(15/10/2011 – SCOT-ADS HIGHLAND LEAGUE – GRANT PARK, LOSSIEMOUTH)

Lossie kept up the chase at the top of the league with a big win over Brora Rangers at Grant Park. The visitors provided stubborn resistance for most of the first half, but Nikki Smith gave Lossie a slender half time lead before completing his hat-trick with two second half penalties. Liam Archibald put Lossie out of sight before Smith grabbed a fourth goal in the last minute to cap a fine performance.

The Coasters went into the game on the back of a well deserved win at Buckie and JJ Urquhart was back in the starting line-up after a late appearance as substitute at Victoria Park. Brora went into the game with a perfect away record – played 5, lost 5 – but were comfortable winners in this fixture last season, and only an injury time goal from Steven Sim stopped Brora from completing a league double at Dudgeon Park.

Despite their poor away record, Brora took the game to Lossie in the opening stages and the expectant home support were stunned into silence when James Murray rattled the bar with a header. Lossie were far slower out of the traps than at Buckie and can be grateful that Brora were unable to take advantage.

Lossie found their feet midway through the half but could not find a way to open the scoring. Kevin Grant had two chances to open the scoring, the first foiled by a block from McCarthy after Grant had been sent clean through on the Brora keeper, and soon after Grant was at full stretch as he tried to get a toe to a Colin Charlesworth cross but failed to connect. The hosts had the ball in the net but were left frustrated as the goal was ruled out.

Brora were still threatening to make a game of it, and Stuart Golabek sent a free kick just over the bar. At the other end, Kevin Grant was again in the middle of things, and saw a shot from close range deflected into the air before dropping onto the roof of the net. Colin Charlesworth chose to bear down on goal himself on his next possession, and drove into the box before lashing the ball high into the side netting.

Lossie finally put one of their chances away as the half drew to a close. Colin Charlesworth, who hasn’t stopped running since the season began, was again provider and set up Nikki SMITH for a tap in from inside the six yard box.

HALF TIME – LOSSIEMOUTH 1-0 BRORA RANGERS

The hosts began the second half with much more vigour and within five minutes of the restart the game was finished following two Nikki Smith penalties. The first was awarded for a foul on Martin McMullan right on the edge of the area, and Nikki SMITH stepped up to bury the ball in the bottom corner, sending the keeper the wrong way. Moments later, Lossie were three ahead. Kevin Grant knocked a goal kick towards Nikki Smith and the Brora defence conspired to deflect the ball into the path of Liam Archibald. The youngster was about to knock the ball into an open goal when he was scythed down by Gordon Finlayson. The Brora man was red carded, and SMITH completed his second hat-trick against Brora with a cheeky spot-kick chipped in off the underside of the crossbar.

With half an hour to play Lossie moved further ahead. Ross Archibald let go a pass to avoid being given offside, and his brother Liam ARCHIBALD darted past him to take possession into the area before curling the ball under McCarthy and into the net from the corner of the six yard box.

Lossie were eager to further boost their skinny goal difference but a succession of wasted chances meant the scoreline stayed the same until the final minute. Ross Archibald had two chances from a similar position to that from which his brother scored but on the first occasion curled the ball just past the far post. Soon after, Archibald found himself in the same position and chose to use the outside of the foot to prod the ball across goal, but sent it spinning away from the post.

On the other side of the pitch, Jamie Bagley came on for Colin Charlesworth and Lossie continued to torment the visitors down the wing. Bagley could have helped himself to a pair of goals in quick succession, but was foiled both times by the body of McCarthy.

In the last minute Lossie added a fifth and Nikki SMITH was again the scorer, finding himself in the right place to rifle home a loose ball from eight yards to round off the scoring and keep Lossie sitting in sixth place, five off top.

FULL TIME – LOSSIEMOUTH 5-0 BRORA RANGERS

TEAMS…

LOSSIEMOUTH – Darren McConnachie; Tony Ross, Sam Milton, Bryan Bell, Kevin Flett, JJ Urquhart, Colin Charlesworth (Jamie Bagley (62)), Martin McMullan, Nikki Smith, Kevin Grant (Ross Archibald (59)), Liam Archibald (Stephen McKenzie (75)); UNUSED SUBS – Steven Sim, Kevin Stuart

BRORA RANGERS – Shaun McCarthy, Ryan Lamont, Evan Murray, Stuart Golabek, Alex MacLeod (Kieran Cunningham (86)), Gordon Finlayson, Ryan Mackintosh, James Murray, Kyle MacLean (Chris Moir (63)), Gary Kerr, Liam Baxter; UNUSED SUBS – Steven Martin, John Allan

GOALS:

LOSSIEMOUTH – Nikki Smith (44, 48 (pen), 50 (pen), 90), Liam Archibald (61)

REFEREE: Graham Beaton

---