Inverurie Locos gave Andy Low the perfect start to his managerial career as they came out on top in a five-goal thriller against fellow title challengers Fraserburgh at Bellslea Park.
Both teams started well but Inverurie landed the first blow with Chris Angus scoring a stunning 30-yard volley in the 18th minute.
The lead lasted only 60 seconds with Broch restoring parity after assistant referee Chris Phillips advising referee Graham Beaton that the ball had struck the hand of Eric Watson following Ryan Broadhurst’s attempted clearance of a Paul Campbell cross.
Campbell struck home the disputed spot kick with Locos going close to regaining the lead before the break when Neil Gauld was denied by a superb goal-line clearance from Jamie Beagrie.
The visitors forged ahead again after 62 minutes when Lewis Davidson failed to get his head to a long ball down the line from Sam Burnett, allowing Andy Hunter to play the ball across the face of goal for Gauld to slide in at the back post to net.
Three minutes later Andy Reid’s clearance was collected by Angus and the striker fired home an angled 12-yard drive to increase Locos’ advantage.
Fraserburgh changed their shape and pulled one back though a close-range strike from Willie West after 74 minutes and the home side could have earned a point but Broadhurst cleared off the line from another West attempt with nine minutes remaining. Locos then held on to close the gap on leaders Buckie Thistle to three points.
Low was delighted with his side’s display in his first game since being confirmed as Neil Cooper’s permanent successor at Harlaw Park.
He said: “We were really quick in transition in going from defence to attack which meant that Fraserburgh were never in our faces all the time.
“We worked on a few things since I have taken over and I had to involve Chris Angus on the phone as he was unable to train this week but he was outstanding in an unfamiliar role.
“To a man I thought they were all brilliant with Greg Mitchell keeping Scott Barbour as quiet as I have ever seen him.”
Fraserburgh manager Mark Cowie felt Locos deserved their win for being the better team until the final 20 minutes when the hosts altered their formation and almost pulled back the deficit.
He said: “It hurts as we didn’t match their levels. We need to dust ourselves down and get on with it starting with our Shield game against Banks o’ Dee on Wednesday.
“I don’t think there is a team in the league good enough to go the whole season unbeaten and we were always going to drop points somewhere. We’ve done it now so that gets that statistic off our back.”
