McLeod eyes nifty fifty to put Buckie in driving seat

SPFL play-offs: Thistle forward aims to close in on his goals target today

Buckie Thistle leading goalscorer John McLeod has more incentive than most in this afternoon’s SPFL Pyramid play-off semi-final first leg against Lowland League champions East Kilbride at Victoria Park.

Two years ago Brora Rangers attacker Steven Mackay notched 55 goals during the season but, with a possible four games still to go, McLeod, currently on 46 strikes, could eclipse Mackay’s tally.

McLeod, however, is only aiming his sights at reaching 50 but he and fellow East Kilbride manager Martin Lauchlan has left no stone unturned in endeavouring to glean information about today’s opponents Buckie Thistle.

Kilby make the trip north to face the Highland League champions and Lauchlan tried to enlist the services of his brother, former Ross County captain Jim, but to no avail.

He said: “My brother has properties in the Highlands.

“Jim now works offshore and there’s a couple of Jags forwards Sam Urquhart and Chris Angus are just one goal short of scoring 100 goals between them this term, a feat which may well be achieved today.

McLeod said: “It would be nice to get to 100 goals between us but, more importantly, we need to get a win to take to Easy Kilbride next weekend no matter who scores for us. “Sam, Chris and myself have been firing on all cylinders this season and it helped us to win the league title last weekend on goal difference. If we were able to get past East Kilbride and face the club at the bottom of League 2 in the second Pyramid play-off then I would be going all out to reach 50 goals, but I’m not even thinking about trying to beat Steven Mackay’s 55 strikes from two years ago. Buckie supporters who he works with who are going to the game. He’s been trying to get some inside information from them for me to use, but they’re not forthcoming.

“I did get a full report on Buckie Thistle earlier in the week from Derek Young at Formartine United, so we know what we’re facing.”

Another man with links to the Highlands is former

“Reaching 50 for the season has always been my goal and a hat-trick tomorrow, like the one last weekend against Strathspey, would be really nice. But I would settle for 1-0 win to take to East Kilbride.”

The former Fort William attacker added: “We know East Kilbride are a very good side as we have been watching their games on YouTube throughout the season. They have some really good players, especially in attack so I would imagine there will be goals in the game tomorrow.

“We also know that they play on a synthetic pitch. We train on one but that probably gives them an advantage which is why it’s even more important we get a positive result against them tomorrow in front of what should be another huge Victoria Park crowd.”

Buckie will be without former Huntly and Keith defender Craig Dorrat, who has an ankle injury, but he may be fit for the second leg. Midfielder Craig Cowie again misses out with a knee injury. Caley Thistle defender David Proctor. Lauchlan believes the veteran’s contribution has been key to his side’s title win in the Lowland League this season.

He said: “David has been brilliant for us. He’s very experienced, a calming influence around the dressing-room and also a calming influence on the park in terms of defending as we’ve got a fairly young team. “He trains well and he’s a good professional, a credit to himself and it’s great we can attract someone like that, although it is his hometown team.”

Lauchlan believes there is nothing to choose between the two teams.

He said: “When you look at the statistics there is nothing at all between ourselves and Buckie apart from the fact that they have played a few more games than us.

“It is going to come down to whoever is the best team on the day.

“When I took over at the club last season we were 25 points behind, so it was a massive job to turn it round. We had to add several players and had to get them a bit more organised.

“We then went on a tremendous world-record breaking run of 30 wins in a row from when I came in, eclipsing the previous best held by Ajax. We were top of the Lowland League from day one and went on to win it, so we couldn’t have asked for more.” Brora Rangers, who missed out on the Highland League title by a point, are looking to end the season on a high by winning the North of Scotland Cup.

The route to cup silverware starts with this afternoon’s quarter-final at Nairn County.

Manager Ross Tokely said: “We will probably start as favourites to reach the semi-final by beating Nairn at Station Park but you never know in cup games so we need to be up for it in order to cap the season with a trophy.

“Everyone is fit and I'm really pleased that Paul Brindle is back in training.

“His groin operation went well and I will be delighted to have him back for the start of next season.”

Nairn County manager Ronnie Sharp is in no doubt his side will start as underdogs, when he said: “It is a tough one as Brora are the form team of the moment but we do have

“Reaching 50 for season has been my goal” “You never know in cup games so we need to be up for it”

home advantage and I think that is worth something.

“We will go out and do our best and thankfully we are more or less at full strength for this one.”

Rothes’ only absentee for the Speysiders’ tricky trip to Golspie Sutherland is teenage on-loan Caley Thistle defender, Chris Brown, who has as ankle injury.

Forres Mechanics welcome back the Fraser twins, defender Graham and centre forward Lee, for their equally tricky quarter-final tie at Halkirk United but the Can-Cans’ dead-ball expert, full back Simon Allan, misses out with a torn calf muscle.

In the other quarter-final Fort William entertain another North Caledonian League side, Invergordon, at Claggan Park. Fort welcome back Ally Stark and Danny Highet but midfield pair, Hungarian Barna Tot and Scott Chisholm miss out through work commitments and Ewan Maclean is on the injured list.

Steven Mackay: Scored 55 goals