Star booked their place in the last eight of the League Cup but they were pushed all the way by a battling Creetown side. Castle Cary Park is always a tough place to visit and this match was no different, but though the scoreline was always close, Star thoroughly deserved their victory. Even fairly early in the second half you always felt one goal would be enough to win this tie and that it would take a mistake or a piece of brilliance to separate the sides. Thankfully for Star it was the latter and the moment to remember was provided by substitute Charlie Cantlie late on.

Star lined up minus Andy Caffrey and Ross Hunter from last weeks win over Lochar, but captain Kyle HIggins returned from suspension and Phil Middlemiss came off the bench to start. The visitors dominated the ball for long spells but the home side worked so hard to deny them space and they were able to maintain this for most of the 90 minutes. There were few chances throughout the match though a couple fell to Middlemiss early on, one that was saved by keeper Downie and another that just missed the target. The home side were relying on set plays to put pressure on the Star defence but they coped comfortably. The closest Creetown came to scoring was in the 33rd minute when a near post glancing header from Rennie was well saved by Jake Gemmell. Star continued to push and probe but struggled to cut open a very compact home defence but a chance did fall to Connor Potts right on the half time whistle but he couldn't find the target.

The second half followed the same pattern as the first with both goalkeepers being rarely troubled. In the 54th minute Dan Carmichael curled in a free kick from the corner of the penalty area that was missed by everyone in the middle but the ball came back off the far post and was eventually cleared. As the game wore on the possibility of a penalty shoot out was becoming more apparent as there would be no extra time and there were even fewer chances being created. Olly Meechan and Middlemiss combined well down the right but Middlemiss shot over from inside the box. In the 73rd minute Cantlie's moment to remember arrived. He came off the bench ten minutes earlier and had looked very lively in that time with his pace and direct running. He collected a ball and came in from the left and from some 25 yards fired in a terrific right foot shot that flew low into the bottom corner of the Creetown net giving keeper Downie no chance at all. It was a great moment for the youngster and will do his confidence no harm at all going forward.

With nothing to lose the home side did all they could to get back into the match but other than saving a tame free kick late on, keeper Gemmell had little to do. In fact Cantlie almost score a second in stoppage time when his shot from inside the box came back off the crossbar. So Star go through in a match that was always competitive from start to finish and was well officiated by the referee. It's back to league duty next week as we travel further along the A75 with a trip to Wigtown where we will look to maintain the pressure on Stranraer at the top of the league.

CREETOWN 0                                        DALBEATTIE STAR 1

                                                                   Cantlie (73)

               HT 0-0   Att. 52

CREETOWN: Downie, B Wilson, M Wilson, Richardson, Brown, Whorlow, Rennie, Halliday, Hughes, Agnew, Hale

Subs: McCaulay, McCulloch, Sutherland, Nish, McDevitt, Faulds

Yellow Cards: B Wilson, Whorlow, Brown, Hale

DALBEATTIE STAR: Gemmell, Harkness (E Taylor 63), O'Sullivan, Higgins, Renwick, D Taylor, Carmichael, Woods (Cantlie 63), Paterson, Potts (Meechan 46), Middlemiss

Subs: R Taylor, Kehoe, Ferguson

Yellow Cards: D Taylor

Ref: L Graham

It was a warm welcome back to Islecroft for Dalbeattie Star as they turned in a top class performance in their first home match in 12 weeks and the fact it was against last years league champions made it all the more impressive. For all the importance of the match, nothing was won, or lost for that matter on Saturday, other than the three points, but it was the manner of the victory that will please everyone at Dalbeattie and these will be the levels and standards they will be looking to match in the weeks and months ahead. 

After losing their 100% record last week at Stranraer it was important for Star to get back to winning ways immediately. Last weeks defeat came at a cost with three players picking up first half injuries and captain Kyle Higgins receiving a red card after the final whistle, which could only be described as a shambles, meaning he missed  this clash with the champions. Regarding the injured trio, Declan Rogerson had not recovered from his shoulder injury but there was good news as both Andy Caffrey and Dan Carmichael were fit to start with the latter passing a late fitness test. There was also the more than pleasant surprise to see Ross Hunter in the starting line up for only the third time since January and his inclusion was fully justified with an action packed hour from him.

