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Thistle's early lead secures home match victory


By David Porter

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Turriff Thistle racked up a second home victory of their pre-season programme with a much improved performance against Division 1 East rivals, FC Polska who were sitting in second place and looking for promotion to the Premier Division when last season was declared void in March.

Turriff Thistle vs FC Polska
Turriff Thistle vs FC Polska

The final score-line flattered the visitors who scored twice in added-on time due the Jags lack of concentration, however, Thistle could have easily doubled their goal tally in the second half given the number of chances they created.

Four changes to the starting line-up saw Mike McCombie return to the back four, Regan Fowlie and Michael Williams wide on both flanks and Paul Williamson made his first appearance of the season to lead the line.

Thistle got off to the ideal start in the first minute when an FC Polska defensive mix- up allowed Dylan BUXTON to stroll through and nutmeg the keeper for the opening goal.

The Jags were clearly up for the game and moved the ball around at a hectic pace.

In three minutes a Neil Chapman cross was headed narrowly past the post by Williamson then a minute later Buxton set Williams in on goal but the keeper was off his line quickly to save the shot.

Another minute later and Williams returned the favour with a delicate lob over the defence for Buxton to nip in and blast a screamer past the back post.

Thistle were relentless in attack and in eight minutes Williamson was put through to round the keeper and roll the ball into the empty net only for the goal to be chalked off for a very dubious offside decision.

The Jags were in complete control and in the space of three minutes a rocket from Williams was brilliantly saved by the FC Polska keeper then McCombie blasted a 25 yarder off the bar and finally a Lewis Hendry free kick was well saved low at the post.

It was 20 minutes before FC Polska eventually worked their way into the Jags danger area but Jordan Ogg was out quickly to mop up the threat.

Thistle looked like scoring with every attack and in 30 minutes a superb cross-field ball from Williams put Williamson through on goal and only a last ditch tackle saved a second goal.

Williamson then got another shot away from the resultant corner but this time only the post stopped him from opening his account for the season.

In 40 minutes McCombie delivered a superb cross from the right which sliced off a defender’s boot and scraped the outside of the post.

The last action of the first half saw a FC Polska free kick headed past his own post by Ryan Morrison.

FC Polska started the second half with more purpose and in 48 minutes a header from a corner was brilliantly pushed round the post by Ogg at full stretch.

In 50 minutes Fowlie and Williamson carved open the FC Polska defence with a clever one-two but the keeper pulled off another fine save then a Buxton cross from the right was volleyed narrowly over by Hendry.

Greg MIAZEK came on for Williamson in 55 minutes and within 3 minutes doubled the Jags lead after Buxton powered up the right and drove a low cross into the centre for the striker to run on to and stroke the ball into the corner of the net.

Goal number three came on the hour mark when Ryan MORRISON rose to meet a Williams corner and fired his downward header deep into the net.

The Jags freshened up with Dan Bruce, Mo Morrison and Mitchell Allan coming on for Regan Fowlie, Dylan Buxton and Andy Paton.

Thistle continued to create chances with a through-ball from Williams setting Bruce in on the keeper but his shot hit the side netting then Miazek cruised past three defenders on the left but his angular shot flew past the back post.

In 78 minutes Joe Bisset nearly got on the score-sheet with a sensational curling shot from 35 yards that just drifted away from the junction of the bar and post at the last minute.

In 83 minutes a driven cross from Miazek on the right was met by Williams in the centre but the ball blasted off the underside of the bar.

The Jags finally added a fourth in 85 minutes when Miazek, who was absolutely tormenting the FC Polska defence, hit the bye-line on the right and rolled the ball into the centre for Mo MORRISON to side foot into the net.

With the match won and moving into added-on time Thistle lost concentration and gave FC Polska too much freedom in the middle to blast a shot past Ogg then allowed themselves to be outnumbered deep inside the six yard box and conceded a second right on the final whistle to take a bit of the gloss off what was a quality performance.

Turriff Thistle: Jordan Ogg, Mike McCombie, Andy Paton (Mitchell Allan 67), Ryan Morrison, Neil Chapman, Regan Fowlie (Dan Bruce 60), Lewis Hendry, Joe Bisset, Michael Williams, Dylan Buxton (Mo Morrison 60), Paul Williamson (Greg Miazek 53)

Fixture news - Next stop on the Turriff Thistle pre-season fixture list is a journey to Peterhead and a step up in class as the Jags take on Junior side Buchanhaven Hearts on Saturday

October 24, kick-off is at 2 p.m.


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