RHU Amateurs boss Stewart Maule has praised his players for stepping up their game in the second half to start 2020 with a hard-earned win away from home on Saturday.

The local side went into their half-time huddle tied at 2-2 against lowly Holytown Colts, but a change in formation and a Brian Cameron double after the interval secured a 4-2 win from the trip to Lanarkshire.

The result means Rhu have now lost just one of their last seven Caledonian League fixtures, and sends them into a clash with the league leaders this weekend in confident mood.

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Maule said: “We struggled to get to grips with a different formation and the festive holiday hangover in the first half. But the guys battled away and did well to go in at half time drawing 2-2.

“We changed back to a more familiar formation in the second half, everyone stepped up their game and we came home with a hard fought but deserved victory.”

The effects of the festive lay-off were clear to see in the Rhu ranks early on as Holytown opened the scoring after a good passing move.

However, the visitors were in no mood to lie down, and Rhu showed plenty of determination to get back level after a Callum Smith strike was parried on to the post and into the back of the net.

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But Holytown were high on confidence after the early opener, and the home side regained the advantage after another great move after 25 minutes.

Rhu still weren’t at the top of their game, but the visitors kept creating chances, and they were eventually rewarded when Jack Gorman found the net with a low volley from the edge of the box to send the teams into half time all square.

The visitors changed to a 3-5-2 formation at the start of the second half, and the tactical switch seemed to change the tide of the game as Brian Cameron fired home from the edge of the box to make it 3-2.

The more familiar formation saw Rhu hold the upper hand throughout the second half, and after creating more goalscoring opportunities, it was Cameron who put daylight between the sides when his low strike from 25 yards put the visitors 4-2 in front.

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Rhu saw out the remainder of the match relatively comfortably, with the defence on top form to repel all Holytown’s efforts.

But the visitors were hit with a late blow when Mark Toms suffered a broken nose and concussion after an accidental clash of heads with a Holytown defender, forcing Rhu to finish the match with 10 men.

Squad: Brown, Black, Bell, Dickson, Maule, Gorman, Cameron, Holborn, Toms, Smith, Jeffrey, Bell, Grant, Paterson.

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This Saturday, September 18, Rhu welcome league leaders Finnart to Ardenconnel Park with a 2pm kick-off.

The Glasgow side have been finding the net for fun so far this season, with 76 goals from their 14 games so far giving them the advantage at the top of the table on goal difference ahead of Cambusbarron Rovers.

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