Thistle lose out to league leaders
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
Turriff Thistle 0 - Nicolls Amateurs 2
Turriff Thistle suffered another narrow defeat at home, this time at the hands of current Division 1 North leaders, Nicolls Amateurs, however, the Jags put in an impressive performance and matched their opponents throughout the match.
All that split the teams at the end was a very soft penalty and a scuffed shot plus Thistle keeper, Jordan Ogg, brilliantly saving a second, highly contentious spot kick.
With Steven Wight and Neil Chapman missing through injury, Manager, Matthew Sim, slotted Club Captain, Ryan Morrison, into the back four and welcomed back
Jonny Buist to left back and Regan Fowlie to the midfield.
New signing Joe Watson and trialist Ethan Caldwell took their places on the bench alongside Kyle Chalmers, Lewis Loi and Lee Stuart.
The match was barely two minutes old when Ryan Morrison challenged a Nicolls attacker to a high ball in the Jags box and was immediately penalised when his opponent dramatically hit the deck like a dying swan and a penalty was awarded.
The spot kick was drilled into the net giving Ogg no chance and Thistle were behind.
This disappointment obviously affected the Jags players and Nicolls pressed them back looking to add to their lead.
A long shot in 12 minutes flew well wide then a low shot from the right in 15 minutes was brilliantly held by Ogg and finally a shot from the edge of the box in 21 minutes zipped past the Jag’s post.
Thistle eventually worked their way back into the match and in 23 minutes Bruce Mair made space in the Nicolls box but his shot skimmed the post.
In 25 minutes, however, a tackle inside the Thistle box by Greg Miazek received the same treatment as before when the Nicolls player collapsed in a heap as though he had been shot and penalty number two was awarded much to the astonishment of the Jags players.
This time justice was served as Ogg magnificently turned the spot kick round his right-hand post.
The save was a confidence boost for the Jags and in 34 minutes a blaster from Miazek flew narrowly over the bar then in 39 minutes a cross from the left by Buist was headed over by Fowlie.
Thistle were looking to hold their own and re-group after the interval when, right on half-time, a Nicolls through-ball set the visitors free on the right and the low, driven cross was met in the middle, however, the striker scuffed his shot badly and the ball flew into the corner of the net with Ogg in position to block where the ball was intended to go.
The Jags started the second half on the front foot and in 47 minutes a Mike MCombie cross from the right was narrowly missed deep in the Nicolls box by Buist’s head and the ball drifted to safety.
Thistle should have reduced the deficit in 51 minutes when Mair burst through on the right and his low, driven cut back was met in the middle by Joe Bisset but his fierce shot was straight at the keeper and the ball bounced off his chest then cleared by the defence.
The Jags continued to swarm round the Nicolls box but the well organised defence held firm.
In 76 minutes another Thistle shot from distance was clearly handled at the edge of the Nicolls box but the penalty claims were waved away and a free kick awarded right on the 18 yard line, however, Bisset’s attempt was blocked by the defensive wall.
In 79 minutes Lewis Loi came on for Greg Miazek and within a minute the youngster was blatantly pushed over on the edge of the Nicolls box and from the free kick two shots were again blocked by the defence.
In 83 minutes Nicolls broke free from the Jags constant pressure but the final shot was superbly tipped round the post by Ogg at full stretch.
With five minutes remaining Joe Watson made his debut in place of Bisset but Thistle could not find a way through the packed Nicolls defence although a final shot by Mair, in added on time, fizzed over the bar before the clock ran out.
This was a much better performance by the Jags against one of the top teams in the Division but the squad must be annoyed and frustrated at the Nicolls players adopting the tactics of falling in a heap and screaming for a foul at every single touch throughout the entire match.
