(22/10/2022 – BREEDON HIGHLAND LEAGUE – HARLAW PARK, INVERURIE)
For the second weekend in a row LOSSIEMOUTH were stung by a last-gasp winner, this time at INVERURIE LOCO WORKS. Lossie had led twice inside the first eighty minutes after goals from Ryan Stuart and Baylee Campbell, only for Inverurie to snatch the points at the death.
While the sun still shone on the Moray coast, autumn was in full swing in Inverurie, with trees already orange and a thick mist hanging over the town early in the morning before retreating to the hills ahead of kick off. Lossie made one change for the game, starting with Ryan Stuart in place of Fraser Forbes. The hosts were much changed since Lossie were last in town, having lost the services of Neil Gauld, Neil McLean, Ryan Broadhurst and Kieran Shanks in recent times, and the new look Locos went into the game still searching for their first home win of the season.
The opening exchanges saw both sides feel their way into the game, with Lossie settling quicker and looking the happier of the teams, while Mark Souter of Inverurie picked up the first yellow of the game for tangling with Ross Morrison.
Midway through the half Lossie took the lead. Ryan Stuart turned Souter inside out on the edge of the area before sweeping home a right-footed shot that evaded Andy Reid despite the goalkeeper being at full stretch.
Lossie were enjoying their afternoon against a passive Inverurie and Stuart came close to a second half an hour in, hitting the corner of post and bar with Reid rooted. Lossie eased through to half time with their lead intact as Inverurie failed to make steam.
HALF TIME – INVERURIE LOCO WORKS 0-1 LOSSIEMOUTH
Inverurie were handed a route back into the game moments after the restart with the award of a generous penalty. Fergus Alberts went down when near Lewis Mcandrew and referee Filippo Mazzoni pointed to the spot, booking Mcandrew ahead of Jamie Michie converting from twelve yards.
The meat of the second half was spent in the middle of the pitch as both sides rang the changes in a bid to force something, and the hosts began to increase the pressure as Lossie adapted to the changes in personnel, but it was Lossie who struck next with ten minutes remaining. Substitutes Ross Elliott and Baylee Campbell combined to get in behind a sluggish Locos defence and Campbell prodded home from ten yards to restore Lossie’s lead.
The Lossie bench remained calm at the goal as, with ten minutes to go, things could still change and change they did, with Greig Mitchell bundling home a leveller with six minutes to go. The equaliser inspired both sides and Lossie went close to taking the lead for a third time when Campbell crossed for Elliott, and the latter sent a header off the bar and down just the wrong side of the goal line with Reid stood watching. Sadly for Lossie it was Locos who pounced in the final minute, with Robert Ward scoring from close range to spark scenes of unbridled jubilation from the success-starved home fans still in the ground as injury time began.
Inverurie understandably celebrated like they’d won the World Club Championship come the final whistle, while Lossie were left to trudge off the pitch have lost narrowly once again. The Coasters are back in action on Saturday when they head for Grantown and a game against Strathspey Thistle in the preliminary round of the Highland League Cup.
FULL TIME – INVERURIE LOCO WORKS 3-2 LOSSIEMOUTH
TEAMS:
INVERURIE LOCO WORKS – Andy Reid; Thomas Reid, Greig Mitchell, Calum Dingwall, Mark Souter, Logan Johnstone, Robert Ward, Fergus Alberts (Garry Wood (80)), Jamie Michie, Matthew Petermann (Taylor Thain (70)), Craig Gill; UNUSED SUBS – Blair Smith, Taylor Mason, John Farquhar
LOSSIEMOUTH – Logan Ross; Ryan Farquhar, James Leslie, Lewis Mcandrew (Dean Stewart (53)), Jared Kennedy, Niall Kennedy, Liam Archibald, Ross Morrison, Ross Archibald (Ross Elliott (73))), Ryan Stuart, Adam Macleod (Baylee Campbell (79)); UNUSED SUBS – Ryan O’Halloran, Fraser Forbes, Scott Thomson, Jack Sim
GOALS:
INVERURIE LOCO WORKS – Jamie Michie (49, pen), Greig Mitchell (84), Robert Ward (90)
LOSSIEMOUTH – Ryan Stuart (26), Baylee Campbell (80)
REFEREE:
Filippo Mazzoni