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Strathspey Thistle boss places his trust in players over festive break





Ryan Esson hopes his players enjoy the festive break but do not breach the trust he is showing in them.
Ryan Esson hopes his players enjoy the festive break but do not breach the trust he is showing in them.

Strathspey Thistle’s players are enjoying a rare festive break after their thrilling 3-3 draw in the downpour at Mosset Park.

The club moved this weekend’s scheduled fixture to Deveronvale forward meaning that the squad has an extended break - from competitive action if not training.

But Jags boss Ryan Esson has said he has placed his trust in his players and expects that not to be misplaced.

Related article:

Jags pick up great point in stormy clash at Forres

He told the Strathy: “They can enjoy themselves but they need to understand they still have to do the work.

“The players have got my trust until they do something to lose it. It is a given as a footballer to do the work - they are semi-professionals.

“We have got a few training sessions over the Christmas and New Year period and they have got some runs to do.”

Esson joked: “I’ve told them to keep the selection boxes down to a minimum!”

There are three official training sessions and two running sessions before the Jags are next in action when they travel to take on Formatine United on January 4.

The Jags lost 3-0 at the end of November to Deveronvale in the match that was brought forward.

Esson explained: “We moved the fixture forward because the conditions in Grantown can be so unpredictable and there was an opportunity to do this.

“I have been in football and we normally trained on Christmas day and you do miss out on a lot.

“Many of the boys have got family - which is the most important thing of all - so they will have the chance to spend time with them.

“But they are not getting off with it all - they had a run on Christmas Eve to do and we are back in training on Friday (December 27).”

The Grantown side’s goals on Saturday came from Liam Shewan and Josh Race in the first half before trialist substitute Sean Ellis put the visitors ahead briefly in the second period.

Esson said: “I was delighted how the boys applied themselves and went about their work as the conditions were horrendous in the first half and then they died right down for the second 45.

“We were really up against it in the first half as we were playing into the wind and rain - it was basically a storm.”

The weather also had its part to play with it denying the Jags a goal.

“Josh Race dinks the ball over the keeper and if we were not up against the wind it would have gone into the back of the net,” said Esson.

But overall he was very happy with this side’s display.

“It was a really, really positive performance,” he said. “We did give up more chances than I would have liked in the second half but we were on the front foot trying to win the game.

“I was told afterwards that it is the first time we have taken points away from Forres since 2018.”


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