Meetings between Star and Lochar have always been worth a watch in the last couple of seasons and this one didn't disappoint either. It was a fairly cagey start as both teams took time to suss each other out and there were some good patterns of play from both midfields, but neither defence was troubled. The visitors had settled well into the match but it was the home side that carried the bigger threat up front with the first half chance falling to Caffrey just inside the box but his snap shot was well blocked by former Star favourite Hugh Cameron. The next opportunity fell to Connor Potts in a similar position but his effort produced a fine save from young keeper Badenhorst. As the half wore on the more control the impressive Star midfield had on the match and on the half hour the deadlock was broken in the most spectacular of fashion. On the halfway line Potts collected a loose ball and though there was no apparent danger he fired an audacious effort goalward. Keeper Badenhorst  was not that far from his line but like everyone else he was surprised at Potts' ambitious effort and he couldn't get back in time to stop the 50 yard shot from finding the back of the net. Since returning to Islecroft a couple of seasons ago Connor has made a great habit of scoring some incredible goals for Star and this one is right up there with the best of them. This was just the boost Star was looking for and just when it looked like being the difference between the two sides at half time, the home scored a vital second in first half stoppage time. Carmichael sent in an inswinging corner into a packed six yard box and as a pile of bodies went up to meet it, the ball was bundled into the back of the net by David Taylor. It was a great time to score, but when is it not, and Star went in at the break with a spring in their step.

Lochar knew they needed a fast start to the second half if they were to get back into the match and they began on the front foot but within four minutes they found themselves three behind. Star broke at lightning pace as the evergreen Carmichael fed Potts down the left and his near post cross was neatly shot home by the delighted Hunter. Three nil soon became four nil just after the hour when Star showed they can score all types of goals. This one was more route one when keeper Jake Gemmell collected the ball and quickly fired a long clearance to Hunter who flicked the ball inside to his strike partner Reece Paterson and he coolly slotted the ball past Badenhorst to send the Star fans into dreamland. A minute later though and Lochar reduced the arrears with a superb effort of their own as Finlay Kennedy's left footed free kick went in off the underside of the bar, giving Gemmell no chance at all. 

Star saw out the remainder of the match sensibly as they were happy for Lochar to have plenty of possession but they made sure things were rock solid in defence. With the Wilson Park side pushing more players forward it left spaces for Star to exploit on the break and Potts and Phil Middlemiss both had chances as the game wore on. With 8 minutes remaining Lochar's afternoon was summed up when there was an almighty scramble in the Star penalty area that resulted in two fine saves from Gemmell and two brilliant goal line clearances from Star defenders. In the last minute Ewan Taylor was inches away from his first goal for Star when his header from a corner was just off target.

Shortly after the final whistle went and the players were rightly applauded off the park for their efforts. Every player in red and black played their part in an impressive result and performance. For Lochar it was an afternoon to forget but despite the score line they did not play badly and come the end of the season they will be there or thereabouts when the trophies are being dished. After a stop start feel to the season Star at last have a run of continuous fixtures and if we can keep up this level of performance then there will be few complaints.

Next up is a trip to Creetown in the League Cup and the Ferrytoon seem to have found their feet after a difficult start to the season, so as always it will be a difficult match at Castlecary.   

DALBEATTIE STAR 4                            LOCHAR THISTLE 1

Potts (30)                                               Kennedy (63)

D Taylor (45+1)

Hunter (49)

Paterson (62)                                       HT 2-0   Att. 229

DALBEATTIE STAR: Gemmell, Harkness (E Taylor 60), O'Sullivan, Woods, Renwick, D Taylor, Carmichael, Caffrey, Hunter (Middlemiss 65), Paterson (R Taylor 83), Potts (Meechan 83)

Subs not used: Cantlie, Ferguson

Yellow Cards: Woods, Paterson

LOCHAR THISTLE: Badenhorst, McKeand (Nicholson 69), Copland, Corbett (Shaw 63), Cameron, Braid, Adams (Walls 55), Todd, Milligan (Kelly 55), Kennedy, Zygadlo (Caskie 78)

Subs: Muirhead, Craig,

Yellow Cards: Braid, Kennedy

Ref: J Brown

Dalbeattie Star's 100% record in the South league this season came to an end as they lost by the odd goal in three to leaders Stranraer. Such has been the stop start nature of this season this was only the clubs sixth league match, even though we are well into October. It was also Star's first competitive match for four weeks and first league match in five, which perhaps explains the slow start they made in this game.

