MATCH REPORT BY JAMIE BANKS

St Cuthbert Wanderers opened the South of Scotland League campaign with a win over Lochar Thistle.

Saints needed to come from behind in their first competitive match of the season. After conceding right before the break, three second half goals sealed the victory on an unnaturally sunny day in Dumfries.

Despite early domination, there wasn’t any significant goalmouth action until the 40th minute. A hashed clearance from a Lochar defender gave the home side their first scare, but the ball bounced off the crossbar and clear.

Thistle were sweating again, and not just because of the 30-degree-heat, Thomas Kelly’s curling effort from outside the box narrowly missed the target.

Our hosts survived the pressure and had a chance of their own, a quick free-kick was played wide and the cross was turned home by an onrushing Lochar attacker.

The second half started, with the same high intensity from Saints, pushing for an equalizer.

Saints finally found a way through when Dillon Black collected the loose ball from a corner and his looping cross-shot had too much on it for the home keeper, who could only palm it into his own net.

With the leveller secured Saints began to push to get themselves in front, but it wouldn’t be until the 77th minute that we finally took the lead. Black’s driving run fed substitute Luke Currie who threaded a great pass behind the Lochar defence for Kelly to slam home.

There was no settling for the one-goal advantage though, in the game’s dying embers Kelly turned provider for Currie. It was almost a carbon-copy of the second, Kelly this time the one to slide the through-ball for Currie to tuck home.

Saints begin their competitive season with a win and a well-earned three points.