Highland League round-up: Buckie Thistle and Brechin City maintain title push and Jags pick up point
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The thrilling Highland League title chase looks on course to go to a final day decider.
Leaders Buckie Thistle remain five points clear at the top following their 3-2 win at Forres Mechanics on Saturday.
Brechin beat Turriff United 4-0 and have two games in hand on Buckie, the first coming at home to Brora Rangers on Wednesday.
Buckie got off to a great start at Mosset Park when Josh Peters struck his 29th goal of the season and Kyle MacLeod made it 2-0 after 16 minutes.
Shaum Morrison quickly got one back for Cans before Max Barry made it 3-1 on 57 minutes.
Ben Barron's 16th of the campaign for Mechanics set up a tense finish for the leaders but they held on for a vital three points.
Two goals by Grady McGrath took his tally for the season to 33 for Brechin as they saw off a visiting Turriff.
Anthony McDonald also netted twice in a 4-0 home success.
Strathspey Thistle were denied a third win of the season by a stoppage time Clach equaliser.
The Inverness men started well and led through a James Anderson goal but Jack Davison quickly levelled and former Clach man Ross Logan netted against his old club early in the second half to put the bottom club ahead.
However, Jags had Connor Austin controversially sent off and Clach scrambled an equaliser through Martin Callum in the fourth minute of time added on.
Brora Rangers won 4-2 at Inverurie Locos with an Andy Macrae double taking him to 30 for the season after Jordan MacRae's 29th of the term had opened the scoring.
Tony Dingwall also netted for the Cattachs with Sam Robertson and Rob Ward scoring for Locos in the second half.
Fraserburgh won 3-0 at Rothes. A crazy own goal by Alan Pollock got the ball rolling for Broch and Sean Butcher and Scott barbour sealed the points.
Formartine United remain third but had to come from behind to keep their good run going at home to Deveronvale.
Dane Ballard shot Vale into a half time lead, but a red card for Formartine defender Ryan Spink on the hour seemed to galvanise the ten men, who hit back to win with goals by Julian Wade and Mark Gallagher.
Keith came close to clocking up their first win since November, but Conor Gethins' 200th goal for Nairn denied them victory in a 2-2 draw at Station Park.
The Maroons twice led through strikes by Liam Duncan (pen) and a cracker from James Brownie. Scott Davidson levelled before Gethins' 75th minute spot effort restored parity.
Keith at least ended a run of six straight defeats and host fellow strugglers Wick Academy on Wednesday, looking to return to winning ways.
Wick stemmed the flow of a recent run of heavy losses as they were edged out 1-0 at home to Huntly.
Michael Clark's 57th minute strike made it back-to-back wins for Huntly to take them to seventh place, and the home side had Sean Munro sent off - their ninth dismissal of the season.
It was a bad day for Lossiemouth in Aberdeen as they crashed to a 7-0 defeat to a rampant Banks O' Dee.
Dee scorers were Lachie MacLeod (2), Jack Henderson, Michael Philipson, Mark Gilmour, Chris Antoniazzi and Neil Gauld, with Gauld also missing a penalty.
