Close
Locos disappointing start to the season continued with defeat to Huntly at Harlaw Park. Max Foster came into the team in place of the unavailable Paul Coutts and Robert Ward also returned to the starting line-up. The visitors started brightly and the first opportunity came their way when Zack Ellis was called upon to thwart Angus Grant after Taylor Chapman’s under hit back pass. The keeper then kept out Sam Robertson’s follow up.
Locos were growing into the game and came agonisingly close to taking the lead just after the 20 minute mark. Again, the chance came from a short pass back. Robert Ward intercepted and rounded keeper Calum Brodie. As his effort from a tight angle crept towards the line, Greig McNaughton got back to clear. Robertson then found himself with just Ellis to beat after the keeper’s loose pass but the stopper atoned to save once more.
The former Railwayman did open the scoring six minutes before the break. Callum Youngson’s inswinging corner from the right wasn’t cleared and Robertson nodded home from inside the six yard box. Locos looked to hit back in the second half and were enjoying a good spell when Robertson’s second of the afternoon extended his side’s lead with a little over half an hour remaining. The attack showed pace and trickery to get into the box before firing across Ellis and inside the far post.
Locos were struggling to breach the visiting defence and when they did find the net, were frustrated as the referee deemed there had been a push before Ward’s close range header. Any faint hope of a getting anything from the game was extinguished when Grant latched onto a forward pass before lifting the ball over Ellis.
This was another frustrating afternoon as Locos were second best for much of the game. When they did enjoy dominant periods, they toiled to create chances but it felt they could have played all evening without finding the net. By contrast, Huntly maintained a constant threat and were clinical.
Dean Donaldson feels his team are suffering for the lack of key players and struggled across the pitch on Saturday. “We’re missing so many boys just now. If you look at the team, we’re as young as we can possibly be and I don’t think there’s particularly anybody playing well” he said “It’s an accumulation of everything. We can’t play out because Zack is struggling with his knee, we can’t win battles in midfield and nothing sticks when it goes up front.”
The games are coming thick and fast at the moment and they aren’t getting any easier as we face Formartine United again in midweek – this time at Harlaw Park in the Evening Express Aberdeenshire Cup – before travelling to champions Brora Rangers next Saturday.
