inglis, Kieran Craig, Oliver Lemarchand, Craig Anderson, Scott Ralston, Ryan Johnstone, Connor Quinn, Craig Watson, Greg Gladstone.

Salvesen Colts: Connor Fruish, Stewart Milne, Robin Mogg, Liam Douglas, Christopher MacDonald, David McKenzie, Patrick Casey, Kyle Grieve, Adam Gibson, Cammy Loudon, Josh Evans, Steven Makungwa.