Fraserburgh clinch league title in style
FRASERBURGH 5 FORRES 0
Fraserburgh clinched their first title in 20 years and will now face Lowland League champions Bonnyrigg Rose over two legs to decide who plays off against Club 42 for a place in the SPFL.
The title was clinched with a 5-0 home victory over Forres Mechanics and, after the match, Fraserburgh chairman Finlay Noble paid tribute to the efforts of his management team and players, as well as runners-up Buckie Thistle.
Noble said: “It is a brilliant day for Fraserburgh FC and the town as a whole.
“I am very proud of the players and the management team.
“Buckie Thistle had a great run, setting a new league record for consecutive wins, so it had to take something very special to beat that.
“We managed to produce what was required and did so under pressure.”
A huge crowd saw the kick-off delayed, and there was a wait until the 42nd minute for the opener, with Paul Campbell converting a penalty after a Scott Barbour cross had been handled.
Captain Paul Young extended the lead in 65 minutes.
Late on, the floodgates opened. Midfielder Grant Campbell got in on the act in 78 minutes with a right-footed shot into the corner.
Substitutes Sean Butcher and club captain Willie West added late goals, Butcher from 35 yards and West with an equally classy strike from 18 yards.
CLACHNACUDDIN 1 BUCKIE 3
Buckie had to win and Fraserburgh lose if they were to claim the title, but it was not to be.
After a goalless first 45, Scott Adams gave them the lead in the 56th minute from 10 yards.
Buckie doubled their lead through Andy Macaskill’s closerange finish and, three minutes later, he added his second from the penalty spot.
Robbie Thompson netted a late consolation goal for the Lilywhites.
NAIRN 5 TURRIFF 3
The visitors took the lead in six minutes when Aaron Reid was fouled in the box and Rory Brown converted the resultant penalty.
Nairn drew level five minutes later when Andrew Greig was sent crashing just inside the box and Conor Gethins fired home from the spot.
Ciaran Young put Nairn ahead with a low drive from 25 yards in 37 minutes, and it was 3-1 a minute after the break when Greig controlled a long clearance from keeper Dylan Maclean before stabbing the ball past the advancing keeper.
John Treasurer stretched his side’s lead when he stroked home in 54 minutes.
Turriff hit back in 68 minutes when Callan Gray scored from close range, and the visitors cut the deficit to just one when Ethan Smith headed home in 76 minutes. But Nairn made sure of the points when Young got his second with a late headed effort.
BRORA 1 KEITH 0
Brora were in control of the game, but Keith were difficult to break down and restricted the home side’s opportunities. The best of the first half saw Andy Macrae a whisker away from nicking a ball across the goal into the net.
The only goal came early in the second half with Gregor Macdonald diverting a closerange effort beyond Ballint Demus.
WICK 2 HUNTLY 4
In the 10th minute, a cross from the left found an unmarked Mark Macadie to head downward into the net to open for Wick.
Huntly responded soon after when Logan Johnstone’s cross found Andy Hunter in the box to slot in. Just before half-time, Wick took the lead again when a Huntly clearance landed for Wick’s Gordon Mcnab to fire in from 20 yards.
In 71 minutes, Michael Dangana was fouled in the box, and Hunter converted to bring the game level again.
In the 84th minute, Hunter rounded the Wick keeper to slot in and complete his hat-trick, then, three minutes later, he added his fourth of the game when a Wick clearance found him unmarked.
LOSSIEMOUTH 0 BRECHIN CITY 3
In 14 minutes, Brechin scored their 100th League goal of the season when a deflected shot from Marc Scott found the net.
The second goal arrived nine minutes before half-time when Cammie Ross headed home the corner by Kieran Inglis.
Andy Kirk’s men cemented their position in third place with 12 minutes left as Julian Wade provided the cross for Michael Cruickshank to finish.
STRATHSPEY 0 INVERURIE 1
Lloyd Robertson fired the visitors into the lead. A corner was only partially cleared and, when it came back into the midfield, he was able to shift the ball past Joe Cuthbert before firing a shot high into the far corner from 16 yards.
Strathspey had the better of the second half, but Kris Duncan, Dylan Lawrence and Ross Logan all saw their shots saved by Andy Reid.
Jake Thompson blasted over when presented with a great chance to grab what would have been a deserved late leveller.
FORMARTINE 1 ROTHES 1
Young Don Tyler Myktra, recently returned on loan to the Pitmedden club, opened the scoring in 11 minutes when his free-kick narrowly crossed the line.
There was to be no further scoring until right at the death when Speysiders’ in-form centreforward Greg Morrison grabbed the equaliser to give themselves something to play for in the remainder of the campaign.
FORT WILLIAM 1 DEVERONVALE 2
Vale saw an early goal from Innes Mckay ruled out for offside before Max Stewart blasted over from close range.
Fort broke the deadlock a minute after the break when Adam Morris ran through unchallenged to slide the ball beyond Sean Mcintosh, before Dane Ballard grabbed the equaliser from the spot after 67 minutes after Matt Jamieson was fouled in the box.
Both teams missed chances, but it was Vale who grabbed an injury-time winner through Jamie Tinnock.