Result: Lochee Harp 2 Scone Thistle 3

Scone travelled to Dundee to take on Lochee Harp in a fixture that had twice falling foul of the wet winter we've suffered this year. Thankfully today the rain stayed away though a strong breeze made for some tricky conditions at time.

It was a competitive debut for new signing Richard Doig and it didn't take long for Doiger to show that he will be a great addition to the squad, opening the scoring with only five minutes gone. Keir played a pass forward from midfield to Kyle Ballingall and he took the ball forward before centering the ball to Doig who took the ball toward the Harp goal. A defender managed a half tackle but Doig managed to get control of the ball before firing home from just outside the box.

With the wind strengthening both sides were struggling to build good forward moves and it wasn't until the 17th minute that there was another goalmouth incident and it fell to the visitors. A Keir corner from the right was headed out of defence to the Scone left wing where Kyle Ballingall picked the ball up, he then showed great skill to get past a defender before squaring the ball to the in rushing Hynd but his shot from the corner of the goal area only hit the side netting.

Lochee were struggling to put Scone under pressure at this time and were looking to use the wind which was at their backs, however most passes were slightly overhit and Curtis was having a straight forward time in the Jags goal collecting easy passes and it was again the visitors who made the next goal chance and this time it counted.

27 minutes had been played when Keir won the ball before passing to Hynd who advanced into the Harp half, the Jags man played a great 1-2 with Ross Mitchell before dribbling the ball into the Lochee penalty area, knocking it past Brown in the home goal and slotting home from six yards out.

Again there was little direct goal action for most of the rest of the half with the ball either being stuck in a midfield stalemate or being hit from distance towards the Scone goal but just before halftime Scone managed to add a third goal to their tally and again it was Kenny Hynd on the scoresheet. The ball was played from the Scone central midfield to Doig on the right win and his cross into the center saw a Lochee defender make a frantic attempt at clearing the ball which came off his knee, went skywards over Brown and fell kindly for Hynd who was able to header home from 4 yards out. Perhaps a touch of luck but no getting away from the great awareness from Kenny to react quickest to the loose ball.

The second half should have seen Scone comfortably dominate the proceedings with a 3-0 lead and the wind at their backs but bar an opening chance that wasn't the way the half panned out as the Jags appeared to switch off. Indeed after 56 minutes it could have been 4-0 when Robertson and Hynd combined on the right to allow Robertson to cross into the box, a defender headed the ball clear only as far as Keir and his first time volley looked goalbound until a defender managed a block to take the pace off the ball and Brown was able to grab it.

Lochee were beginning to be seen more and more in the match and got their first chance on goal of the game in 61 minutes when a corner on the right was headed on at the front post to Anderson and Curtis had to make a great save from the Lochee man's header.

Scone responded quickly and should had added to their advantage two minutes later when Doig got on the end of a long clearance from defence to take the ball out wide to the right hand side of goal before setting up Ross Mitchell in the centre of the Lochee penalty area, it looked like all Mitchy had to do was get his shot on target with only the keeper to beat but he dragged it past the left hand post.

Lochee were to make Scone pay for this miss when they scored not once but twice in the space of a minute. Firstly they were awarded a free kick 10 yards inside the Scone half after 71 minutes and when the kick was played into the Scone box Fotheringham rose highest to header home. Then from the kick off Scone lost possession and Craig Mitchell gave away a free kick attempting to win the ball back some 30 yards from goal. Again it was Fotheringham with the header when the ball came into the box and suddenly from 3-0 going on 4 or 5 Scone were only leading by a goal.

And it could have been worse. Again from the restart Scone gave away possession though thankfully when the ball was squared into the Scone box for Williamson he pulled his shot into the side netting when it looked easier to score.

Scone began to settle down after this mad four minute spell and managed a chance of their own after 77 minutes when Keir won the ball from a Lochee throw in their own half before squaring to Ross Mitchell who took the ball forward before passing inside to Doig who chipped the ball from the edge of the box beating Brown but the bar came to Lochee's rescue before the ball was cleared.

Lochee were trying to grab the equaliser but were struggling to break down the Scone back four, well marshalled by skipper Willie Laing, and it was Scone who came closest to scoring in the final chance of the game after 81 minutes. The ball worked through midfield by Robertson and Keir before Ross Mitchell took the ball to the edge of the Harp box and then released Hynd on the right. Hynd crossed into the centre to Jordan Brown who took the ball first time but only managed to shoot over the bar.

That was it for the action and Scone pick up another three points on the road, though hopefully in future they won't give the fans such a nervous second 45 minutes!

Scone Thistle: Matt Curtis, Scott Balligall, Scott Lafferty, Willie Laing, Craig Mitchell, Callum Robertson (Jamie Ayton 90 mins), Derek Keir, Kenny Hynd, Richard Doig, Ross Mitchell and Kyle Ballingall (Brown 76 mins).

Unused subs: Graham Michie, John Mitchell & Derek Adam.