Published: Wednesday, 18th March, 2009 2:03pm

The Burgh boys are off the mark... finally

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Helensburgh 2 Blair Thistle 1

IT took a while but the Burgh team eventually managed to get their first three points of the season.

Going into this game, the boys were bottom of the league and had been on the end of some horrible results.

But credit to them all as they have kept plugging away and giving their all.

The Burgh side had the better of the first half and should have been at least four ahead by the turn.

However, poor finishing by Harrison and Campbell and a superb stop by the Thistle goalkeeper from a McColl effort kept the home team at bay.

And as usual, these missed chances came back to haunt them when Thistle took the lead just before the break with a well-taken near-post header. The boys had the advantage of the wind at their backs in the second half and this allowed them to once again put pressure on the Thistle backline, with only poor decision stopping them from drawing level.

With 20 minutes to go, they got the breakthrough they deserved.

From a corner, Campbell found the net when he turned sharply and fired the ball into the net with his weaker left foot.

Now with their confidence back, the home team continued to push forward for the winner and Connor Brooke finally found the net when he shot past the keeper after a tremendous run into the box.

Credit to Thistle, though, who never gave up and only the post then a goal-line clearance by Adam Booley kept them from equalising.

This victory was certainly a team win, with everyone putting in the maximum effort.

But two players deserve special mention. Booley, who has struggled recently eventually found the form which everybody knew he was capable of, and keeper Ronnie McDonald.

This was his first appearance in goals this season due to injuries and although he was not troubled too much, he dealt with everything very competently, allowing his defence to relax more than they have done this season.

It was an excellent result which hopefully will not be the last this season.

Helensburgh: McDonald, Mulholland, Cameron, Booley, McColl, Harrison, Brooke, Campbell, Bradick, McLean, Campbell, Docherty, Cairns and Kinloch.