Forres Thistle edge out Lossiemouth United in nine-goal north junior derby thriller at Phoenix Park

Forres Thistle won a nine-goal thriller with Lossiemouth United in Tuesday night’s junior Moray derby.

Jags’ 5-4 success at Phoenix Park put a dent in United’s Championship promotion challenge.

United started well with Ross Archibald denied by a Rian Wilson save early on after going clean through.

A minute later Alex Matczak gave Lossie the lead with a free kick from 35 yards which bounced over Wilson into the net.

Jags levelled on 14 minutes, Toby Clark heading Calum Gemmell’s forward pass on for Matty Fraser to finish well from 15 yards.

The goals kept coming with Forres taking the lead just three minutes after being behind. Neil Moir’s cross was cleared as far as Clark and his good finish made it 2-1.

Five minutes later, Matczak tried his luck once again for Lossie with a 25-yard free kick and again Wilson was caught out by the bounce and the scores were level.

The contest took another twist when Lossie regained the lead through Archibald, capitalising after Gemmell miscontrolled on the edge of his own box.

Incredibly the score was 3-3 after just half an hour, Moir levelling for Forres from the spot after he had been brought down.

Forres chased a fourth with Sam Janousek denied by an Arran Anderson save a minute later, then minutes later Janousek had an effort cleared off the line by Harvey Kane.

However on 37 minutes, Forres did take a 4-3 lead as Moir crashed home his second goal from the edge of the box.

The goals dried up in the second half but Lossie were again on level terms on 65 minutes when Callum Clark converted Harry Allen’s cross.

Eight minutes later Forres scored a fifth when Clark fed Fraser on the right side of the box and he spun to fire into the opposite corner.

Fraser was denied by an Anderson save, and at the other end it took a great save by Jags’ keeper Wilson to keep out Allen’s shot and prevent the home side from nicking a point two minutes from time.