Huntly's title hopes were all but snuffed out on Saturday in a 5-3 defeat to league leaders Stonehaven at a snowy and windy meadows.
Despite leading 3-2 at half time after being 2-0 down they ran out of steam in the second half.
Stonehaven raced into a 2-0 lead within six minutes, the first coming after a poor clearance from defence was picked up by a Stonehaven player who ran on to easily beat keeper Ross and the second when the same player outstripped the home defence and again gave Ross no chance.
Huntly fought back and pulled one back when Scott LAW took a pass with his back to goal 30 yards out, made a yard of space and rifled an unstoppable shot high into the net.
Huntly's tails were up and an equaliser duly came when McIntosh raced down the wing and crossed for Greg DORRAT to flick the ball neatly past the keeper.
The same pair combined again on the stroke of half time to put Huntly in at half time leading 3-2, this time DORRAT's close range header doing the trick.
Stonehaven had the wind at their backs in the second half and took the game to Huntly. In the 55th minute the home defence failed to clear a corner and the ball fell to a Stoney player outside the box and he rifled it in through a ruck of players.
Stonehaven now looked the stronger team and a poor clearance from Ross landed at the feet of a Stonehaven player and he wasted no time in smashing it back past the keeper from 25 yards.
Clark then went close for Huntly with a header from a Barron corner, the away keeper producing a great save to prevent the Huntly captain from scoring.
Stonehaven wrapped up the points in the last minute when their striker was first to react to a cross ball and clipped the ball into the Huntly net.
Huntly now face a critical couple of games this week, first at Colony Colts on Thursday and then Banks o' Dee on Saturday. Six points is a must if they have any hopes of promotion.
Subject: Huntly 16's V Stonehaven 16's 
Tue Apr 08, 2008 5:59 am