Strathspey Thistle secured their first league win of the season with a 3-1 triumph over Lossiemouth at Seafield Park.
Craig MacKenzie’s double – including one direct from a corner – along with Jake Thomson’s strike secured a comfortable victory for the Jags, with Ross Elliott netting a consolation for the visitors.
Lossie were looking to clock up a third straight victory, while the Jags were aiming to build on their impressive 4-0 midweek triumph over Clachnacuddin in the North of Scotland Cup.
It was the hosts who started more brightly, with MacKenzie showing constant threat from the start. He had the first attempt of the game when he struck over from the edge of the box on six minutes, before his low driven cross forced a strong take from goalkeeper Logan Ross.
It was Lossie who had the best early chance on 10 minutes however, when Kris Duncan’s slack backpass teed up Brodie Allen for a shot at goal, but his effort came back off the inside of the post.
Ross was called into action for the first time on 19 minutes when Thomson cut in from the left before seeing his effort well beaten away by the on-loan Ross County goalkeeper.
The Jags continued to cause problems, with James Fraser teeing up MacKenzie who struck wide, while Cameron Lisle struck straight at Ross after weaving in from the right.
It seemed only a matter of time before the Jags broke the deadlock, and the opener arrived on 26 minutes when Thomson broke down the inside left channel before rifling a low strike across goal into Ross’ far corner.s
Thomson was forced off with an injury just before the break, however Thistle netted a timely second goal in first half stoppage time. It arrived in unorthodox fashion, with MacKenzie’s inswinging left-footed corner deceiving Ross and finding its way in at the far post.
Strathspey looked for a killer third goal at the start of the second half, with substitute Fraser Russell dragging a low effort wide shortly after being introduced at half-time.
Lossie attempted to mount pressure on the home side in their efforts to claw back into the game but they were unable to seriously test Ryan MacLeod, with Liam Archibald striking wide from the edge of the box and Allen well off target with a free-kick.
The visitors claimed another Allen free-kick had been bundled over his own goal line by MacLeod, with the protests ignored by referee Lee Robertson.
MacKenzie added his second to put the game beyond doubt on 78 minutes, with his curling strike from the edge of the box carrying too much power for Ross to keep out.
Strathspey could have restored their three-goal cushion when Duncan was denied by an excellent fingertip save by Ross, however Charlie Brown’s men held on for a comfortable win.