Highland League round-up: title race is well and truly on
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BUCKIE Thistle clocked up their 14th Highland League win on the spin - but were still ousted from top spot.
While Jags were winning 1-0 against Brechin City - the last team to take points off them in October - Fraserburgh were defeating Clach 7-0 at Bellslea Park.
Broch's success was enough to overtake Buckie on goal difference, having conceded the leadership in midweek when Jags defeated them 3-1 at Bellslea.
Max Barry's fifth minute strike was enough to maintain Buckie's winning run at the expense of a Brechin side battling to stay in the title race.
The league's top scorer, Scott Barbour netted a hat-trick in Fraserburgh's easy win over Clach, taking his goal tally to 26 for the season.
Ryan Cowie, Paul Young, Aidan Combe and Paul Campbell (penalty) completed the Broch rout.
Turriff United produced the result of the day with a 6-0 derby win at Deveronvale to ease their own relegation concerns.
United started the day at second bottom but overwhelmed a young Vale side missing a string of regulars.
Goals by Jack McKenzie and Magnus Watson had Turriff 2-0 up and when Vale defender Aaron Hamilton was sent off for conceding a penalty on the half hour, Keir Smith converted to add to the visitors' lead.
Montrose loan teenager Aaron Reid added to his debut goal against Keith last week by scoring two more after the break and Smith also notched his second of the game.
The win took Turriff up a place in the league above Strathspey Thistle, who lost 4-0 at Formartine United with Daniel Park, Graeme Rodger (2) and Scott Lisle netting for the Pitmedden side.
Brora Rangers needed a stoppage time winner to keep their title hopes alive at Huntly.
Ali Sutherland's opener for the Cattachs at Christie Park was cancelled out by Robbie Foster's equaliser, and it took a Colin Williamson goal right at the death to win it for Brora.
Moray hosted two derby clashes with Rothes and Forres Mechanics coming out on top.
Forres handed new boss Steven MacDonald his first win with a 2-1 success at Keith - Can's last league victory was on November 6.
Paul Brindle's two goals either side of half time set Mechanics up for the three points although Kieran Mooney's late effort for Keith made the away side sweat it out for the three points.
Roths were too strong for Lossiemouth, going three-up at the break with goals by Greg Morrison, Ben Johnstone and Alan Pollock. Aiden Wilson added a fourth for the Speysiders after the interval.
Inverurie Locos edged out Nairn County 3-2 at Harlaw Park with all the goals coming in the first 45 minutes.
Calum Dingwall, Ross Still and Kieran Shanks (pen) had Locos 3-0 up inside 20 minutes before Fraser Dingwall and Conor Gethins (pen) pulled two back for Nairn.
Both teams finished with ten men as Locos defender Mark Souter and Nairn scorer Dingwall were dismissed in the 90th minute.
Bottom side Fort William are now eight points adrift of second-bottom Strathspey, who they play this weekend.
Fort staged a comeback at Wick Academy after going 3-0 down but their revival fell just short in a 3-2 defeat.
Gary Manson, Davie Allan and Mark Macadie raced the Scorries into a comfortable position with player boss Manson also missing a penalty.
That almost proved crucial when Neils Lellouch and Yves Zama pulled two back for the visitors, but Wick held on.
