WATCH: Turriff United manager Dean Donaldson thrilled by derby win at Formartine United but plays down his team's lofty Highland League placing
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TURRIFF United turned over leaders Formartine United on their own patch on Saturday, but manager Dean Donaldson isn’t getting too carried away.
A thrilling 4-2 win for Deano’s boys saw them move up to fifth spot themselves with their sixth league win in nine outings so far.
Goals by John Allan, Ewan Clark (2) and Owen Kinsella gave Turriff a surprise win, even after top scorer Clark was red-carded late in the game.
Donaldson said his team had to stand up to their powerful hosts in a tough encounter, with both sides ended up with ten men while Turriff keeper David Dey also saved a first half penalty.
“It was an entertaining game, that’s for sure.,” said the Turriff boss.
“They had a big physical side with a bit of quality in there, you can see how they play, they are very direct and they turn teams all the time.
“They have a long throw in with the centre halves and there was no question that we had to stand up physically to them and when they had the ball we had to try and play and stamp pour own authority on the game, which I thought we did.”
Allan struck first for Turriff midway through the first half, then Dey kept out Paul Campbell’s spot kick minutes before Adam Emslie levelled on the stroke of half time.
Clark netted on 65 minutes, then again from the penalty spot after Formartine were reduced to ten men for Keiran Adams’ dismissal.
The ten men clawed it back to 3-2 through Aaron Norris on 83 minutes, then Clark - who recently signed a new contract with the club - was sent off, making it ten versus ten in the closing moments.
With Formartine chasing an equaliser, Turriff broke away and Kinsella netted a stoppage time clincher.
Donaldson is pleased to see some conpetition for the striking positions and some goals in his team.
“John and ‘Kaka’ (Clark) have been getting goals and Gauldy (Neil Gauld) is coming back, we have Fergus Alberts and Kyle Gordon.
“They know they are fighting for their places so they’ve got to be on form when they do get on the park. It’s a good dressing room and we don’t have boys spitting the dummy out when they are not playing.
“It’s important that when they get their chance they keep it.”
As pleased as Donaldson is to see his team fifth in the league, he said: “I’m under no illusions that we will be competing at the top.
“We’ve still got so much growth in our team. They are so young and even over the last year our guys have improved so much, and I expect that again.”
Turriff were due to be playing Brora Rangers in the league this weekend but the Sutherland side’s rearranged League Cup semi-final with Keith takes precedence.
Instead, Turriff have brought forward their March fixture away to Rothes to this Saturday. “There’s no game the following week with the cup final so it was important to get this game in,”
