Manager Allan Hale was pleased Huntly managed to keep up their recent momentum with a third straight win.
The Black and Golds beat Turriff United 3-0 in the Highland League at Christie Park, via goals from Joel MacBeath, Gavin Elphinstone and new signing Robbie Foster – who joined from Fort William earlier in the day.
Boss Hale said: “To get three goals and a clean sheet without playing at our best is pleasing. I thought we worked hard throughout and there’s always room for improvement.
“The first half got scrappy at times and we addressed that at half-time and got the second goal at a crucial time early in the second half.”
Huntly threatened early on with Michael Clark’s header blocked on the line after he met a Jack MacIver corner.
Two minutes later, Aberdeen loan keeper Tom Ritchie pulled off a good block to deny Turriff’s Jordan Cooper at his near post.
Huntly’s MacBeath held the ball up for Greg Buchan moments later, but his low shot was parried by Tim Findlay.
The woodwork then saved Turriff in the 34th minute when MacBeath’s shot came back off the post and into the arms of Findlay.
However, Huntly took the lead eight minutes before the break. Some good play down the right flank saw trialist Andy Hunter cross for MacBeath to net his second goal in as many games.
Turriff should’ve levelled before the interval, but Cooper’s low effort failed to trouble keeper Ritchie.
Huntly doubled their lead after 53 minutes. Glenn Murison released Buchan and his low ball across the visiting box was met by Black and Golds top-scorer Elphinstone, who drilled in his sixth of the season.
There was a let-off for home defender Clark in the 68th minute when his back-pass rolled by his own net.
But, with three minutes remaining, a goalkick from Ritchie was knocked on by Hunter, allowing substitute Foster to mark his Huntly debut with a goal.
Hale was pleased to see Foster, 20, make an instant impact after signing from Fort William on a deal until 2024.
He said: “Robbie is a player who we’ve had our eye on since he played against us for Fort William. He only met the team today and came on for 20 minutes – and you can see what he’s going to bring.”
Turriff have yet to win away from home this season and manager Dean Donaldson felt his side need to make sure they take their chances.
He said: “I think that’s the story of our season so far, we’ve created chances and just need to finish. We just need to be more clinical in front of goal when we do get the chance.
“I’m disappointed with the 3-0 defeat, but not our performance.
“We created a number of chances before Huntly went ahead and the opposition got a lift from the goal.”