Fraserburgh maintain lead at top of table with return to winning ways

Fraserburgh maintained their three-point lead at the top of the table with a comfortable 3-0 win against Inverurie Locos.

Home boss Mark Cowie was pleased to chalk up another victory ahead of tomorrow’s Evening Express Aberdeenshire Cup semi-final against Banks o’ Dee.

He said: “The result was the main thing because we’ve really had to manage a bit of Covid and niggly injuries in our camp.

“It tested our squad and I didn’t feel we did ourselves justice in midweek at Buckie (a 2-2 draw) and that carried into the first half of this game when we didn’t perform as we can.

“I can’t be too critical of my players because even without the quality of forward in Robert Ward they still had enough threat.”

The Broch went in front after 18 minutes when a left-footed chip by Scott Barbour led to Ryan Sergeant pressuring the Locos defence with a header. With Locos keeper Andy Reid going to ground, Sean Butcher stepped in to roll the ball home from eight yards.

Further goals may have followed with a Calum Dingwall header coming off the top of his own crossbar and at the other end Locos defender Mark Souter having a header cleared off the line.

Two minutes after the restart, the lead was doubled when Grant Campbell’s long ball was flicked on by Butcher to Barbour, who angled a low, right-foot effort past Reid.

Six minutes later, the points were sealed when Greg Mitchell handled a Butcher header and Paul Campbell sent Reid the wrong way.

New Locos boss Richard Hastings said: “It’s all about the bigger picture and the players were told that win, lose or draw in this game we need to be stronger and learn lessons.”

A solitary Lee Fraser strike early in the second half was enough to help Forres Mechanics end a disappointing week with a 1-0 victory at home to Lossiemouth.

Mechanics have been prone to losing late goals so far this season, but they withstood some late pressure from Lossie to claim the points.

The only goal arrived after 53 minutes when Allan McPhee skipped past the challenge of Andrew Milton on the left before his cross was dropped by Lossie keeper Logan Ross, leaving Lee Fraser with an easy finish.

Forres manager Charlie Rowley said: “We have had a bit of a torrid time of conceding late goals and you could see by not getting a second the nervousness was creeping in again.

“We had to call on former Strathspey Thistle keeper Paul Robertson as Stuart Knight is carrying an injury. All credit to him as he acquitted himself really well apart from a spell early in the game.”

Lossie manager Joe Russell felt there was very little between the teams and sympathised with keeper Ross whose mistake settled the game.

He said: “He is devastated at what happened, but young keepers make mistakes and he will learn from it.”

Scott Barbour put the Broch two up early in second half.