Star continued their perfect start to the 2025/26 season after this fine victory at St. Mary's Park.  But they were made to battle by a determined home side who on this performance will make life difficult for a lot of teams this season. Despite not making an early breakthrough, the Islecroft side kept their patience and were on the receiving end of some good fortune when they did open the scoring but in the second half they really got into their groove and ran out good winners. In fact Star not only scored five but the Saints trialist keeper had an outstanding match and made a number of top class saves to keep his side in the match.

Star lined up with keeper Ally Ferguson making his competitive debut along with new signing Tyler Bowman and both could be pleased with their nights work. Another new signing Dylan Woods began the match though he had played before as a trialist, and he showed signs of what a quality player he is. The Friday night kick off seemed to add to the occasion and the attendance was certainly more than you would expect from a Saturday afternoon game and is perhaps something more South teams should look at to attract more punters to their matches.

Star nearly got off to a flyer and in the 4th minute a ball over the top found Reece Paterson but his shot was well saved by the trialist keeper. Two minutes later Connor Potts had a chance but slipped as he shot but it still needed a good save to push his effort out for a corner. The home side were struggling to trouble the Star defence but they were certainly keeping the Star attack at bay. Five minutes from the break Star opened the scoring when they took a short corner and Kyle Higgins whipped in a terrific cross to the near post that defender Kieran Ross couldn't let go but could only head past his keeper and into the net. It was perhaps a fortuitous goal but fully deserved nevertheless. Three minutes later the visitors looked sure to double their lead when Andy Caffrey connected superbly with a terrific volley which the keeper incredibly touched on to the underside of the bar before being cleared.

Into the second half and Star continued to press and in the 52nd minute they thought they had scored the crucial second goal when the Saints keeper did well to save a Higgins shot and like all good strikers Reece Paterson was in the right spot to fire home the rebound. However the joy was short lived as the referee blew for an offside that not one Saints player appealed for. On the hour and Star's midfield trio of Higgins, Caffrey and Woods all combined well to set up Declan Rogerson and he skipped past a number of defenders inside the box but watched agonisingly as his shot struck the inside of the post and rolled across the face of the goal to safety. Saints then enjoyed their best spell as the forced a couple of corners and fired in some dangerous looking crosses that were dealt with efficiently by the Star defence. Midway through the second half Star at last scored the second goal that gave them the breathing space they wanted when they broke quickly with Rogerson's shot being well saved again but this time there was no offside to deny Paterson his first goal of the night. Three minutes later and a delighted Declan Rogerson made it 3-0 when he took a good touch inside the box before scoring with the neatest of finishes. In the 76th minute Paterson scored the fourth when a Higgins free kick was half blocked and Paterson was on hand to head the ball home. Both sides made a number of substitutions but there was time for Paterson to complete his hat-trick when Cafftrey found him with a quick free kick inside the box and he scored with a first time right foot shot on the turn that sneaked just inside the far post giving the keeper no chance. In the last couple of minutes Saints trialist keeper still had time to make two superb saves to deny substitute Rhys Taylor and Caffrey (again!).

So another good nights work for Star who next week travel to Tayport on Scottish Cup duty on a weekend that is one of the seasons highlights for non league sides. 

ST CUTHBERT WANDERERS 0         DALBEATTIE STAR 4                                             

                                                                       Ross og (40)

                                                                       Paterson (68, 76, 82)

                                                                       Rogerson (71)                                                         

                                                                       HT 0-1  Att. 162

ST. CUTHBERT WANDERERS: Maxwell, Foster, Shields, McConaghie, Hall, Ross (Thomson 67), Watkins, McKeand (L McFadyen 84), F Campbell (Kirkpatrick 84), Gibson (M McFadyen 62), Perez (Wilson 84)

Subs not used: A Campbell, McMillan

Yellow Cards: Foster, Thomson, Watkins

DALBEATTIE STAR: Ferguson, Rogerson (Cantlie 77), Harkness (Bryson 46), Higgins, Bowman, D Taylor, O'Sullivan, Caffrey, Paterson (R Taylor 82), Potts (Meechan 69), Woods (Middlemiss 69)

Subs not used: E Taylor

Yellow Cards: Higgins

Ref: M Williamson

Star made it three wins from three to maintain their perfect start to the 2025/26 season after a comprehensive victory over Mid Annandale. The Islecroft side got off to the perfect start when Connor Potts scored after a fine pass from Kyle Higgins and they never looked like losing control after that. The closest the home side came to an equaliser was in the 12th minute when they struck the post but it was Star that always held the upper hand.