The home side began the game brightly and could easily have scored inside 30 seconds but Star somehow survived. The Blues impressed for much of the first half and Star keeper Jake Gemmell was called into action on a number of occasions, making some very tidy saves. Though to be fair they were all saves you would expect a keeper of his ability to make. As the half wore on the more the visitors grew into the match and a fine break saw Dan Carmichael set up substitute Phil Middlemiss and his first time drive was well blocked by the legs of the home keeper Craig Burns. Half time arrived with the score goalless which was seen as a positive for Star as they had been second best for long spells but they were slowly but surely getting rid of their rustiness and the second half would surely see them as more of an attacking force. The first half though came at a cost for both teams as Stranraer lost midfielder Martin McClorey to a suspected broken collarbone and we all wish him a successful and speedy recovery. Declan Rogerson's afternoon barely lasted 20 minutes as he succumbed to a shoulder injury and both Dan Carmichael and Andy Caffrey did not re-appear for the second half due to an achilles injury and a possible thigh strain.

The second half had barely re-started when the home side were given a great chance to open the scoring when they were awarded what at best was a soft penalty. A low cross came in from the right and at the near post there was a coming together between a couple of players and the referee immediately pointed to the spot though there were few claims. Up stepped Harry Mitchell who sent Gemmell the wrong way and the home side led. Mitchell and fellow striker Josh Rennie had been a handful all afternoon for the Star defence and it proved to be a quite a tussle. Connor Potts and Olly Meechan had come on at the break and the new look Star midfield began to exert themselves on the match. Star certainly had a lot more control than they had in the first half but Mitchell in particular was always a danger on the break. As the match wore on the home side had to rely on their keeper Burns to keep their lead intact as he pulled off a number of top class saves. His first came when he somehow managed to stop a Potts drive with his right boot that looked destined for the bottom corner. Soon after Reece Paterson turned quickly on the edge of the box his shot seemed sure to find the back of the net but yet again Burns pulled of a stunning save to turn the ball over for a corner. Star then had a couple of penalty shouts, firstly when Meechan was blocked in the box but was somehow given a yellow card for diving. There was certainly contact though maybe not enough for a penalty but to book the player was very harsh. The next claim looked very much of the stonewall variety when Paterson turned his marker inside the box and was clearly fouled but nothing was given. The home side had a great chance to seal the points in the 77th minute when Mitchell was clean through but saw his effort come back off the bar. The rebound fell to Rennie who took a touch before seeing his shot well saved by Gemmell. Star went straight up the park and had a great chance when Middlemiss's cross found Paterson in space in the middle of the box, but the ball was just behind the striker and his difficult volley went over the bar.  

With nine minutes left Star grabbed the equaliser they deserved but it came in controversial circumstances. Cammy Bryson rose highest at the back post to meet a Dylan Woods corner and his downward header was touched goalward by the stretching David Taylor. However former Star favourite Lewis Dunn somehow managed to knock the ball away but the referee thought the ball had crossed the line and awarded a goal. The momentum was now very much with Star and if any team was going to go on and claim the win then you would certainly have fancied them. However neither side was prepared to settle for a point and it was end to end stuff up to the final whistle. With three minutes left Star undid all their good work by conceding a poor goal as Rennie found himself in splendid isolation at the back post from a corner and he gave Gemmell no chance with a powerful, well placed header. Star had one late chance to grab a second equaliser when a good move put Middlemiss through but again Burns came to the home sides rescue as he came rushing from his goal to block well.

So a disappointing end for Star in a match that could easily have gone either way. It was a fiercely competitive match, played in a good spirit with two good teams playing to win. Unfortunately after the match all everyone could talk about was the referee. We know they have the most difficult job and we do not like to criticise them in this website, but we lost count of yellow cards at nine and there may well have been red cards issued after the final whistle, in a match that barely had a bad tackle. Whatever happened to common sense, arguably the most important law of the game?

Next up for Star is a home match. YES A HOME MATCH! Hopefully you will all remember how to get to Islecroft as it is our first home game since July and it is against none other than Lochar Thistle, the current league champions. It is always a great occasion when the two sides lock horns and next week will be no different.

