Lossie made it two wins in a row with a wind-assisted victory over Strathspey Thistle at Seafield Park. Two first half goals from Scott Matheson gave Lossie a lead to hang onto in a second half ruined by a howling gale, and the hosts failed to take advantage of the conditions.

The hosts were without a win this season going into the game, and were missing manager Donly Macleod due to a holiday, but had former Lossie man George Russell on the bench. Lossie started with Chris Stuart in goals and with Darren McConnachie on the bench. Missing were Shawn Scott and John Urquhart, both sitting out the last game of their suspended period, but Jamie Bagley and Kevin Stuart were listed as substitutes, and both took part late on.  

Only eight minutes had passed when Lossie went ahead. Tony Ross set up Scott MATHESON for a shot from distance, and the ball, powered by the wind and a deflection off Craig Ireland, sailed past Bowles in the Strathspey goal.

The high winds caused Strathspey to struggle to escape their own half, and Lossie continued the hunt for goals. Tony Ross almost doubled the lead but his shot rattled the bar. Another cross from Tony Ross allowed Sean McIntosh a shot at goal, but Bowles tipped his looping shot over the bar.

Lossie got a second before the half hour. Scott MATHESON was a good 40 yards from goal when he decided to have a swing at the ball, only for the wind to catch it and carry it all the way into the goal. Had the net not been there, the ball would have landed somewhere on the golf course, such were the conditions.

Lossie could have wrapped the game up with chances late in the half. Jordan Main drilled a low ball across the face of goal which Bowles dived to save, before Sean McIntosh lashed a shot towards Bowles far post, only for it to go inches wide. McIntosh was at it again soon after, forcing a save from Bowles at his near post, but the visitors couldn’t add to their total.

Half time – Strathspey Thistle 0 Lossiemouth 2

The hosts took to the pitch with the wind at their disposal, and managed to keep Lossie on a defensive footing for the opening stages of the second half. Jordan Main cleared a corner from under the nose of Tolga Daktas, and Murray Ross hit the post from outside the area.

Strathspey were becoming frustrated at their inability to convert possession into a goal. Tolga Daktas made a crude attempt to bundle Chris Stuart into the goal following a save, the resulting afters saw the Lossie keeper into the book. Euan Donaldson was not having a good afternoon either, having a go at both Dan Smith and Sean McIntosh, but to little effect as Lossie kept their heads and got on with things.

Lossie had chances to finish things off. Jordan Main skewed a shot wide of goal with the outside of his left foot, and a succession of corners kept the Strathspey keeper busy. At the other end, Chris Stuart saved a Daktas header on the line, and, amid a slew of last minute substitutions, saved low from Donaldson as the game drew to a close.

Teams

Lossiemouth - Chris Stuart: Craig Donaldson, Sam Milton, Steven Sim, Dan Smith, Kevin Flett, Tony Ross, Scott Matheson, Sean McIntosh, Nikki Smith, Jordan Main
Strathspey Thistle - Chris Bowles: Euan Donaldson, Nicholas Mochan, Murray Ross, Craig Ireland, Terry Swinton, Joe Hardie, David Ritchie, Tolga Daktas, Mateusz Bobrowski, Cameron Gaff

Lossiemouth - Gary Macdonald (Scott Matheson, 85), Jamie Bagley (Nikki Smith, 89), Kevin Stuart (Tony Ross, 90)
Strathspey Thistle - Craig Rothney (Tolga Daktas, 70), Brett Mitchell (Cameron Gaff, 82), George Russell (Craig Ireland, 88)

Lossiemouth - None
Strathspey Thistle - None

Referee

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