After an entire season of misery on the road, Lossie finally secured all three points away from home with a win over lowly Fort William at Claggan Park. Despite racing into a 3-0 lead at the interval, Lossie contrived to make things difficult towards the end as they conceded two sloppy goal to give the home side a shot at a draw, but the Coasters held out for a vital win.

A mild evening in the south met the teams as they took to the most scenic football pitch in Scotland, only for the pitch to be less than welcoming. Rock hard in places and sanded in others, the surface was not going to make for the best of football.

Fort opened with a strong early spell, with Jonathan Hewitt launching a shot over the bar from the edge of the box, and Steven Dixon had to be sharp to clear from the line an effort from Jamie Mackay.

The wide-open spaces were providing opportunities for the visitors, with Darran Watson finding room down the side to cross. It was a more robust form of the game that saw Lossie take the lead on 19 minutes, as Kevin Stuart hoofed the ball downfield to Kyle STEWART and the youngster lobbed the stranded keeper to open the scoring. Fort were less than impressed with the decision from the lineswoman to wave play on despite their appeals for offside, claims surely designed to ask the shoddy defending on display.

Moments later Sean McIntosh was harshly booked for complaining about a tackle made on him that was surely worthy of a yellow card. The visitors were causing Fort all kinds of problems with the balls down the wing, with Watson drilling a shot across goal and just wide, and Wilson was next to try his luck, shooting wide against another chorus of vain offside appeals.

The visitors went two in front five minutes before the break, when Watson crossed for Marc WHYTE, who beat the keeper to the ball and headed home. The Coasters had the game in the bag as the half came to a close when they scored a third, with WHYTE grabbing a second from close range after a goalmouth scramble.

Half time – Fort William 0 Lossiemouth 3

So, the game was in the bag, was it? Not a chance. Lossie decided to make things interesting by handing Fort two goals to ensure the last ten minutes was spent praying for the referee to finish the game early like his colleague did a few years back. Sean McIntosh had the best of the chances for Lossie in the opening of the half, but wasted his good work in the build up shooting just wide.

Lossie, defending ever deeper, encouraged the home side to have a go and, with nothing to lose, Fort duly obliged. Mark Dougal saw his strike rattle the crossbar, and Masterton was called upon to save low on the bumpy pitch, holding well both times.

With just over 15 minutes left, Fort pulled one back. Jamie Mackay crossed from the right and with Lossie sleeping Mark DOUGAL tapped home. Four minutes later Peter KELLY cut the lead to one, and there were a lot of worried looking faces in the Lossie support.

The unthinkable was avoided, however, as Lossie pushed out from the back and regained their shape, reducing Fort to shots from distance and closed the game out to celebrate the end of their away season with their first win.

Full time – Fort William 2 Lossiemouth 3

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