Milne saint and sinner as Cove impress
Cove 2 Formartine utd 0
Cove underlined why they are being seen as certainties for the title with a well-crafted victory.
It was to be a mixed afternoon for Harry Milne, but it started in positive fashion, putting the home side in front in the 20th minute, drilling a low shot into the corner. On 55 minutes, the home side’s Paul Mcmanus marked his return to the starting line-up as he beat Kevin Main to a ball in from the right to open up a two-goal lead. Halfway through the second period, Cove were reduced to 10 men when scorer Milne saw red when he blocked a shot and it spun up on to his arm. It looked a harsh decision, but Stuart Mckenzie ensured Formartine’s penalty woes continued with a crucial save.
Brora 9 Fort william 0
Brora player-manager Steve Mackay grabbed his first on 14 minutes and doubled his tally with a simple left-footed finish 14 minutes later.
Dale Gillespie got his first to make it 3-0 at half-time and, early in the second period, Mackay rounded off his treble. Coach Craig Campbell got in on the act, then Mackay knocked home his fourth before midfielder Gavin Morrison showed some predatory instincts as he followed in on a Gillespie shot to knock home the rebound.
Sub Adam Allan set up Kyle Macleod for No. 8, before Gillespie rounded off the scoring with a 20-yard drive.
Huntly 2 Deveronvale 0
On 40 minutes, Huntly’s Darren Wood headed off the post and Matthew Mcdonald netted the rebound, but was offside.
In the 52nd minute, Kai Ross powered his third of the season into the top corner.
Two minutes into stoppage time, the returning David Booth played a cross-field ball for Gary Mcgowan and the on-form player struck an unstoppable shot into the far corner from 25 yards out for his eighth of the season.
BUCKIE 5 WICK ACADEMY 2
Buckie Thistle presented Wick Academy with a memento to mark their 125th year in existence.
By 20 minutes, the Jags were 2-0 up through Sam Robertson and local youngster Callum Murray heading in Robertson’s assist.
Steven Ross claimed a goal for himself minutes before half-time from an Andy Macaskill corner.
Wick’s Jack Halliday beat Daniel Bell for 3-1, but Buckie stood firm until two quick goals in the last 10 minutes, from Declan Milne and Sam Robertson, ensured the home support could breath easy once more. Craig Gunn netted a late consolation.
KEITH 0 strathspey 2
Keith were dealt a blow seven minutes into the second half when experienced defender Jamie Mcallister clumsily brought down Scott Lisle and was sent off.
Strathspey broke the deadlock with 10 minutes remaining, Ricky Lee heading in.
The Jags added a second through on-form Lisle, who raced in behind the Maroons back line once again to finish with aplomb. Fraserburgh 3 CLACHNACUDDIN 0
The all-important opening goal arrived in the 70th minute from a set-piece. Bryan Hay nodded down a corner and Paul Campbell swept the ball into the net.
Six minutes later, it was 2-0. Michael Rae played a long ball behind the Clach defence and Scott Barbour headed beyond the advancing stopper.
In the final minute, sub Gary Harris delivered a cross in and Barbour arrived to hit a left-footed shot into the bottom corner.
lossiemouth 2 Inverurie 5
Locos’ Greg Mitchell got the scoring started with a fine 30-yard effort that found the bottom corner of Stewart Black’s goal.
Lossie responded with Ross Elliot firing home.
Neil Gauld missed a penalty for Locos but then squeezed a shot home at the near post just before the half-hour mark. The on-form marksman bagged yet another hat-trick when he slotted home a Chris Angus set-up, then was on hand to profit from a Black parry.
Lossie got their second of the afternoon when Scott Campbell slotted home from a penalty. Gauld had the last word with a well-judged lob from 18 yards.
NAIRN 5 turriff united 2
The first half ended all square with an early strike from Adam Porritt being cancelled out by Turriff defender Ross Anderson shortly before the break.
The Wee County got their noses back in front when the visitors conceded a penalty, Gregg Main firing home from the spot, seven minutes into the second half. Ref Darren Munro awarded another penalty, but this time Main’s effort struck the bar.
He was to make amends when he cleverly disguised a free-kick delivery to catch out the keeper who had crept off his line.
It was 4-1 when Dylan Mackenzie arrived at the near post to knock home a cross, and the nap hand was completed when Cohen Ramsay fed Max Ewan to slot home.
David Ross grabbed a late consolation for Turriff.
rothes 3 Forres MECH 1
An early clash of heads saw Forres defender Graham Fraser taken to the dressing-room to get stitches in a nasty gash above his eye.
In the 10 minutes he was off, the Can Cans struck the post with a Simon Allan free-kick, then went behind as Jack Maley tiptoed his way through the defence to toe poke past Stuart Knight.
Scott Davidson made it 2-0 from a penalty on the half-hour.
A free-kick was awarded at the edge of the Forres box after Jamie Wilson appeared to fall into Callum Howarth. Wilson rubbed salt into the wounds by curling it in at the near post.
Andrew Macrae pulled one back early into first half time-added minutes as he converted a oneon-one against ex-caley Thistle team-mate Cammy Mackay. Mackay was to come out on top in a similar situation early in the second half and, from there on in, Rothes never looked likely to surrender their two-goal advantage.