Maryhill picked up their first three points of the season at the second attempt with an impressive win away to Johnstone Burgh on Wednesday night.

Two fantastic strikes from Darren Kennedy and Craig Stevenson either side of Stuart Fyfe’s header for the hosts secured a 2-1 win for the Hill to continue the unbeaten start to the season.

It was a fast start from Ross Wilson’s side, taking five minutes to create their first chance of the game, Luke Martin seeing his low cross grabbed away from danger. Stevenson was denied the opener five minutes later when his free kick was brilliantly pushed against the bar by Stuart Collins in the Burgh goal before Ged Dobbs fired the rebound wide.

Within a minute though, Maryhill did open the scoring. Collins could only punch the ball as far as the edge of the area, under pressure from Martin, where Kennedy was waiting to control before volleying into the far corner.

Tony Etherson thought he had doubled the lead when he tapped home at the back post, but the referee gave a free kick to the hosts after claims of both handball and offside. Dobbs should have made it two when he beat the onrushing Collins to the ball but with defenders close by, his shot was dragged wide of the target.

The home side eventually threatened the Hill goal two minutes before half time with Fyfe rising high from a corner, but former Burgh keeper Glen Cameron was equal to his effort to put the ball behind. In stoppage time however, Johnstone did level the scores with Fyfe this time able to power his header past the keeper.

Maryhill began the second half well too and moved back in front just before the hour mark and in some style. Jack Easdon had come off the bench and was heavily involved as he crossed for Craig Patterson who showed good strength to hold off a defender before laying the ball to Stevenson, with the midfielder shifting the ball out of his feet and sending a powerful strike into the top corner from distance.

Johnstone Burgh did put more pressure on the Hill defence as the half progressed and Fyfe was denied his second by a phenomenal save from Cameron who showed great reactions to force the ball over the bar, as Maryhill held on for all three points.

Maryhill: Cameron; O’Donnell, Etherson, Love, Meechan; McEwan (Easdon, 53), Kennedy, Stevenson, Martin (Long, 70); Patterson, Dobbs (Browne, 87)