The crucial second goal came just before half time when debutant Reece Paterson was brought down in the box and Potts made no mistake from 12 yards. On the hour Paterson made it a scoring debut when he rose superbly to head past Ciaran Boyes in the home goal. The scoring ended in the 73rd minute when captain Higgins made it two goals in two games to complete a very good afternoon's work.

Star has no match this weekend off so our next match will be a trip to Kirkcudbright to face a much improved St. Cuthbert Wanderers. Please note the .game takes place on the Friday night (22nd Aug) with an 8pm kick off.

MID ANNANDALE 0                         DALBEATTIE STAR 4                                             

                                                                 Potts (3, 41pen)

                                                                 Paterson (60)

                                                                 Higgins (73)                                                           

                                                                 HT 0-2  Att. 40

MID ANNANDALE: Boyes, Bell, Robson (Peat 70), Carcu, Harley (Monteith 56), Hammond, Wagner (McMillan 80), Collins (Carruthers 46), Noble, Jackson (Storey 70), Wright

Subs not used: Story, Matthewson

Yellow Cards: Robson, Hammond

DALBEATTIE STAR: Hall, E Taylor (Palmer 65), Harkness, Higgins, Renwick, Woods, Meechan (Bryson 46), Caffrey (Benson 80), Paterson (R Taylor 80), Potts, Middlemiss (Cantlie 65)

Subs not used: O'Sullivan, Ferguson

Yellow Cards: Renwick

Ref: R Stevenson



Thanks to Ged Shennan for the photos.

Dalbeattie Star made it two wins out of two in the South of Scotland League following a convincing win away to Nithsdale Wanderers. Lorimer Park has proved to be a tough ground for Star to take anything away from in the past few seasons and this match was no different, but they faced up so well to the tough task that faced them and eventually ran out comfortable winners. You always know what you are going to get when you travel to Sanquhar for a match, as the home side play a very aggressive, in your face style of football but the Star youngsters let their football do the talking. The home side always look to go forward quickly at every opportunity and even when they went down to ten men, they continued to push forward but the Star defence coped well with what was thrown at them. Indeed, but for an inspirational performance from home keeper Les Graham, the winning margin could have been a lot more. Despite conceding five goals Graham produced a string of top class saves to keep the scoreline respectable, with the two best being a superb low fingertip save down to his right to deny Declan Rogerson and another to touch a Connor Potts piledriver over the bar. On top of that he must have faced a handful of one on ones with the Star attack, and only once did he concede.

Star lined up with just two changes to the starting XI that beat Creetown at Islecroft the week before, with two trialists being replaced by Declan Rogerson and Ewan Taylor, who was making his first start for his local side. The tall defender was directly up against the home sides dangerman Cameron MacKenzie and despite him scoring just before half time, Taylor had a fine match ensuring the forward had little influence on the match. Star got off to a flying start in this game and within 15 minutes they were deservedly two goals ahead and well on their way to victory. The first came in the 5^th minute when Potts collected the ball on the right hand side of the penalty area, cut inside a defender onto his left foot and unleashed a terrific strike that gave Graham no chance at all. The lead was doubled in the 13^th minute when Potts collected a deep cross at the back post that needed two defenders to block his shot. He then rolled the ball back to Adam Jamieson at the edge of the box and with everyone expected an attempt at goal, Jamieson played a clever little pass to Kyle Higgins who was unmarked in the middle of the penalty area and he took a touch before passing the ball past the helpless Graham.

The home side pushed hard to get back into the match but they struggled to trouble a well organised Star defence. In fact it was the Islecroft side that looked the more likely to score again and the only surprise was that it took until the 43^rd minute to make it 3-0. Potts was again the tormentor in chief when he chested down a cross and drilled a low left foot shot just inside the far post, again giving Graham no chance at all. That made it 3-0 with half time approaching but we have seen Star teams lose 3-0 leads at Lorimer Park before and right enough within seconds Wanderers were back in the match with a well worked and well taken goal. A neat pass for once split the Star defence and McKenzie ran through and slipped the ball low past Taylor Hall. It was just the tonic the home side was looking for and they came out for the second half with a bit more hope in their hearts.

