(25/07/2009 – NU-TEL NORTH OF SCOTLAND CUP FIRST ROUND – GRANT PARK, LOSSIEMOUTH)

Strathspey Thistle played their first competitive fixture at senior level and scored three times, but it wasn’t enough to give them a fairytale debut as Lossiemouth went one better to edge them out by the odd goal in seven and set up a match against Nairn County in the quarter finals of the NuTel North of Scotland Cup.

It took until the closing stages of a lethargic first half for the first real chance of the afternoon, and it fell to the visitors. David Ritchie collected the ball in the box before turning Kevin Stuart and shooting wide of the far post.

One minute later Nikki Smith received the ball on the edge of the box before unleashing a powerful shot which deflected off a defender right back to the Lossie man who scored at the second attempt with another fizzing shot.

HALF TIME – LOSSIEMOUTH 1-0 STRATHSPEY THISTLE

Lossie started the second half strongly and just four minutes in Shawn Scott headed over a fizzing cross John Urquhart. Smith was clearly in the mood for more goals and bagged his second of the afternoon seven minutes into the half, drilling home a pass from Kevin Flett.

Thistle pulled a goal back just one minute later when David Ross crossed for Brett Mitchell and the Thistle man swiped at his shot, mis-hit the ball and watched on as it looped over Chris Stuart’s head and into the back of the net.

Strathspey pulled level twenty minutes from the end when substitute Mateusz Bobrowskie beat two Lossie defenders down the left hand side before powering the ball beyond Chris Stuart into the bottom far corner.

Parity was brief and Lossie reclaimed the lead just one minute later when Tony Ross played the ball into the box and Shawn Scott expertly finished at the near post with a diving header. Lossie made sure of progress eight minutes from time when substitute Scott Matheson down the right hand side beat Nicholas Mochan before delivering the ball to the back post where Nikki Smith missed a good chance to finish off his hat trick, but Kevin Flett was in the right place to lash the ball home.

One minute into injury time Ross MacKenzie set up David Ritchie for Thistle’s third goal of the afternoon, but it came too late to worry the hosts who now face holders Nairn County in the second round. 

FULL TIME – LOSSIEMOUTH 4-3 STRATHSPEY THISTLE

TEAMS:

LOSSIEMOUTH – Chris Stuart; Steven Sim, John Urquhart, Craig Donaldson, Kevin Stuart, Martin McMullan, Sean McIntosh (Tony Ross (64)), Daniel Smith, Shawn Scott (Scott Matheson (73), Nikki Smith (Michael Smith (84)), Kevin Flett; UNUSED SUBS – Garry Macdonald, Gary McNichol

STRATHSPEY THISTLE – Chris Bowles; Terry Swinton, Nicholas Mochan, George Russell, Andrew McLeod (Joe Hardie (60)), Jamie Rodgers, Brett Mitchell (Sandis Reinsons (60)), Ross MacKenzie, Tolga Dagtas (Mateusz Bobrowski (68)), David Ritchie, David Ross; UNUSED SUBS – Liam Simpson, Robert Flett

GOALS:

LOSSIEMOUTH – Nikki Smith (44, 53), Shawn Scott (71), Kevin Flett (81)

STRATHSPEY THISTLE – Brett Mitchell (54), Mateusz Bobrowski (70), David Ritchie (89)

REFEREE:

David Watt