Opening day victory for Turriff United over Huntly
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Turriff United made a promising start to their Highland League season with a win over Huntly.
It was Huntly that took the lead at The Haughs when a cross ball came off United captain James Chalmers and went past keeper David Dey.
However, the home side got back in the game with an Aaron Reid double to close out the first half.
Against the odds of having a player sent off and a Huntly penalty award, which was missed by Hunter, Turriff managed to hold on for the victory.
It was a cagey start to the match with both teams feeling each other out in the first game of the season.
Turriff had an early chance when a long, high ball was played to new signing striker Ewan Clark but he couldn't get enough on it and the ball went out of play.
At the other end Huntly had an opportunity when Hunter picked the ball up in the box, got a shot away, however, his effort was wide of the target.
The away side had another chance when Robbie Foster hit an effort which took a deflection and the ball was collected by Dey.
United then had an opportunity from a corner when the ball got back to Liam Cheyne who fired a shot in which was straight at new Huntly goalkeeper Fraser Hobday.
Huntly took the lead when the ball was played into Hunter and it came off Chalmers and past Dey to open the scoring.
United responded though when Reid got on the end of Jordan Cooper's ball to get it home for the equaliser.
And they took the lead just before half-time when the ball was collected by Reid and he found the net with his effort.
Huntly opened the second half with a chance when a high ball from Greg Buchan was played to Ross Still and his header was straight at Dey.
Turriff's Keir Smith had a crack at goal but his shot was dealt with by Hobday.
An inviting high ball then fell for Clark and he got a header on to it, however, he was flagged for offside.
The home side were then reduced to 10 men when defender Cheyne was sent off for a challenge on Gavin Elphinstone.
Referee Darren Munro then awarded a penalty to Huntly. Hunter stepped up to take it but his shot was over the goal and the opportunity was squandered.
The visitors were unable to capitalise with the extra man and Turriff managed to see out the match. Brace scorer Reid was named man of the match.
Manager Dean Donaldson said of the opening day victory: "I thought we deserved to win, if they had scored the penalty and it had been 2-2 that would have been an injustice.
"We had the sending off where we played 20 minutes with 10 men and it was a harsh red card.
"I thought we played the best football and we showed a lot of character as they scored the first goal.
"In recent seasons having going 1-0 down we would have lost by a couple more goals but the players did brilliantly to come back.
"We had to adjust our team a couple of times and losing our left back was not ideal for us. We got the luck with the penalty miss, which we won't always get.
"I thought to a man we were absolutely unbelievable. For a team that was second bottom of the league last season it just shows that we're going to have a little bit about us.
"It's important that the young guys realise and recognise that we need to be streetwise and play to our game. We did that and it obviously frustrated them a bit.
"It definitely was not a penalty and nobody in the ground seen it as a penalty. However, justice was served as they missed it and if they had scored it wouldn't have been what they deserved.
"I'm delighted with the squad but I still want to bring in two or three more players because we need that competition for places if you want to challenge for anything."
