Second half fight-back sees Turriff United draw against Strathspey Thistle
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On what can only be described as a dreich and drizzly evening more normally seen at the end of January than late August, Turriff United pulled off a hard-fought second half come back to claim a point from visitors Strathspey Thistle.
Play got off to a bad start for Turriff with referee Greg Souter pointing to the spot within just two minutes after Strathy's Chris Duncan was taken down in a tangle at the edge of the box.
Andrew Skinner calmly slotted it to the right of keeper Tim Findlay.
Early pressure from Turriff saw them moving into the Strathy half with relative ease, only for a countering link up from Duncan and Cameron Lyall play it back into the Turriff half.
A yellow card would ensue for Findlay for tackling well outside his box in a rash move that lead to goal number two for the visitors as James McShane fired it into the top right hand corner from close range.
With 20 minutes on the clock, Turriff's attack led to solid set up from Owen Kinsella link up with Liam Norris who would send it just past the left post.
Jordan Cooper would repeat this five minutes later which ended up in the arms of the Strathy keeper.
Keeping the pressure on, Turriff were already getting wise to the repeated link up play between McShane and Duncan and it would be Kyle Buxton to take the next crack at the visitors goal from around 25 yards out only to see it sail straight into the keepers arms.
James Chalmers would be the next to take a crack at goal on the 40 minute mark, only at his own goal, sending it back towards Findlay with too much force, drawing more than a few gasps from the home crowd.
Fortunately Findlay was on the case and saved some embarrassment.
Turriff continued to force several corners, with Strathy's Ethan Cairns firing a long range effort from 30 yards that ended up not far off target.
HT Turriff United 0 - Strathspey Thistle 2
Turriff came out fighting in the second half and Matty McDonald having been sent forward with a through ball from Owen Kinsella, sent one across the face of the goal, but just ahead of any of his team mates who couldn't connect with it.
At two nil down things went from bad to worse as ref Souter drew screams of protest and more than a few expletives from players and fans alike after awarding a ludicrous penalty when a Strathy player handled in the Turriff box and awarded it to the visitors.
Under a barage of insults it was Skinner who again stepped up to send it past Findlay and make it 3-0.
Two substitutions would follow for Turriff with Luke Kinsella and Bruno Debembe replacing Rory Brown and Jordan Cooper.
Just two minutes after coming on, Debembe set a peach of a curling shot from the left hand of the box spinning on target towards the top right hand of the goal only to see a finger tip touch from the keeper at full stretch deny him.
But on 73 minutes, James Chalmers wouldn't be so easily denied to claim the first home side goal at the Haughs.
What followed would see repeated chances for Turriff finally pay off with L Kinsella sending one just to the left of the post as the home side looked to claim another goal.
And it was Matty McDonald who would do exactly that on 83 minutes sending it rocketing to the left hand side of the keeper from the edge of the box to offer Turriff the chance of drawing even.
The home crowds excitement built as Strathy started to look genuinely worried about the amount of possession Turriff were claiming on the ball.
With two minutes left on the clock, fortune would shine on the home side through the swirling drizzle with a penalty which McDonald calmly stepped up to convert to bring the scores level.
A further belter from Debembe on the edge of the box was unlucky to catch a defender and send it out for a corner, the result of which saw the Strathy keeper end up on top of one of his own defenders on the deck in an effort to keep Turriff off the ball and claiming a winner.
With the clock ticking down L Kinsella would send another one just wide of the right hand post, to the relief of the visitors, while Keir Smith was unlucky to see his shot head over the top of the goal.
FT Turriff United 3 - Strathspey Thistle 3.
United can take positives from this game, with better link up and signs of improved team communication on pitch, subs Luke Kinsella and Bruno Debembe proved crucial to the second half fight back and United were unlucky to have two penalties against them when this clearly could have been a solid home win.