STRANRAER 2                                        DALBEATTIE STAR 1

Mitchell (47pen)                                 D Taylor (81)

Rennie (87)                                            HT 0-0   Att. 96

STRANRAER: Burns, Clive, Dunn, Smith, McClorey (Wylde 45+2), Gallagher (Hilferty 70), Mitchell, Fyfe (McKain 90), Dougan, Paton, Rennie

Subs not used: Collins, Marshall, McCutcheon, Stevenson

Yellow Cards: Fyfe, Dunn

DALBEATTIE STAR: Gemmell, Bryson, Harkness, Higgins, Renwick, D Taylor, Carmichael (Potts 46), Caffrey (Meechan 46), Paterson, Rogerson (Middlemiss 20), Woods  

Subs not used: R Taylor, E Taylor, Cantlie, Young

Yellow Cards: Carmichael, Woods, D Taylor, Potts, Renwick, Meechan

Red Cards: D Taylor Snr (70), Higgins (after match)

Ref: S Sutherland

Dalbeattie Star and East Stirlingshire met for just the second time in a cup competition and unfortunately for Star this match ended like the previous meeting with a narrow victory to the Shire. The last clash was of course the famous Scottish Cup tie at Islecroft in 1999 when two Scott Walker goals sent the visitors through after Sean Glendinning had fired Star ahead in front of a crowd of just under 1300. This time around the crowd was barely one tenth of that but they were treated to a very decent game of football between two sides who wanted to get the ball down and play. Both defences were very much on top which meant there was not a lot of goalmouth action with neither keeper being overworked but that should not detract from some very good midfield play from both sides.

Star lined up boosted by the return of Dan Carmichael who had made such a huge impression on the club when he first signed just less than two years ago. There was also a familiar face in goal for Star with Jake Gemmell returning for his first appearance of the season. There was also a famous face in the crowd as well, no not Bailey Smirthwaite our much lauded media guy, but Scottish football legend James McFadden who was there supporting his son James Jnr who was in the Shire starting line up.

The home side began brightly and were moving the ball well on the Ochilview plastic pitch but Star were very disciplined and kept their shape when out of possession. It is always interesting to see how Star will cope in matches like these as in the vast majority of games they play, especially in the South league, they have the lions share of the ball. Despite Shire’s good start the first clear chance fell to the visitors in the 12^th minute when they broke quickly and the ball was played to Carmichael who from a tightish angle tried to curl the ball past the keeper and inside the far post but only succeeded in firing it way over the bar. It was perhaps a wee warning to the home side that they were not going to get everything their own way. In the 17^th minute striker Lucas McRoberts had a half chance but could only fire into the side netting. The only goal of the game came just before the half hour and for Star it will undoubtedly be put in the soft bracket. A fairly harmless looking looping cross from the right was not dealt with by the Star defence at the back post and the ball fell to Kenzie Mitchell, who would be the first to admit his shot was not the sweetest he has ever struck, but it had enough on it to find the back of the net despite the best efforts of Stevie Harkness on the line.

Despite this Star did enjoy some nice passages of play but they struggled to trouble a very sharp home defence who were giving nothing away. The home side pressed looking for a second before the break but the Star defence themselves were playing well and there were very few chances to report. Shire began the second half on the front foot and almost caught Star cold with two good chances, the first fell to McRoberts but he was denied by a superb block from Harkness and the second soon after when goalscorer Mitchell dragged his shot wide. Both theses chances came as a result of Star giving the ball away in their own final third but those mistakes were not to be seen again.

Star then began to grow more into the game and showed more of an attacking threat as they looked for a way back into the tie. Midway through the half a brilliant run down the left by Dylan Woods saw him cut into the penalty area near the bye line and he drilled the ball across the six yard line but unfortunately it found a home defender instead of a team mate and the ball was eventually cleared. As the match wore on you felt Star could take it to penalties as their confidence grew. In the 81^st minute a great break ended with a Kyle Higgins slide rule pass to Phil Middlemiss on the edge of the box. Unfortunately his first touch took him wider than he wanted to go and his effort found the side netting. Two minutes from time a Declan Rogerson cross was headed over by Reece Paterson who to be fair was under some pressure from the home defence. Into stoppage time and the home side almost scored on the break but for a brilliant save from Gemmell and in the fourth and final minute added time Harkness rose highest to meet a Middlemiss cross but he couldn’t put his header on target. When the final whistle went seconds later it was greeted with a huge sigh of relief from the home side and their fans. So well played to East Stirlingshire and all the best in the next round and in the season ahead. For Star there was much to be pleased about with the performance but they will be annoyed at the softness of the goal they conceded. They showed they can certainly compete against a Lowland League side, albeit one at the wrong end of the table, but Shire themselves played some good football and will be looking to climb the table in the weeks ahead.

