Strathspey Thistle blown away by Turriff in first half-hour
Strathspey Thistle went into their final league match of the season against Turriff United with high hopes following an excellent 4-1 win away Keith only days earlier.
So confidence was high going into their meeting with the Turra, even though the visitors had won the reverse fixture at the Haughs back in November convincingly.
Boss Ryan Esson made two changes to his starting line-up from the side that had overcome the Maroons days earlier with Paul Brindle and Jordan Laidlaw coming in to replace Sam Morrison and Daniel Whitehorn respectively.
With former Scottish FA Chief Executive, Scotland international and Rangers striker Gordon Smith the VIP for the home side, the home side got off to the worst possible start.
They concedrf three quick fire goals inside the opening 25 minutes.
The visitors were ahead as early as the ninth minutes.
The deadlock was broken from a corner to the far post where Owen Kinsella climbed above a static rearguard to power home a superb header for the opener.
Four minutes later they increased their advantage when a ball into the home penalty area caused all sorts of problems for the defence.
Reece McKeown was able to weave his way through to plant a right foot effort into the corner of the net beyond the helpless Euan Storrier.
The home side struggling to break down a stubborn Turriff rearguard.
And the visitors duly netted a third effort after 25 minutes, when Mackenzie Taylor driblled his way into the penalty area before swivelling to beat the keeper with a low drive into the net.
The home side hit back and two minutes later they reduced the leeway when Lewis Mackie raced to the edge of the box to drive in a powerful cross for Paul Brindle to apply the finish from close range.
Storrier was again called into action with 10 minutes of the first period remaining when he made an excellent full length save to deny Taylor his second of the afternoon.
The home side had a let-off 12 minutes after the resumption when a long clearance from keeper Cameron Reid found John Allan on the edge of the box, however, his well struck effort drifted inches wide of the far post.
The home side countered and two minutes later a powerful run from Zach MacPhee following a Dylan Lawrence through ball ended with the full back forcing the keeper into a fine save at his near post.
But any hopes of the home side rescuing something from the match ended after 63 minutes.
Storrier could only parry an effort from Mackenzie Taylor and Archie Gibson reacted the quickest to fire the loose ball high into the net.
With two minutes remaining striker Paul Brindle attempted an audacious lob from fully 30 yards that beat the keeper but failed to hit the target.
Esson will be looking to add to his squad during the close season in an effort to improve the Jags’ league position next time round.
His priority will be to stop conceding early goals - something that occurred far too often throughout this season if they are to give themselves a chance of winning matches.
Strathspey Thistle: Storrier: Franczak, Z.MacPhee, Calder, Laidlaw (Lawrence 46) Lisle, Shewan (Nixon 76) Brindle, Docherty, Mackie (Duffty 68) Fraser. Subs Rae (Gk) Doran
