RHU Amateurs celebrated their return to home soil in style on Saturday by defeating Callander Thistle 6-4 at Ardenconnel Park in a hugely entertaining Caledonian League clash.

Rhu hadn’t played on their own patch since mid-August, thanks to a combination of league fixture scheduling and away cup draws, but any fears of a repeat of the 8-2 thumping Callander dished out when the teams last met were comprehensively dispelled as the home side reached half-time 4-1 in front.

Thistle recovered in the second half as Rhu switched off for a spell as a result of their comfortable interval lead, but the home side’s advantage was never seriously threatened as top scorer Callum Smith added another two goals to his tally for the season, with Adam Sharkey also netting a brace and Kyle Sharkey and Gordon Brodie completing the scoring.

READ MORE: Rhu cruise to West of Scotland Cup win away to North Kelvin

Keeper William Brown added the icing to the cake with a fine penalty save as Rhu maintained their record of not having lost at Ardenconnel Park this season.

Manager Stewart Maule said: “We powered into a 4-1 lead at half time and then switched off a bit in the second half.

“We played some great football, but need to learn quickly to stay focused and maintain the same pressure for the full 90 minutes, no matter what the score is.”

Squad: Brown, Dickson, Brodie, Cameron, Stillwell, Holborn, E. Bell, Maule, K. Sharkey, A. Sharkey, Smith, Black, Grant, A. Bell, McKell.

READ MORE: Rhu make their point in 2-2 draw away to Dunblane SC

The result means Rhu maintain their mid-table status in the Caledonian League’s first division, with 10 points from five games leaving them in seventh position – but with only one defeat on their league record so far, and games in hand on most of their rivals, there’s still plenty of time for the team to climb the table.

* This Saturday, October 5, Rhu put the bread-and-butter of their league campaign to one side as they head to Ayrshire to face one of the country’s top amateur teams, Hurlford Thistle, in the second round of the Scottish Amateur Cup.

Hurlford, the reigning Ayrshire Amateur FA premier league champions, have won the ‘Scottish’ twice in the last decade, doubling up in 2013-14 when they lifted the West of Scotland Amateur Cup as well.

Kick-off at St Joseph’s Academy in Kilmarnock is at 2.30pm. Rhu are running a bus to the game – if you’re interested in travelling, see the ‘Rhu Amateurfc’ page on Facebook to put your name down.

READ MORE: On-form Rhu stun cup holders in penalty shoot-out

* Meanwhile, after having the September holiday weekend off, Helensburgh FC are back in action this Saturday, October 5, when – after almost two months playing in various cup competitions – they finally get their Greater Glasgow Premier AFL first division campaign under way away to East Kilbride YM.

Kick-off is at 2pm.