Unbelievably Star’s next competitive match is not for another five weeks, yes five weeks and it is a big one with Lochar Thistle visiting Islecroft in only our second home match of the season. This is mainly due to upcoming weekends with cup competitions we are no longer in, cup competitions where we have a bye and there being an odd number of teams in our league. 

EAST STIRLINGSHIRE 1                      DALBEATTIE STAR 0                                             

Mitchell (28)                                                                                                                                      

                                                                    HT 1-0  Att. 125

EAST STIRLINGSHIRE: Cantley, Coutts, Docherty, Inglis, Gomis, Lamont, McRoberts, O'Neill (Liddell 85), McFadden (Curtis 68), MacDonald, K Mitchell (Murray 65)

Subs not used: Hobbs, Dowie, MacAlpine, N Mitchell

Yellow Cards: Inglis

DALBEATTIE STAR: Gemmell, Bryson (Meechan 80), O'Sullivan, Higgins, Harkness, D Taylor, Carmichael, Caffrey (E Taylor 80), Paterson, Potts (Middlemiss 63), Woods (Rogerson 74)

Subs not used: Cantlie, R Taylor, Ferguson

Yellow Cards:

Ref: M McCart

Dalbeattie Star maintained their 100% league record with a hard earned 3-0 win at Lochmaben. They also kept another clean sheet meaning they have conceded just one goal in 450 minutes of South football this season. But they were made to battle all the way by a Lochmaben side containing a few familiar faces to Star fans. Home keeper Sam Henderson produced a number of good saves but could do little to prevent the three excellent strikes that found their way into the back of his net.

The Star line up included a full debut for Charlie Cantlie after impressing in his few substitution appearances so far. It was an even start to the match but Star opened the scoring in spectacular fashion when returning captain Kyle Higgins fired one into the top corner of the net from a full 20 yards in the 19th minute. Just four minutes later and Lochmaben came so close to equalising but were denied by a superb goalline clearance by Farrel O'Sullivan. With half time fast approaching Star scored a crucial second when Connor Potts hammered the ball into the roof of the net from a tight angle.

The second half followed a similar pattern and a goal for the home side would change the whole complexion of the match but the Star defence looked solid throughout. With the clock ticking down Lochmaben were reduced to ten men when defender Chris Newbould was shown a straight red card for denying a clear goalscoring opportunity. From the resultant free kick Higgins scored with a terrific strike to seal another good win and three points for the South league leaders.

Next week Star return to cup duty as they travel to Larbert to face East Stirlingshire in the SFA South Region Challenge Cup. It's a competition Star has not performed well in over recent years so it would good to change that next weekend especially against Lowland League opposition.

LOCHMABEN 0                                      DALBEATTIE STAR 3                                             

                                                                      Higgins (19. 88)

                                                                      Potts (43)                                                                     

                                                                      HT 0-2  Att. 50 

LOCHMABEN: Henderson, Cairns, O'Hagan, Loughran (G Thorburn 82), Newbould, Kerr, Hughes (Simpson 74), Milligan, Graham, Daniels, Ramsay (Brown 82)

Subs not used: Paisley, Robinson, C Thorburn

Yellow Cards: Graham, Daniels, Newbould, G Thorburn

Red Card: Newbould (87)

DALBEATTIE STAR: Ferguson, Harkness (E Taylor 77), O'Sullivan, Higgins, Woods, D Taylor, Rogerson (Meechan 46), Caffrey, Paterson (Palmer 89), Potts (Bryson 83), Cantlie (Middlemiss 46)

Subs not used: R Taylor, Gemmell

Yellow Cards: Harkness

Ref: E MacFarlane

Dalbeattie Star's Scottish Cup journey was a short and not so sweet one as they lost out in the 2nd preliminary round tie away to Tayport. They were right in the tie for the first hour or so but they were eventually overpowered by a much physically stronger side. The home side adapted to the conditions better as they always looked to play the ball forward and down the channels quickly, whereas Dalbeattie's passing game would be difficult to implement on a bone hard and fiery pitch. But they stuck to their guns and when the midfield combined well they were able to create some problems for the strong home defence. Over the 90 minutes though Tayport were worthy winners and thoroughly deserved their place in the first round. They had a number of impressive players in their line up, none more so than Ethan Samson who tormented the Star defence time and time again. He may not have got his name on the scoresheet but his three assists were what turned out to be the big difference between the two sides. His game has pace, power and plenty of ability  and he will undoubtedly be the dangerman when they travel to Coldstream in the next round.

