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Thistle win out in Haughs contest


By David Porter

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Turriff Thistle 3 - BSFC 2

Turriff Thistle vs BSFC Picture: David Porter
Turriff Thistle vs BSFC Picture: David Porter

Turriff Thistle added another priceless three points with a narrow victory against bottom of the table BSFC in a dour struggle, on a dreich, windy and wet day at the Haughs although the Jags should have put the result beyond doubt much earlier with the chances they squandered.

Thistle again fell behind, midway through the first half, but equalised within three minutes through a stunning goal by Greg Miazek, who is on fire these days.

The Jags should have added a few more goals as they piled into BSFC for the rest of the first half but the stalemate remained at the interval.

Thistle added two more goals early in the second half from Andy Carder and Regan Fowlie and restricted the visitors to only a couple of long-range efforts until an unfortunate own goal from Colin Bain, deep into added-on time, gave the Jags a few nervous minutes until the final whistle.

Only three changes were made to the Jags starting line-up this week with Jordan Ogg returning to take his place between the sticks, despite Lewis Cheyne’s solid performance the previous week, Dan Bruce came in wide on the right and Andy Carder made his second start of the season in place of the unavailable Bruce Mair which allowed Regan Fowlie to move forward and partner Ryan Morrison up front.

Joe Bisset returned after his suspension and made up a young bench with Lewis Cheyne, Colin Bain Jnr., Joe Watson and Lee Stuart.

The first 15 minutes of the match was a cagey affair with Thistle finding it difficult to string two passes together which allowed BSFC to create a couple of chances, however, play was stopped on both occasions for offside.

Before the Jags could shake themselves awake BSFC took the lead in 18 minutes when the striker made space for himself just outside the box in the middle of the pitch and drilled the ball low into the bottom corner of the net past Ogg’s outstretched fingers.

This provided the incentive Thistle needed and it only took three minutes for MIAZEK to provide the equaliser with a low, 25 yard drive that fairly zipped into the bottom left- hand corner.

Turriff Thistle vs BSFC. Picture: David Porter
Turriff Thistle vs BSFC. Picture: David Porter

BSFC had their chance to regain the lead in 28 minutes but the header from a corner flew high over the bar.

The rest of the half was all Thistle as they eventually started to gel.

Fowlie had a cross-cum-shot saved in 33 minutes, then Mike McCombie headed a cross from Colin Bain just over in 38 minutes.

As half-time loomed, the final couple of minutes saw a 20 yard shot from Morrison then a 25 yarder from McCombie both well saved by the BSFC keeper.

The second half started with BSFC on the front foot and in 50 minutes a dangerous cross from the left was well blocked by Ogg then, 54 minutes Bain was forced to head another cross over his own bar from close to the goal-line.

A minute later and the Jags were ahead after a slick move started by Fowlie who set Dan Bruce free on the right and his low, driven cross beat the advancing keeper and allowed CARDER to nip in at the back post for a simple tap-in.

A couple of minutes later and Thistle were two-up with a goal that must be a contender for “goal of the season”.

The move started with a “route one” long ball forward from Neil Chapman which soared over the BSFC defence and put Mitchell Allan in behind them on the right.

Allan got his shot away as the last defender and the keeper, who had come way off his line to the edge of his box, closed him down quickly.

The ball was missed by both of them and rolled towards the back post in a similar fashion to the earlier goal.

FOWLIE rushed in to tap it into the net but, somehow, stood on the ball and toppled over, however, as he hit the deck his backside made contact with it and pushed it over the line for the goal.

As the saying goes, “It doesn’t matter how they go in, as long as they go in”.

It must have been demoralising for BSFC to lose a goal like this when they are still chasing their first win of the season.

The Jags made their first substitution of the match in 61 minutes when Joe Bisset came on for Chapman with Allan slotting into the back three alongside Bain and Kian Beaton.

BSFC fought back strongly and in 67 minutes fired in a long shot which flew straight at Ogg and was easily held.

The Jags keeper was back in action in 75 minutes when he was down quickly to hold a low shot from the right.

As the match reached the final five minutes Colin Bain Jnr. and Lee Stuart came on for Bruce and Miazek.

With the clock ticking down BSFC hit the bye-line on the right but the low cut-back was blocked by Ogg’s feet.

Play then shot to the other end of the pitch where Fowlie put Morrison through on goal with just the keeper to beat but his shot was also blocked.

The Jags ran the clock down with Joe Watson replacing Allan but the match still finished with a bang when Thistle gave away a needless foul wide on the right at the edge of their box.

The resultant free kick was driven low into the box and it paid off as the ball deflected off Bain’s outstretched foot and shot into the corner of the net to reduce the Jag’s advantage to one.

Praise must be given to BSFC who battled hard for an equaliser until the final second but Thistle held firm to take the narrow victory.

This was, by no means, the Jags finest performance of the season but this match was never going to be a classic with both teams in the bottom half of the Division and desperate for all three points.

The result moves Thistle a couple of places up the table and six points clear of the relegation zone, however, two further defeats could see them dragged back down again, although, on the other hand, two more victories would consolidate their position in the top half of the table.

With seven home games and only three away games played this season the Jags expect to be on their travels over the next weeks and they only have University, Ellon Amateurs and Stonehaven Amateurs left still to play for the first time in the league this season.


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