Rothes had a chance in the 7^th minute when Iain Macrae's well flighted crossfield ball picked out Lewis Robertson, just inside the box, but his first time volley went just over the crossbar.

Turriff started as clinically as they had done against Brora Rangers, adding an early second.  Dave McKenzie played a slide rule pass throughball and although Grant Noble looked slightly offside he didn't hesitate, rounding Stevie Dunn before rolling the ball into the empty net.

From the halfway point in the first period the game began to turn.  A cross from the left was fresh aired by Andy Hutchison which allowed Lewis Robertson to try a snap shot but that effort flew just over the bar.

Iain Macrae was next to clear the crossbar with a volley, from another ball in from wide.  Kyle

A long ball in from the left saw big Stuart Flett get up well, nipping in front of Ross Buchanon to flick it goalwards with Michael Smith was on hand to turn it over the line to claim the goal.  Soon after Rothes were a man down when an off the ball incident involving Michael Ralton, who had just been booked, saw Iain Macrae given a straight red.

Right on half time a Ross Anderson foul on Mike Smith saw the visitors win a penalty giving them a chance to pull level, however the midweek hero Smith weakly shot to the keepers left and Buchanan turned the spot kick round the post for a corner.

Half Time: Turriff United 2 Rothes 1

Turriff went back on the offensive at the start of the second half in an attempt to put the game out of sight.  Andy Hutchison diverted a cross from Darren McAllister across the face of the goal but Grant Noble failed to get the crucial touch.

However at the other end Rothes continued to press, earning one corner after another.  Indeed former Brora Rangers centre back Mark Smith very nearly made it 2-2 but from close range he stabbed the ball over the bar as the corners continued.

The equaliser arrived in the 67^th minute and once again it was another corner that held the key.  Although it was initially cleared Kyle Mackay returned it with interest and Mike Smith nipped in just ahead of Ross Buchanon to flick home his second of the afternoon.

It was now anybody's game.  Turriff were the first to go for it, Craig Morrison using his pace to get in behind the Rothes defence but Stevie Dunn came out to make the save with his legs in the 74^th minute.  A few minutes later the Morrison again went close, cutting in from the right onto his left foot before shooting just wide of the keeper's right hand post from the edge of the area.

The game continued like a boxing match, the two teams slugging it out in the final ten minutes.  Mark Hector drove forward with the ball until he was in range to let fly with a low effort to eh right of the keeper but Buchanon got down well to make the save.

Just when it seemed that a draw was on the cards Martin McLeod went on a lung busting 92^nd minute run down the right and played the ball into the danger area where Steven Dunn punched it onto the chest of Mark Smith with the result being that the ball bounced over the line for a deciding fifth goal.

It was tough luck on Rothes who didn't deserve to lose the match having battled admirably with ten men for the majority of the match.  However they remain one of three teams still to pick up a point while Turriff move joint 4^th on 6 points from their opening three games.

Full Time: Turriff United 3 Rothes 2
Reporter: John Innes.