JOHNSTONE Burgh manager Jamie McKim was delighted to secure all three points at Girvan on Saturday...but admits his spying mission in Ayrshire a week earlier was “pointless.”

Jojo Gillespie netted his 10th and 11th goals of the season as Burgh’s first game of 2022 ended in a 2-1 victory.

McKim had watched Girvan in action the previous week, after his own team’s match was postponed, but it turned out to be a wasted journey.

He told Gazette Sport: “It was a tough game for us. They are a stuffy opponent but we’re delighted to come away with another win and it keeps us going.

“I went down and watched them last week but they ended up playing a different shape and a different style, so that was pointless.”

Gillespie opened the scoring after 19 minutes when he found the net from close range following a scramble in the Girvan six-yard box.

The hosts equalised five minutes later when Burgh failed to deal with a corner that was flicked on towards the back post and headed into the net by Craig Harvey.

However, Gillespie got the winner just before the hour mark after another stramash in the Girvan penalty area.

The Keanie Park team were under pressure in the closing stages after Danny McBeth’s red card but held on for their fifth win in a row.

McKim believes Girvan’s ‘route one’ style of football suited his defenders.

“They attacked us a bit more towards the end but I felt we were always the team in control,” he said. “There was a bit of pressure and we just had to stand up and defend as much as we could.

“I don’t think we were ever in danger because there weren’t any great chances, it was just balls into the box and, if you want to put balls in the box against us, we’ve got two of the best centre-halves at this level at winning them in the air, so we’re comfortable with that.”

Burgh are on the road again this weekend as they make another trip to Ayrshire to face struggling Saltcoats Victoria at Campbell Park, with McKim keen to see his team’s impressive form continue.

He added: “We’re trying to make up for the slow start that we had. If we can make it six wins in a row and keep climbing the table, we can get to where we want to be by the end of the season.”

Kick-off on Saturday is at 1.30pm.