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       Blackwater Badgers 1 v 8 Rose & Thistle           (Division 2)

Team: Conneta, Marshall, Davison, Gray, Mehta, Harris, Lindley, Waygood, Gadsen, Miller, Allery
Subs: Scales, Totten, Walker, Winnard

Thistle's first game of the Calendar year was away at Blackwater Badgers on a frosty morning. Davison with a strong squad to pick from stuck with the 4-3-3 formation which has done so well in the past 2 league games.

Thistle started brightly and with the first attack of the game took the lead. A defence splitting through ball from Davison in defence allowed Allery to easily out pace the defence and cleverly dink it over the on rushing keeper, 1-0 Thistle. And it was soon 2 nil as a corner from Gadsen was only half cleared to the edge of the box and Harris hit a thunderbolt from 25 yards which went through the keeper, who was slightly unsighted from the sun, great strike though, 2-0 Thistle. Thistle's defence was superb in the first 25 mins looking rock solid meaning Conneta barely touched the ball. A third goal arrived from another Gadsen corner as Allery fired in a near post volley, 3-0 Thistle. By this point Harris, Lindley and Waygood were controlling the middle of the park allowing Gadsen, Miller and Allery to cause problems in the final third. A fourth duly followed with a individual goal from Miller who cut in from the right beating one defender then playing a neat one-two with Allery on the edge of the box and toe poking home under pressure from 2 Badgers defenders, 4-0 Thistle.

Half time, 4-0 and Thistle looking comfortable with Davison and Marshall in particular playing well in defence and Allery up front.

The second half started with Thistle struggling to get going and only after a couple of Badgers attempts did the fifth goal come. A great team goal was started as Lindley won the ball in midfield and played it to Miller who found Waygood with a forward run who crossed for Allery to backheel into the far corner, Zola esq, 5-0 Thistle. Allery made it six nil when a through ball from Lindley found him clean through and he easily rounded the keeper to make it 6-0 Thistle. Davison made the first change and brought Walker on for Mehta at left back who had a solid game. Badgers started to threaten with Conneta making a great diving save. Thistle should have had a penalty after a mazy run from Lindley was ended by a crude Badger challenge, but the ref said no saying that if Lindley hadn't gone down with 'arms flailing' he would have given it. As a result of that challenge Lindley was forced off with a slight knock allowing Nick Totten to come on for his debut in central midfield. And it was Totten who found Miller on the right with a good through ball who then crossed for Allery to smash home his 5th and break his and Scales record for goals in a game, 7-0 Thistle. After this Allery was subbed for Scales, who almost scored in his first few moments but couldn't get the ball past the on rushing keeper. Thistle however got complacent and allowed a Badgers consolation as some hesitant defending allowed the Badgers number 10 to score an excellent goal in the top corner, 7-1 Thistle. Walker made a fantastic last ditch tackle to block a further Badger goal and Thistle quickly made it 8 as another excellent set piece from Gadsen found Waygood heading home at the far post, 8-1 Thistle.

Full Time, 8-1 Thistle. A comfortable win with good performances all round and also making it 3 league wins in a row, scoring 17 goals in the process.