Turriff United completed the league double over Lossiemouth with a 3-1 win at The Haughs. Both sides laboured on a heavy pitch but Turriff upped their game in the second half, rendering Stuart Strathdees equaliser, and Lossie, pointless.

Lossie went into the game without Martin McMullan, pre-occupied with a poorly timed mid-season wedding, Darren McConnachie and Kevin Stuart, while Jamie Bagley started for the Coasters. Turriff had former Lossie forward Craig Morrison on the bench.

This was Lossies first visit to Turriff since the Shire sides’ election to the league, and the pitch was a less than welcoming sight. Following a heavy winter, a heavy bog with a smattering of grass was all that remained of a pitch described earlier in the season as one of the best on the league.

As a result, fluid football was at a premium and it was no surprise that the opening goal came from a header. A cross from Robbie Allan was met by an unmarked Michael RALTON who knocked the ball over the head of Chris Stuart.

Lossie put in a strong performance against Fraserburgh on the Wednesday ahead this game but could not get going on the lumpy pitch, and some dogged defending from the home side left Lossie shooting vainly from distance.

As the game moved towards the interval, Turriff almost stole a second, but Grant Noble fired wide at a time when a second goal would have given Lossie a mountain to climb.

Half time – Turriff United 1 Lossiemouth 0

Lossie came out for the second half with more fight in them and were back in the game before the hour mark. Shawn Scott sent a bullet header towards goal only to watch it strike the underside of the bar before being thumped clear. Minutes later, the Coasters were level when Stuart STRATHDEE rose highest among a group of players to nod home a teasing cross.

Rather than a moment to inspire Lossie into going ahead, the equaliser only caused Turriff to come back into the game. The home side rang the changes, choosing to send on Craig Morrison for the remainder of the game, and one of his first touches was an attempt to lob Chris Stuart in the Lossie goal, the stand-in keeper doing well to tip the ball onto the upright.

Turriff went ahead with twenty minutes remaining. Morrison set up Grant NOBLE for a strike from the edge of the area, and the ball somehow trundled past a diving Stuart to hand the home side the lead. Lossie were slowly fading out of the game and could have fallen further behind, with Morrison first forcing Stuart into a save at his near post, before Noble shot from the same position only to hit the side netting.

The last kick of the game brought a third goal for the home side, Robert RITCHIE coming off the bench to finish the game and give the scoreline an unnecessary gloss.

Full time - Turriff United 3 Lossiemouth 1

Teams

Lossiemouth - Chris Stuart: Steven Sim, Kevin Flett, Michael Dunn, Sam Milton, JJ Urquhart, Tony Ross, Dan Smith, Shawn Scott, Stuart Strathdee, Jamie Bagley
Turriff United - Ross Buchanan: Michael Ralton, Chris Craib, Christopher Herd, Paul Munro, Dave MacKenzie, Robbie King, Robbie allan, Martin McLeod, Grant Noble, Andrew Hutchinson

Lossiemouth - Nikki Smith (Jamie Bagley, 62), Gary Macdonald (Tony Ross, 62), Sean McIntosh (Stuart Strathdee, 74)
Turriff United - Craig Morrison (Robbie King, 58), Robert Ritchie (Martin McLeod, 73), Lewis Henry (Grant Noble, 78)

Lossiemouth - None
Turriff United - None

Referee

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