PICTURES: Buckie Thistle make it 23 consecutive wins but Fraserburgh see off Rothes to close in on title
BUCKIE Thistle can't stop winning, but can't catch Fraserburgh in the race for the Highland League title.
The relentless Jags clocked up their 23rd league win in a row with their 5-0 romp over Strarhspey Thistle, helped by Sam Urquhart's hat-trick.
At the same time leaders Fraserburgh faced what appeared to be their toughest remaining game at rothes but came through with a 3-1 win to stay top.
Buckie could finish the campaign with 25 consecutive victories but still miss out on the league if Broch emerge victorious in their last two games at home to Nairn and Forres.
Jags had the points effectively won after eight minutes as Andy MacAskill and Kevin Fraser put them 2-0 up, before Urquhart took his tally for the season to 28 with a treble, including a penalty.
Goals by Grant Campbell, Sean Butcher and a vital Scott Barbour clincher - his 34th of the season - delighted a big travelling Fraserburgh support at MacKessack Park.
Broch scored twice before Rothes had Gregg Main sent off, only to put the game back in the balance when Gregg Morrison made it 2-1 at the interval.
Elsewhere, Fort William lost at Keith for the second time in four days to almost confirm their fate of a relegation play-off.
Michael Selfridge (2) and Przemyslaw Nawrocki netted for the Maroons, who scored and missed a penalty.
Fort had levelled through Yves Zama but had Diste Sylla red carded for conceding one of the spot kicks.
Forres Mechanics produced a strong second half display to defeat Huntly 3-1 at Mosset Park.
Jack MacIver's early goal had the visitors in front at the break before an Allan Macphee double and a Callum Johnston goal took the Cans to victory.
Lossiemouth produced their second win at Station park this season, beating Nairn County 1-0 thanks to a Connor Macaulay goal.
Five goals inside the opening half hour set Brora Rangers up for an easy 7-1 win at Turriff United.
Ali Sutherland, Andy Macrae (2), Colin Williamson and Martin Maclean all netted to kill the contest off a third of the way through.
Owen Kinsella got one back in the second half before Jordan MacRae notched Brora's sixth and Andy Macrae completed his treble.
It was a good day for Brechin City, Formartine United and Inverurie Locos who all won 4-0 to consolidate top six places.
Brechin polished off Clach with strikes by Michael Cruickshank, David Cox, Hamish Thomson and Julian Wade, with James Anderson missing a penalty for the Inverness visitors.
Formartine struck four without reply at Deveronvale. Jonny Smith taking his tally for the season to 24 with the first while Scott Lisle moved onto 22 goals with a double.
Tyler Mykyta celebrated his return to Formartine from Elgin City, on loan from Aberdeen, by netting the other United goal.
Locos were saying goodbye to retiring stalwarts Neil McLean and Ryan Broadhurst in their final home game and saw off Wick Academy in comfortable fashion.
Rob Ward made it 1-0 at the break in the 2pm kick-off and Calum Dingwall, Kieran Shanks and Jay Halliday finished off the Caithness men.
