JOHNSTONE Burgh manager Jamie McKim praised his ‘wide boys’ after they fired the Keanie Park club to victory against Lugar Boswell Thistle.
Sam Esplin and Chris Martin were both on the scoresheet as Burgh secured a 3-1 win on Friday night.
McKim was delighted with the contribution made by the dynamic duo...but revealed he has head coach Ryan Muldoon to thank for the team’s latest success.
It was Muldoon who convinced his gaffer to switch the wings Esplin and Martin were operating on in a bid to break down a stubborn Lugar defence.
And that move paid dividends, with Esplin opening the scoring before Martin set up the second goal for Ricky McArthur and then bagged the third himself.
McKim told Gazette Sport: “Sam started on the right and Chris Martin was on the left and we were struggling to create clear opportunities.
“It was one of the coaches, Ryan Muldoon, who suggested switching the wingers over to see if we could create better opportunities that way – and, as soon as we did that, Sam drove inside and scored to make it 1-0.
“With the second goal, Chris has come off the right and hit the post and Ricky scores, so I’ve got to give big Ryan a lot of credit.
“It’s good to see the wide guys doing well and being creative and contributing to the goals.”
Esplin found the opener on the stroke of half-time as his shot from distance bounced into the bottom corner.
The hosts levelled the score in the early stages of the second half after being awarded a penalty.
However, five minutes later, McArthur restored Burgh’s lead by reacting quickest as Martin’s shot rebounded off the post.
Martin then smashed home the third goal for the visitors late on to make the points safe.
That strike sparked wild scenes on the Burgh touchline, which McKim believes were a sign of the sense of togetherness at the club.
He continued: “There’s a real team ethic and everyone puts the team before themselves.
“You can tell with the celebrations that none of the players who weren’t on the pitch are sitting there feeling sorry for themselves or thinking ‘I wish they weren’t winning because I’m not playing.’
“Everybody wants the best for the club.”
The festive break means Burgh won’t be back in league action again until January 9.
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