Peterhead manager Jim McInally hailed his side’s victory in a seven-goal League 2 thriller as one of their best of the season.
The Blue Toon saw off the challenge of Stirling Albion in the most testing of conditions at Balmoor with the strong winds making for a challenging environment for both sides.
McInally said: “That was probably our best three points of the season. At half-time Stirling must have thought the points were in the bag as they had done the hard part.
“It is farcical when the goalkeeper is kicking a ball and it is nearly blowing back to him. At times it wasn’t a game of football but we did the best we could.
“It is as hard to play with the wind as it is against it but we know we are good enough to create chances and our second half was terrific.”
Russell McLean’s two goals in the second half settled the game in Peterhead’s favour and McInally believes the tall striker has a big future in the game.
He said: “I was really pleased for Russell McLean. He scored two great goals but his second one especially was fantastic. I’m delighted for him and for the team.
“He came on last week and I thought he transformed the game at Stenhousemuir. He has great energy and I know he is not great in the air for a boy his size. He’s 19 and I don’t know if there are other 19-year-olds in this league who have contributed as much as he has.”
Victory ensures the Blue Toon remain a point behind leaders Montrose with two games in hand, a tally which will increase to three as McInally’s men face Dumbarton in the Scottish Cup on Saturday.
McInally said: “We’re 13 points ahead of them now which is massive and it also means we can have a free shot at Dumbarton in the Scottish Cup.
“If we had lost the points here and Montrose had gone four ahead then won next week it would have left us with three games in hand but it was important we stayed on their tails.”