Lesmahagow Juniors 5-1 Bellshill Athletic: Ex-player Neil Schoneville comes back to haunt Bellshill

Goals by James Coffey (2), Alan McFadden, Scott Mathieson and Ross Marchant gave ’Gow a 5-1 Conference A win. Bellshill’s lone reply was netted by Dylan Corrigan.

Schoneville, who had a spell at Bellshill last season, inflicted the defeat on opposite number Gary Elliott and his new look squad, all recently installed at the club following the sacking of former gaffer Derek Wilson and the subsequent resignation of the entire playing staff.

Schoneville said: "Bellshill had won 4-1 against Saltcoats the previous week so we weren’t taking it lightly.

"We didn’t have the best of starts. We had seven players missing through injury, suspension and away on holiday.

"We were down to the bare bones straight away. But the lads were great. We started off brilliant and Coffey scored two goals in the first five minutes.

"Then Faddy scored a third to make it 3-0 at half-time. We played really well.

"Second half we were slow to start and gave Bellshill a wee lift and they scored 10 minutes into the second half to make it 3-1.

"But then the guys started playing again and kind of ran over the top of them.

"It possibly could have been more goals for us.

"But fair play to Bellshill, they gave it their all until the 90th minute.

"They never gave up, but it’s a hard job they’ve got trying to build a team from scratch. Considering their circumstances they did all right.”

Of the many players to leave Athletic following Wilson’s acrimonious departure, Drew Lindsay played against his old team for ’Gow on Saturday.

The Craighead Park team also had Bellshill departures Ross McNeil and Jamie van Nuil in as triallists.

"It was a bit strange the way the previous manager and all the players left,” Schoneville said.

"I don’t really want to say much about it. It’s nothing to do with me really as I’m just concentrating on Lesmahagow.

"As long as we’re winning I don’t really care what happens at other clubs.”