Strathspey Thistle suffer at the hands of 'outstanding' Brora Rangers
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Strathspey Thistle 1-5 Brora Rangers
STRATHSPEY manager Gordy Nicolson said losing to table-toppers Brora would not define their season.
That's the message he passed on to his players after Saturday's defeat in the Highland League.
Brora are on course to win the title and Nicolson believes they are good enough to step up to Scottish League Two through the play-offs.
Thistle are 13th in the standings and the Jags boss reckons it's results against teams in the bottom half of the table that will decide where they finish.
Nicolson said: "It was a tough game. Brora are outstanding and they have no weaknesses. I said to the players after the game that this won't define our season.
"The boys battled hard. Brora came out of the traps fast. To be 3-0 down at half-time meant that in the second half we just wanted to get something for our own benefit, such as a goal.
"We did okay, but they are strong, shown by the fact they can bring someone like Andy MacRae on from the bench.
"They could go right up to League Two. I was very impressed with them, on their day they can really hurt you. But we will move on. We've another tough game at Inverurie on Saturday. Then we have a run of games against teams closer to us in the table."
Playing conditions at Seafield Park were difficult due to a swirling wind. Brora wasted no time in taking control of the game and Jordan MacRae fired his side into a 12th-minute lead having been set up by Paul Brindle.
Midway through the opening period Bjorn Wagenaar doubled the away side's advantage with a ferocious strike from 30 yards out.
MacRae then doubled his own tally and scored Brora's third goal of the game with a simple finish from a pass by James Wallace.
Andy MacRae almost made a quick impact after replacing Greg Morrison but was denied by one of the several superb saves Jags keeper Michael MacCallum made throughout the match. Wallace soon created another goal, this time for Martin Maclean, before Jordan MacRae completed his hat-tick with 25 minutes remaining.
The Grantown side grabbed a consolation late on through a wind-assisted long-range effort from Scott Morrison.
The Jags are back in action on Saturday, at Inverurie, in a game which has a 2pm kick-off.
* Spey Valley's junior league game away to Glentanar was called off on Saturday due to heavy rain. They are at home to Burghead Thistle in the Elginshire Cup this Saturday. Kick off is at 2pm.
Related article: Rothes and Brora Rangers tests await as Strathspey Thistle resume Highland League campaign
