Neilston manager Kevin Muirhead admits he is delighted a change in team shape paid off in the derby dust-up with Renfrew on Saturday.

The afternoon got off to a bad start for the Farmer’s Boys as Michael Howie’s freak own goal gave Renfrew the lead at the Brig O'Lea.

However, Darren Jones volleyed home an equaliser and David Donnelly put the home team ahead at half-time.

Dom Innes was on target for Renfrew to level the scoreline just seconds after the break but Jones went on to net the winner for Neilston.

Muirhead had challenged his players to do more in the final third, having struggled to find the net in their opening six games of the season, and was relieved that a change of tactics had the desired effect.

He told Barrhead Sport: “We’re both around about each other in the league and it’s a bit of a local derby, so it was important we went and got a good result, but I was pretty happy with the performance as well.

“Renfrew took the lead after about 10 minutes but we were all over them before that and created more chances in those 10 minutes than we had in the previous three games.

“It was important we gave up something at the back and went and attacked and we did that on Saturday.

“We worked on a wee change of shape ahead of the game and you’re always nervous as a manager when you’re doing something a bit radical but we had to do that because there is no point having a good defensive record if you aren’t scoring goals."

Muirhead is now hoping Jones can build on his brace against Renfrew.

He said: “It was good for Darren to go and score a couple of goals because his confidence had taken a bit of a knock after not getting off the mark this season but he got two very good goals, so that will do his confidence the world of good.

“I’ve tried to remind him of what he brings to the team overall in terms of his running and what he does for his team-mates but, as a striker, he’ll be marked against how many times he puts the ball in the back of the net.

“His first goal is an excellent volley from a corner where he has to adjust his shape in mid-air and his second goal is a very cool finish when he is one-on-one with the goalkeeper.

"He has missed a few of them at the start of the season, so he’ll be delighted to get that one in the back of the net.”

There is no competitive fixture for Neilston this weekend as attention now turns to another local derby – this time against Johnstone Burgh – on Saturday, September 23.

Kick-off for that clash at Keanie Park is at 2pm.