Home defeat for Turriff Thistle
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Turriff Thistle 1 - Newburgh Thistle 2
Turriff Thistle slumped to their second home league defeat of the season at the hands of Newburgh Thistle despite having control of the majority of the first half and should really have had all three points in the bag before the interval with the number of chances they created.
The Jags took a deserved lead in 28 minutes through Michael Harris but managed to squander numerous opportunities to extend it before half-time.
The lack of more clinical finishing came back to bite them in the second half as they allowed Newburgh back into the game to score two avoidable goals and ended up chasing the match trying to salvage a point when they should have been cruising to victory.
Thistle made one change to their starting line-up with Kian Beaton, back from suspension, alongside Mike McCombie and Ryan Catto in defence.
The midfield of Glen Morrison, Joe Bisset, Dylan Buxton, Callan Reid and Regan Fowlie and the attacking partnership of Michael Harris and Stuart Elphinstone remained from the previous week.
A full subs bench was made up of Lewis Cheyne, James Mackintosh, Joe Stephen, Lee Stuart, Nathan Fraser, Bruce Mair and Eythin Duncan.
Thistle hit the ground running and within a minute Buxton put Harris through in the clear but play was stopped for offside.
In three minutes Buxton drove a long diagonal forward ball from the left hand side to find Fowlie rushing into the Newburgh box from the right but his volley flashed across the keeper and narrowly past the back post.
The Jags pushed forward relentlessly and in 10 minutes a McCombie cross from the right was headed past the post by Elphinstone then in 13 minutes a through-ball from Bisset found Elphinstone again but this time his left foot shot flew over the bar.
Newburgh could have taken a shock lead in 18 minutes when a high ball slipped out of Ogg’s hands in the torrential rain but Catto was on hand to clear the danger before any of the opposition could react.
Thistle came close again in 23 minutes when a turn and shot by Harris at the edge of the box bounced off the top of the Newburgh bar.
The Jags eventually made the breakthrough in 28 minutes when Buxton slipped a beautiful ball through the Newburgh defence to put HARRIS in the clear and he stroked it into the corner of the net.
Thistle could have doubled their lead in 36 minutes when a net-bound piledriver by Buxton from the edge of the box was brilliantly palmed away by the Newburgh keeper.
The Jags continued to push forward for the remainder of the first half but the Newburgh defence kept them at bay.
The rain subsided and the sun broke out for the beginning of the second half and it was the Jags turn to consolidate in defence as Newburgh started in a much more determined mood.
The visitors first chance came in 48 minutes when a header from a corner flashed over the Thistle bar.
The Jags had another chance to extend their narrow lead in 55 minutes when another through-ball from Buxton set Elphinstone free on the right but instead of hitting it first time he took the ball further right and the more difficult shot was saved at the near post.
Newburgh drew level on the hour mark in controversial fashion when Bisset was barged in the back when he challenged for a loose ball, however, the referee penalised him for the foul.
The free kick was dropped deep into the packed Jags box where a Newburgh striker got to it first but his shot was well saved by Jogg, however, the rebound fell to another Newburgh player and was driven low into the net.
Straight from the restart Buxton launched the ball forward to Harris but his quick shot was off target.
Newburgh were playing with renewed confidence and Thistle had to soak up some prolonged pressure.
The Jags brought on Fraser for Elphinstone in 69 minutes then Mackintosh for Morrison in 72 minutes with Beaton moving forward to wing-back.
Thistle began to push forward again but were caught out in 79 minutes when a massive Newburgh clearance from their own box flew the full length of the pitch and into the Jags box where it was met by a striker whose header was brilliantly blocked by Ogg but the ball ran directly into the path of the same player who blasted it back into the net.
The final 10 minutes saw Thistle pile into Newburgh looking for an equaliser, however, the visitors settled for what they had and managed the remainder of the game proficiently.
Duncan came on to replace Harris in 83 minutes and the only scoring chance for the Jags before the final whistle came from a long shot by Bisset in 86 minutes that flew over the bar.
This was an extremely disappointing result for Thistle after such an impressive first half performance when they should have been three or four goals in front but for poor choices in front of the goal and the lack of more clinical finishing.
The team are superb at creating chances each week, however, the conversion rate into goals must increase soon with four cup competitions still to compete in and over half the league fixtures still to play.
