INVERURIE Locos sent their fans home happy after a heavy defeat the previous Saturday, seeing them come from behind to beat last season's SFL strugglers Forfar Athletic.

It has proved to be a good morale booster with the season' s official start now just over a week away.

Dave Cormie started off with a 3-5-2 formation which he was to stick with throughout, but it was the experienced Derek Lilley who almost netted very early. Andy Reid, playing against his former club, did well to parry away.

In seven minutes, defender David Dunn put the Loons ahead, meeting a right wing corner with his head to leave Reid beaten. Then a well curled free kick by Sean Kilgannon came off the inside of Reid's post but luckily bounced away.

Having settled down, Locos grew in confidence and a long serving stalwart was responsible for them going on level terms just before the half hour. Steven Park played in the perfectly flighted cross for Mark Smith to net with a typical downward header, his first home goal for his new club.

Neil Gauld came closest to adding to the score, stooping forward to head wide.

Forfar had been pinned back but on the breakaway left back Elliott Smith got forward to head just away from Reid's left post.

The Inverurie side started the second half positively, Gauld picking up a ball from Smith, and took time to think and measure his options but in the end curled his shot off target.

Then Gauld was right in on an inch perfect supply from Singer but chipped over the upright. Dick Campbell was seeing his side failing to get any rythym going as a Tommy Wilson ball into the box came off a hand but no penalty was given.

Danny Milne, on for Gary Nicol, was left in space around 8 yards out but snatched at the ball and sent it high over.

With five minutes to go Smith capped a fine team display by wriggling past fellow scorer Dunn who conceded the spot kick. Gauld hit the ball home although Brown got a good touch on it at his left post.

Inverurie Locos: Reid, Stewart, Buchan, Wilson, Park, Simpson, Singer (McWilliam 78), M. Smith, Gauld, Nicol(Milne 59) (Murray 88), Bisset (Mclean 59). Subs not used: Mess, Graham, Brownie, Macklin, Padua.
Forfar Athletic: Brown, Donnachie (Masson 74), E. Smith, Dunn, Tunnoch, Kilgannon (Geddes 74), Brady, Lilley (Cruickshank 80), Fotheringham, Duell (Fraser 64).

Locos boss Dave Cormie was not getting carried away because at this stage his main concern is getting a fully fit squad in place.

He said: "It was a friendly win no more than that and we're still missing a bit of sharpness but it's all about gearing towards our first League game at Nairn County."

The win was achieved without key strikers Scott Michie and Kenny Coull, and a few others were also missing. But they are far more likely to be available to appear at Station Park. The centre forwards are the two giving biggest cause for concern.

The boss added: "It's disappointing news on Scott Michie who has been receiving treatment in recent months. A second diagnosis now shows he may have to look at an operation for building up muscles around the hip joint. In the worst case scenario we could be looking at being without him for another three months.

"Every Highland League manager would want to be getting the chance to field Scott and Kenny Coull and I am no different. Kenny is a guy I rate as a player and as a person, I'm leaving it up to him as regards his future.

"He's had back problems now he has an ankle ligament problem. Kenny is a real professional at this standard of the game. He's still training with us and he'll come to me and let me know if he's ready for the start of season or not."

Looking at the players taking advantage of the absences, Big Red added: "Neil Gauld showed in spells he'll be a big asset for us. Gary Nicol with his experience will be a good player for us too while Danny Milne before getting a cut eye late on exerted good physical presence against a team from Division Three.

"So I still have the options up front and someone who wasn't here for this one, Craig Ross, would obviously walk into any Highland League side. I fully intend to play him higher up the park this season. I've got choices which I didn't have last year so we are going in the right direction."

Looking at the injury picture overall, Cormie is hoping he'll get happier but will need to be patient for the moment.

"I had eight guys on the bench out of which three were youngsters and two of the eight were not fully fit. So to be honest I'm not blessed with a fully fit squad of 16 but I'd be looking to get at least a couple of the injured guys back for going to Nairn.

"Greig Pirie injured his hamstring and hasn't been able to feature in any matches pre-season so he will be short of match fitness but he is one who should be ready for back around that time.

"We lost an early goal in the game but after that we settled down well and I have to say Steven Park, Mark Simpson and Scott Buchan were very impressive."

The three at the back formation allowed Graham "Spider" Stewart to be the defensive player in the midfield, leaving Tommy Wilson and Mark Smith to push up while there was plenty width offered from Richie Singer, Andy Bisset and the subsequent substitutes.

Despite his numerical concerns, Cormie is clearly looking to have sufficient options to adopt a horses for courses policy with regard to team selection and tactics and that may well make it difficult for opposition bosses to guess how the Red and Blacks will approach each fixture.

One man leaving Inverurie far less happy than he did in November when he was a Sunday afternoon guest speaker was Forfar boss Dick Campbell who has seen his side fail to beat a top Highland League team for the second week in a row:

"A disappointing performance from us, but Inverurie deserved everything they got out of the game. We scored with a near post header and hit the post twice in the first half but didn't take it on from there.

"The wind killed it as a contest but I take nothing away from our opponents who deserved their win."