Yoker Athletic put a stuttering start to 2020 firmly behind them at the weekend with a stunning 11-0 win over visitors Ardeer Thistle.
The Whe Ho fell to a 3-0 loss away to Ashfield at the beginning of the month before their trip to Forth Wanderers was postponed the following weekend.
However, Peter McKenna and Tommy Montgomery’s side bounced back from those disappointments in some style with a rout over West Region League Two basement boys Ardeer.
Despite the heavy scoreline, the Holm Park side didn’t have it all their own way in a fairly stuffy first 45 minutes.
After a quiet opening period, Yoker did open the scoring 25 minutes in thanks to Gary Bissland who continued his goal-scoring form.
Daniel Fiado grabbed a quickfire double to put the hosts 3-0 at half-time, but that wasn’t enough to stop co-boss McKenna having a go at his team at the break.
With those words still ringing in their ears at the start of the second-half, Yoker came out a different beast, hitting the struggling Ayrshire side a further eight times.
David Crerard added Yoker’s fourth shortly after the restart before Nathan Kavanagh grabbed their fifth.
Scott Miller got his first of the afternoon with a superb lob from all of 25 yards and quickly followed that up with another two efforts to secure a second-half hat-trick.
Substitute Pat O’Donnel, fresh from his short-term loan move from West Premiership side Pollok, got in on the act to extend the home side’s lead to 9-0 before securing his brace to take the tally up to double figures.
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Fiado rounded off the rout with his third of the day as the Whe Ho’s scoring fest came to an end at eleven unanswered goals with keeper Callum Dillon enjoying a quiet afternoon up the other end.
“We were outstanding in that second-half,” McKenna told Post Sport. “We had a wee go at them at the break and we were incredible after that.
“We scored some great goals and put in a top, top performance. I couldn’t have asked for any more to be honest.
“We brought Scott in a wee while ago, but that was his first-start and he took his goals really well.
“Callum is a top keeper. We got a chance at getting him in on an 18-month contract and jumped at it, while Pat joined us on loan from Pollok until the end of the season - there’s a good chance we may get him permanently.
“He’s a big centre-half, but he didn’t have much defending to do to be honest.”
From the bottom of the table to one of the top dogs, Yoker are now set to make the short trip along to Keanie Park to take on Johnstone Burgh this Saturday.
The Renfrewshire side have won all but one of their matches this season, with their sole defeat coming at the hands of Yoker back in December.
“Johnstone is a massive match for us now,” McKenna added. “They’ll be out for revenge as we’re the only team to beat them this season.
“If we carry on from Saturday’s big win and also show the form we did against them in December, then I’m confident of another good result.”
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