Draw feels like a defeat for Strathspey Thistle after throwing away three goal lead to draw against Clachnacuddin in Inverness
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Highland League
Clachnacuddin 4
Strathspey Thistle 4
ASSISTANT manager Mike Rae says Strathspey Thistle's 4-4 draw against Clachnacuddin felt like a defeat for his team after finding themselves 3-0 up at half time in Inverness.
The Jags looked to be crusing to victory after dominating the first half with goals from Liam Shewan, Daniel Whitehorn and Ross Logan.
However, Clachnacuddin stormed back to level the game with 10 minutes remaining.
Jack Davison did put Strathspey Thistle back in front 60 seconds later, but an injury time free kick from Connor Bunce levelled the match.
The result means Strathspey Thistle stay bottom of the division, just one point behind Clachnacuddin but with two games in hand.
Rae admitted given their three goal lead at half time, it felt like Strathspey Thistle had thrown away victory.
"To go 3-0 up and come away with a point it does feel like a defeat," he said.
"I spoke to the boys at half time for the need to defend set plays and corner kicks.
"I thought we played well in the first half and played to the conditions and opponents quite well.
"They were well taken goals, but we always knew that if we let in one there was chance for them to put us under pressure and that is what happened.
"I said at half time that we would need a fourth and if they get an early goal we would put ourselves under pressure and that is what happened."
Rae says he saw enough from the team that they could finish off the bottom of the table by the end of the season, but says it was vital to pick up results against teams in the bottom section of the Highland League.
The league is split into three sections, there is the top seven, the middle section and the bottom seven.
"From our perspective, taking points from the teams around about us are the most important, anything from anyone else above that will be a bonus.
"A point at Clachnacuddin is not a bad thing, but it does feel like a defeat for us."
Strathspey took the lead in the 31st minute when Liam Shewan managed to guide home a free kick into the box which resulted in a scramble before he managed to shoot home.
The Grantown outfit doubled their advantage four minutes later when Daniel Whitehorn managed to get on to a cross from Shewan on the right wing and fired home.
Just before half time, Ross Logan beat the Clachnacuddin defence in the air to nod home a cross to put Strathspey 3-0 up at half time.
But Clachnacuddin fought back in the second half to level the game.
Fergus Adams scored a close range header six minutes into the second half and own goal on the hour mark reduced the deficit to one.
Bunce then got on a cross from Lewis Mackenzie with 10 minutes remaining to level the game at 3-3.
But 60 seconds later, Jack Davison put Strathspey Thistle back in front which looked like being enough for the Jags.
However, in injury time, a free kick from the edge of the box saw Bunce find the net to salvage a point for Clachnacuddin.
