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Locos winning run came to an end at Harlaw Park as Turriff United took maximum points from a fiery encounter that saw both teams reduced to 10 men in the first half.
With Zack Ellis missing through injury, goalkeeping coach John Farquhar was called upon and he was involved in the first drama of the afternoon in the 13th minute. As Ewan Clark looked to get on the end of a ball forward the offside flag was raised, but with the whistle gone he continued to try to win the ball from Farquhar. As the two jostled, he appeared to lash out at the goalkeeper. Farquhar was booked while the Turriff player received his marching orders.
The pattern of the game didn’t change much, with neither side offering much of a goal threat, but the visitors opened the scoring through a Liam Strachan rocket with 24 minutes on the clock. A free kick from the right was cleared as far as Strachan who let fly. Farquhar got a hand to be ball but could only divert it onto the underside of the bar on it’s way into the net.
Having taken the lead, Turriff set about frustrating Locos and they did well to protect David Dey in goal. Shots by Calum Dingwall and Milosz Ochmanski were well blocked as Locos struggled to breach a resolute defence.
On the brink of half time, the numbers on the park were evened out. Owen Kinsella went down under a challenge and was awarded a free kick. He grabbed the ball as Reid went to kick the ball away, being caught in the process. After a bit of a melee, involving not just many from the visiting bench but also a player not in the match day squad, Reid was sent off and visiting manager Warren Cummings was shown a yellow card for his failure to control his staff and substitutes. It was probably for the best that half time arrived and allowed all players to regain some composure.
Locos showed more attacking intent at the start of the second half. Dingwall’s effort was well saved by Dey and Jay Halliday was unable to get enough power on his follow up header to trouble the keeper. Farquhar then turned a Callan Gray shot past the post at full stretch before Dey acrobatically denied Nathan Meres.
It was starting to feel like an equaliser would come for the though, and it arrived with a little under half an hour remaining. Greg Mitchell burst down the right and cut into the area but as he played the ball across the box he was clipped by Gray and the referee pointed to the spot. Dey saved Myles Gaffney’s penalty but the striker made no mistake from the rebound.
The goal gave Locos an extra spring in their step. Meres was a constant threat as they put the visiting defence under pressure but they weren’t able to test Dey further before being undone by another top quality finish, Gray firing beyond Farquhar and inside the far post from the right hand side of the penalty area.
As the Railwaymen tried in vain to get back on terms for a second time, the visitors secured the points with Strachan taking advantage of some Locos hesitancy at the back to set up substitute Reece McKeown a few minutes from time, before McKeown netted his second in similar circumstances stances in time added on.
This was a disappointing afternoon for Locos in incessant rain at Harlaw Park, and halted the momentum that had built up before the postponements. Turriff made the most of their opportunities and Dean Donaldson will be disappointed that his team couldn’t give Dey more to do in the visiting goal.
Locos will be looking to bounce back against Fraserburgh at Bellslea Park next Saturday before a festive fixture with Forres the following week.
