Broch won’t give up fight for second

Fraserburgh manager Mark Cowie accepts his players face an uphill struggle to secure the runners-up spot in the Highland League which secures a bye into the second round of next season’s Scottish Cup.

Broch dropped to fourth place after going down 1-0 at home to champions Cove Rangers in midweek, while Inverurie Locos and Formartine United, who occupy third and fourth spot, enjoyed home wins against Brora Rangers and Buckie Thistle respectively.

Broch are on 64 points with four games away from home remaining, while Locos have amassed 75 points with one game to play. Formartine United are on 67 points with four games still to play.

Cowie said: “Cove defended unbelievably for 90 minutes while we had one lapse and let in a goal – that was the only difference between the two teams on the night.

“We need to get back to the drawing board, try to get another win under our belts and take it from there.

“There’s still a lot to play for. We’ve got a tough run-in but a top-four place was always our priority and we’ve still got a chance of doing that to get into next season’s IRN-BRU Cup.

“We were odds-on favourites to take second spot but we’ve let that slip.”

Meanwhile, Cove manager John Sheran was relieved that his side didn’t make it 10 successive trips to Bellslea without a win. He said: “Over the last couple of seasons at Bellslea the breaks had tended to go against us but we worked and fought really hard on Wednesday night.

“We made a lot of changes and all of the guys who came stepped up to the plate and did really well.

“For our winning goal Eric Watson said that it was a pass to Nick Gray, and not a shot at goal, so we’ve given him that as an assist, but it’s a striker’s job to put things away and Nick was on the spot at the back post.” Brora Rangers manager Ross Tokely has been handed an immediate two-match ban with a further game suspended after being sent to the stand in last month’s away match against Cove Rangers.

Former Inverness and Ross County defender Tokely was ordered from the dugout by referee Alex Shepherd for protesting a decision during the Cattachs’ 1-0 loss at Harlaw Park, Inverurie on March 14. The 39-year-old was cited by the Scottish Football Association for a breach of disciplinary rule 203 which states that “no member of the team staff should commit excess misconduct at a match”.

After yesterday’s hearing at Hampden Park, Tokely must now sit out two matches with another game suspended until the end of the calendar year, which will come into effect if he breaches the same rule again.

Mark Cowie