Strathspey Thistle boss praises players’ resilience after late winner in 4-3 thriller at Rothes
Strathspey Thistle boss Ryan Esson has praised the resilience of his players after they were pegged back by local rivals Rothes but then went on to win the match.
The Jags had been 3-1 up at Mackessack Park last night after suffering an early setback when Daniel Fraser bagged his first of two in just the fifth minute.
However, the Jags levelled on the stroke of half-time through Liam Shewan
New boy Shaun Morrison scored his third in just two league games for the Jags three minutes after the interval and then Shewan again made it 3-1 in the 53rd minute.
The Jags then had plenty of chances to add to their lead but failed to do so before Fraser (62nd) with his second and Thomas Brady punished them for their lack of prolificacy.
But unlike in previous seasons when the Grantown side would have sunk, the Jags rallied and captain James McShane made it 4-3 in the 84th minute to ensure Thistle came out on the right side of a pulsating game.
Esson admitted afterwards: “It should not have been a nail-bitter but it ended up being that way.
“However, I have got to praise the boys who showed real resilience.
“We missed too many chances - after we scored the third we could have had a fourth, fifth and even a sixth.
“But we failed to convert and that gave Rothes some momentum to get back into the game and at one point it looked as if we were going to lose it.
“But the determination from the boys to get the win was brilliant.
“To be 3-1 up and then pegged back to 3-3 and go on to win it at the end was excellent stuff.
“Two wins on the bounce is a really good start to the season - but that’s all it is: a start.
“We need to keep this momentum into Saturday and go and try to win away at Brechin who have been scoring a lot of goals.
“But that is four straight wins for us including the two in pre-season against Dufftown and Forres Thistle.
“If we can win on Saturday, then what a start it is for us.
“We are going into the game with confidence but we know it is going to be tough as Brechin ar favourites for the Highland League title.”
Josh Race will be unable for the Thistle on Saturday after sustaining a bad cut by his eye from a high foot during last night’s match early on and Esson was highly surprised that not even a yellow card was shown for the challenge.
He revealed that Race had to be taken to hospital for a check for a suspected fractured cheekbone but fortunately that was not the case.
“Fortunately it is just bruising but he will miss Saturday.”