Clachnacuddin came from behind to record their first victory of the season as they ran out 4-1 winners over Strathspey Thistle at Grant Street Park.
Both sides included new loan signings, with Lewis Nicolson starting in the heart of the Lilywhites defence up against his Caley Thistle team-mate Ethan Cairns who led the line for Charlie Brown’s men.
Clach were forced to reshuffle after only five minutes however when goalkeeper David Aitchison picked up an injury as he came out for a cross, with Daniel Rae taking his place.
Cairns offered his first goal threat on eight minutes when he struck over from the edge of the box, while a free-kick from James McShane called Rae into action for the first time, with the substitute goalkeeper making a strong beaten save.
Thistle took a deserved lead on 14 minutes, when Craig Mackenzie cut the ball back from the left for Kris Duncan to tuck home from close range.
The Jags threatened for a second moments later when a route one ball upfield found the run of Jake Thompson who dragged his effort wide.
Clach mustered a strong response to going behind however, with James Anderson sending an effort narrowly wide after the ball fell to him following a set-piece.
Shaun Sutherland was next to threaten from similar range with an effort which he sent wide, before Anderson looked to try and catch Michael MacCallum out when he was off his line, but the goalkeeper stood firm to block the shot.
Anderson was proving a handful for the Jags defence, and he came even closer on 25 minutes when a low strike forced MacCallum to tip the ball wide.
Despite failing to find a breakthrough before the interval, the Lilywhites started the second half rapidly, with some excellent wing play by Ross Logan and Liam Taylor causing the visitors all sorts of problems.
In a swift breakaway straight from the kick-off, Logan’s run to the byline was followed by a cutback towards the far post which evaded Taylor by a matter of inches.
When Clach’s equaliser arrived on 51 minutes it was well deserved, with Nicolson seeing his header cleared off the line in his pursuit of a debut goal, however the ball dropped for Morrison to send a sweet low drive across MacCallum into the far corner.
Morrison tried his luck with another strike from distance which drifted wide moments later, while Taylor saw a header from Callum Black’s delivery brush the side-netting just before the hour mark.
The game was finely poised, with Logan continuing to be a nuisance for the visitors with a strike which deflected wide, while Eachainn Miller saw an effort scrambled off the line following a corner.
Logan came up with a decisive moment with 13 minutes remaining, with the teenager picking up the ball 20 yards out before stepping inside and planting a strike high into MacCallum’s top left corner.
Clach virtually made the points safe two minutes later, with MacCallum initially doing well to claw away Miller’s effort, but he was helpless to prevent Taylor squeezing home the rebound.
The hosts threatened to add further goals, with Sutherland’s long-range strike clipping the bar on its way over, before Lewis Mackenzie saw a low drive palmed wide by MacCallum.
Taylor nodded home a fourth in stoppage time to double his tally, capping off an outstanding second half display by Jordan MacDonald’s side.
