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Historic day for Strathspey Thistle





Saturday August 18th 2012 is a day that will go down in the Strathspey Thistle history books as they finally recorded their first away win in the Highland League.

Victory on the road came three seasons and three weeks after stepping up from the junior ranks.

Polish striker Mateusz Bobrowski was to be the hero of the hour, netting a first-half penalty and a 51st minute thunderbolt to give the Jags a two-goal lead.

His goals proved to be enough despite the side playing the last half an hour with 10 men.

Strathspey manager Brian Ritchie paid tribute to the character of his squad, but insists he will make sure his players keep their feet on the ground following their away day success.

He said: "We have just been enjoying this week and preparing for the daunting task of playing Cove who are next up.

"The boys have worked very hard in pre-season. We don’t have superstars but we have players who appreciate getting the chance to turn out in the Highland League.

"We can’t go gung-ho and have to have a strict game plan and it is to the lads’ credit that they are taking this on board.

"Every player that is with us knows that we are building a club for the future and we have to get the infrastructure in place before we take the next step.

"For them to have been so loyal to the club despite a hard three previous seasons is again a great tribute to them."

Strathspey had to do it the hard way, as they were reduced to 10 men midway through the second half when Joe Hardie was dismissed.

Craig Rothney was also forced off injured after only eight minutes, with Marc MacDonald deputising as a striker. Despite the setbacks, Ritchie believes his players responded well to the battle.

"I thought every one of them put everything they had into the game and didn’t stop running till the final whistle," he said.

"We told them they had a chance of making their own wee bit of history with gaining the first away win and I think when we went down to 10 men with half an hour to go they showed what it meant to play for Strathspey."

The Jags boss added: "Joe being sent off was a blow but I will never condemn him, he gives the club every ounce of sweat and he is a great team leader.

"He was hurting in the last half hour and apologised to us all, but each of the boys shook his hand and let him know that the win was gained every bit as much with him involved.

"We were stretched to the limits in personnel and losing Craig Rothney after eight minutes meant the whole week’s preparation was abandoned.

"Marc Macdonald came on and had a thankless task to carry out but did a great job up top for us. He won the penalty and set up Matty for his second goal.

"I was especially delighted to see Matty get his first goals of the season, he enjoys his football and it wouldn’t matter if he was playing in the Highland League or a kickabout in the park, he is full of enthusiasm and gets a real thrill out of scoring goals."

After a midweek win at Cove, the home team came into the game full of confidence and were nearly in front in the opening minute when Robbie Allan crashed an effort off the crossbar.

However, having been impregnable on Wednesday night, the Turriff backline gifted Strathspey the opener in the 14th minute.

A Ross Anderson header back to Andy Reid allowed Macdonald to nip in, feel the contact from the keeper and go down. Bobrowski made no mistake with the penalty.

He doubled the visitors’ advantage six minutes into the second half when a long ball into the area fell back to the striker and he sent it flying into the top corner to the delight of the Strath contingent.

They appeared to lose concentration and Turriff forced their way back into the game within two minutes as Nick Gray netted after an Anderson header came back off the post.

But despite Hardie getting sent off soon after, Strathspey stood firm to put a big smile on the face of all those connected with the club.

Turriff United: Reid, Chalmers (Fraser 57), Bowden, Anderson, Simpson, L Davidson, Gauld, G Davidson, Harris, Gray, Allans Subs: Young, Campbell, Muirhead, Coutts.

Strathspey Thistle: Ridgers, Ireland, Wardrope, Swinton, Mochan, Reinsons, Hardie, McRae, Bobrowski, Rothney (Macdonald 10), Smith Subs: Sutherland, Fraser, Munro, Macleod

Referee: A Cooper


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