However that was pretty much extinguished early in the second period when Star restored their three goal advantage. A trialist came on as a substitute and within seconds he latched on to a loose ball inside the penalty and fired a crisply struck right foot effort that comprehensively beat Graham in the home goal. Just before the hour Nithsdale went down to ten men when player manager Danny Naismith was shown a straight red card for an off the ball incident right in front of the referee. This didn’t seem to upset the home side too much and in fact they probably played better when a man short. However Star was always that bit quicker and sharper and should have added a few more to their tally before the trialist completed the scoring in the 78th minute when he broke clear, rounded the keeper and slid the ball into the empty net. Lorimer Park is obviously a happy hunting ground for the trialist as he scored twice on Star’s last visit to the ground in April.

So an excellent afternoon’s work for Star in what was the first in a run of six away games in a row. Next up is a trip to Lochmaben where Star will be looking to make it three wins from three

NITHSDALE WANDERERS 1          DALBEATTIE STAR 5                                             

McKenzie (44)                                   Potts (5, 42)

                                                                  Higgins (13)

                                                                  Trialist (53, 78)

                                                                  HT 1-3  Att. 75

NITHSDALE WANDERERS: Graham, Harper, K Paterson, Watt, Naismith, Ferrans, Roy (Adams 67), Kennedy, F Paterson (Roberts 60), McGill, McKenzie (McNeil 80)

Subs: McMurdo, French, Baillie, McCrone

Yellow Cards: Harper, Kennedy

Red Cards: Galbraith (58)

DALBEATTIE STAR: Hall, E Taylor, O'Sullivan (Meechan 64), Higgins, Harkness, D Taylor, Middlemiss, Caffrey (Trialist 52), Rogerson (Trialist 64), Potts, Jamieson (R Taylor 75)

Subs not used: Cantlie, Palmer, Ferguson

Yellow Cards: Harkness

Ref: E MacFarlane

Star got their competitive season off to a winning start thanks to debutant Stevie Harkness scoring a late winner against a well organised Creetown side. The home side certainly had the better of exchanges but they struggled to break down the Creetown defence and create many clearcut chances, which considering the stop start nature of the pre-season Star had to endure, was perhaps not surprising.

The afternoon began in a sombre mood as both sides paid a respectful tribute to our former player Charlie Watson, who tragically lost his brave battle against cancer in the summer. With this being our first home match since Charlie's sad passing, it was only right and fitting that this should be done and we thank Creetown FC for their co-operation and also for paying their own respects in such a dignified manner. 

Star began on the front foot and as early as the 4th minute Connor Potts fired just wide. The first shot on target  came in the 15th minute but Downie in the visitors goal saved comfortably from Star's trialist striker. The Islecroft side continued to push and probe and midway through the half Potts again tried his luck but again Downie saved. Star began the second half by stepping up a gear and in the 48th minute new captain Kyle Higgins fired in a fine effort that Downie did superbly well to tip over the bar. As the match wore on it became evident that one goal would probably be enough to take all three points and thankfully it arrived for Star in the 77th minute. An Adam Jamieson corner fell nicely for Stevie Harkness and and he shot low past Downie from 8 yards much to his and his team mates delight. Despite posing little or no goal threat throughout the match, Creetown almost snatched an unlikely equaliser in the 84th minute but another debutant Taylor Hall, produced a terrific save to make sure all three points remained at the Croft. 

So a good start for Star but incredibly their next scheduled home match is not until 18th October, unless we get a home draw in the SFA South Region Challenge Cup. So we begin a long run of away matches with a trip to Sanquhar to face Nithsdale Wanderers, who always make it tough for us.  

DALBEATTIE STAR 1                        CREETOWN 0                       

Harkness (77)

                                                                  HT 0-0  Att.

DALBEATTIE STAR: Hall, Trialist, Harkness, Jamieson, Higgins, D Taylor, Middlemiss, Caffrey, Trialist (E Taylor 60), Potts, O'Sullivan (R Taylor 87)

Subs not used: Ferguson, Bryson, Benson, Cantlie, Milligan

Yellow Cards: None

CREETOWN: Downie, Trialist, Trialist, Whorlow, Richardson, Trialist, Halliday (Trialist 72), Hughes, Rennie, Rogers, Trialist

Subs not used: McCulloch, Trialist, Trialist

Yellow Cards: Rogers, Richardson, Hughes

Ref: J Brown