Title rivals cannot take eyes off ultimate prize

Preview: Cove manager Sheran wary of spicy Turriff encounter

There is already little margin for error in the championship chase as league leaders Cove Rangers try to maintain their unbeaten start to the Highland League season against Turriff United at Harlaw Park, Inverurie tonight.

The nomadic Aberdonians are two points ahead of Fraserburgh and have a game in hand on the Broch, who have played nine matches.

Although the season is in its formative stage, Cove must keep winning as in four of the last five seasons – the exception being in 2013-2014 when Brora Rangers’ winning margin from Inverurie Locos was 20 points – the title race has been decided by six points or fewer.

Last season Buckie Thistle only pipped Cove on goal-difference and Rangers manager John Sheran said: “Games between ourselves and Turriff always seem to have that little bit of extra spice to them, people tend to find needle in this game when it’s not there, I don’t know why.

“They’re hitting a bit of form and are playing well so we are expecting another tough game.

“We’re still unbeaten and go into every game trying to win it.

“We never find any games easy but we just need to get in about it and take the match from there.”

Cove are at full strength with the return of new signing from Peterhead, centre half Scott Ross, from suspension.

Formartine have lost a manager in Kris Hunter and dropped 11 points from nine games already this season and must rally from Saturday’s 3-2 defeat at Wick Academy when Lossiemouth visit North Lodge Park.

United caretaker manager Jerry O’Driscoll said: “The journey to Wick on Saturday probably contributed a lot

“People tend to find needle in this game when it’s not there”

to the energy levels we had in that match, but we had a good training session and prepared the players as much as we can for this match, I’m really glad it’s a home game.”

United’s only absentee is former Inverurie Locos’ midfelder Jamie Michie who is suspended after picking up two yellow cards at Wick last Saturday.

Deveronvale will be without midfielder Chris Blackhall for tonight’s match against struggling Strathspey Thistle at Princess Royal Park.

On loan Buckie Thistle centre half Ross Elder is added to the squad by manager Steve Dolan.

Two in-form teams, Fraserburgh and Inverurie Locos, meet at Bellslea and Broch manager Mark Cowie said: “We scored 10 goals at Fort William last Saturday but I expect it to be a lot tougher.

“I sympathise with Fort William in the situation they found themselves in last weekend with so many players out, we were in a comfortable position against them at half time 5-0 up, but I wanted the players to keep going. Had we lost momentum we could have easily carried that into the game against Inverurie Locos.”

Inverurie manager Neil Cooper said: “It is a tough place to go and Fraserburgh will be more difficult than some of our previous games and we certainly know what we are going to be up against.

“They are two points ahead of us in the league so the incentive for us is to put in a performance and keep our good run going, get a victory and go above them in the table. The players have been told exactly what is expected.”

Broch will miss midfielder Jamie Beagrie who has returned offshore while Locos are without centre forward Neil Gauld who has a groin injury.

John Sheran