Shortwood United manager Dan Gillespie lauded goalkeeper Billy Thomas as the Nailsworth side defeated FC Bristol 5-1 at Meadowbank.
A Dom Kent brace and goals for Martin Smith, Dan Wright and Ryan Dobbins gave Shortwood their first Hellenic League Division One West win of the season.
An ebullient Gillespie said: “I thought we were excellent today, against a real good FC Bristol side. Their linkup play in the final third is the best I’ve seen at this level. If it wasn’t for Billy Thomas making some important saves early in the game it might have been different. That said, we were great in possession today and took out chances when they came.”
Gillespie praised youth striker Dan Wright who came in at the eleventh hour: “Unfortunately, we lost Alex Gayner in the warm up, but young Dan Wright has come into the team and taken his chance with both hands, getting the first goal.”
One swallow doesn’t make a summer for Gillespie: “We definitely won’t get ahead of ourselves, the challenge now is to maintain that level of performance.”
