A BLISTERING spell of four goals in ten second-half minutes against Kilwinning Rangers
helped Bonnyton Thistle to another dominant win and to the top of their WoSFDL
table.
The opening 15 minutes were a tight affair, with the visitor’s searching long balls into
the channels proving a challenge for the Ton defence.
The hosts saw it out though, and took the lead just before the 20 minute mark, as a
period of pinball in the box led to Arran Fairbairn, who had already seen two long
shots fly just wide, latching onto the ball on the edge of the box and firing a strike into
the top corner.
The rest of the first half never quite found rhythm, despite the growing threat of the
Rangers no.15 probing but never meaningfully challenging the Bonnyton goal.
The Ton didn’t quite settle at the beginning of the second period, and ought to have
been brought back to level terms when a flowing Rangers move got them in behind,
only for their striker to drill his shot just wide of Bradley Bain’s far post – a miss which
they were made to pay for.
Reece Bryden twice came up from the back to attack Charlie Farrell corners, first
seeing the ball deflect off him and onto the post, before making good on his second
chance to head the Ton into a two-goal lead.
Mere moments later, it was three; Bonnyton earned a free-kick about 25 yards from
goal, and Fairbairn stepped up to place it perfectly over the wall and beyond the
goalkeeper for his second of the evening.
It only took a further six minutes for the attacking midfielder to turn his haul into a
hat-trick, running onto a through ball from Alex McGrory and seeing his on-target
effort bundled in by a retreating defender on the line.
Fairbairn then grabbed his fourth of the night and his ninth already this season,
closing down the Rangers goalkeeper’s attempts to see the ball out for a goal kick,
robbing the stranded stopper and selling a dummy to the defender to tap into the
unguarded goal.
That glut of goals essentially ended the game with 25 minutes still to play, Kilwinning
Rangers’ plight emphasised with a hopeless long ranger which flew over the bar ten
minutes from time.
Almost immediately, and as if to underline their authority, Bonnyton added their six;
Farrell got the ball to byline and dinked a cross over, with substitute Callum Fyfe’s
effort coming off the post and landing right in front of Nathan Ferguson to tap home.
The only slight negative on the night for the Ton was a late red card for Zander
Leslie, who was sent off for a high challenge in midfield.
The result sees Bonnyton sit top of the table with a remarkable +12 goal difference
so far, testament to the two fine attacking displays they’ve produced.