Star travelled north minus captain Kyle Higgins who was unavailable, joining long term absentees Dale Milligan and Ross Hunter on the sidelines. A good start is what all teams look for in any match and this one couldn't have been much worse for Star. With barely 70 seconds on the clock and with a lot of the crowd not even in the ground, the home side went ahead. A corner from the right was flicked on at the near post and the ball fell nicely for Jamie Hume at the back post and his sweetly struck right foot volley found the back of the net. This really fired up the home players and fans and they immediately went hunting a second goal. In the 8th minute they were inches away from a second when a cross from the left was met by Jay Yule but his header smacked off the inside of keeper Ally Ferguson's right hand post before being cleared. Star slowly began to play themselves into the match but they were finding the home defence a tough nut to crack. However Reece Paterson was putting in a terrific shift up front and his work rate was incredible. Despite finding himself isolated for long spells he continued to press and harass the home defence and was a complete nuisance to them the whole game. In the 21st minute he was manhandled to the ground inside the penalty area which was well worth a penalty appeal but the referee waved them away feeling there was not enough in it. By now it was a much more even match but with neither keeper being called into any serious action. Just before the half hour a Dylan Woods corner found Cammy Bryson rising highest at the back post but under some pressure his header went inches wide. With half time fast approaching Star had their best spell in the match but they really needed a goal as a reward for their efforts. In the 42nd minute Paterson nipped in front of defender Greg McColm and with just keeper Gary Thain to beat, had his heels clipped by McColm for a definite penalty. The big question was what colour of card the referee would produce and the big defender breathed a huge sigh of relief when it was a yellow. Up stepped stand in skipper Connor Potts and his spot kick went low to the keepers right to make it 1-1. Right on half time Ally Ferguson pulled off a terrific save for Star but the assistants flag was up for offside, though the keeper didn't know that at the time.

At half time Star would have been pleased with their afternoon's work so far but they knew it would be even harder in the second. Tayport came out strongly but Star were coping well enough.  On the hour though the home side went back in front when a crossfield pass found Samson on the right wing and he took the ball down, charged to the bye line and cut the ball back across the six yard line. The first shot was well blocked but the rebound fell nicely to substitute Nicholas Mann who stabbed the ball home. This goal was a huge blow to Star and a massive boost to Tayport. They pushed on and two goals in as many minutes soon after put the tie well out of Star's reach. In the 72nd minute Samson collected a long ball over the top and his cut back was only half cleared but it fell to Stefan Elvin and he scored with a well placed low right foot shot. Two minutes later and it was 4-1 and in a similar fashion as Samson cut the ball back and this time it was Jay Yule that clipped the ball home. With the game over Star twice went close to a late consolation. The first was when a Woods corner was headed off the line by Owen Lunan and the second when Paterson nipped in between the two central defenders and poked the ball past the onrushing keeper but it ran inches wide of the post.

So another quick cup exit for Star but Tayport were worthy winners and we wish them well in the next round and for the rest of the season. It's back to league duty for Star next Saturday as we look to maintain our 100% league record with a trip to Lochmaben.

Mon the Star.

TAYPORT 4                                               DALBEATTIE STAR 1                                             

Hume (2)                                                 Potts (42pen)

Mann (60)

Elvin (72)

Yule (74)                                                  HT 1-1  Att. 170 

TAYPORT: Thain, Lunan, Crichton (Mann 46), McColm, Samson, Yule (Simpson 78), Gill (Shepherd 78), Sivewright, Hume (Lowe 90), Timmons, Elvin (McMulkin 78)

Subs not used: Ballantine, Duncan

Yellow Cards: Gill, McColm, Yule, Lunan, McMulkin

DALBEATTIE STAR: Ferguson, Bryson, O'Sullivan, Woods, Bowman, D Taylor, Rogerson, Caffrey, Paterson, Potts, Middlemiss

Subs not used: Harkness, Meechan, Palmer, R Taylor, Cantlie, E Taylor, Devlin

Yellow Cards: Potts, Woods

Ref: V Melnyk

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