Brechin City boss Andy Kirk felt his side’s pre-match preparations helped them defeat Wick Academy 3-1 at Harmsworth Park.
The Hedgemen opted to stay in Inverness on Friday night to cut down their travelling on Saturday.
Kirk said: “We’re really pleased with the result, the performance wasn’t the best, but it was important to win the game and we’re pleased with that.
“It (the travelling) was too much to do just on Saturday, we’ve got players coming from Glasgow and we couldn’t expect them to travel and then play.
“The preparations were good and I think they definitely helped us get the result.
“We only had a two-and-a-half hour journey as opposed to a lot longer. We did things the right way and it was worth it because we got the right result.”
47’ GOOOOALLLL CITY! Marc Scott takes less than two minutes to make his mark as he latches onto a through ball and slots past the advancing keeper | WAFC 0-1 BCFC pic.twitter.com/bH4ZoVSMKM
— Brechin City FC (@BrechinCityFC) October 16, 2021
After a goalless first half, Marc Scott broke the deadlock for Brechin in the 47th minute after racing through on goal.
Four minutes later Hamish Thomson made it 2-0 with a close range header.
But Wick responded with David Allan finishing after a scramble at a corner midway through the second period and, in the 83rd minute, Gordon MacNab rattled the crossbar as the Scorries searched for an equaliser.
In stoppage time, Scott added a third to ensure Brechin would leave Caithness with the point.
Wick manager Gary Manson said: “We’re disappointed. We lost two goals within six minutes of the second half starting, which was criminal.
“After that we’re on the backfoot, but we gave as good as we got. We scored a good goal, hit the crossbar and had a strong penalty shout.”
No more slip-ups and Brora still have a Highland League chance – Campbell
Craig Campbell thinks Brora Rangers are still in the Highland League hunt if they can continue to churn out victories.
The Cattachs – who sit sixth with two games in hand on leaders Fraserburgh – made it four league wins in a row in beating Clachnacuddin 4-0 at Grant Street Park.
Brora netted around the 20-minute mark through Adam Mackinnon, with Gregor Macdonald doubing their advantage with a low strike before the interval. After the break, Andy Macrae and Jordan MacRae further added to the Cattachs’ tally.
Correction: Been reliably informed by @jordan_macrae98 the goal was his 🤣 pic.twitter.com/A2IecVIAMx
— Brora Rangers (@brorarangers) October 16, 2021
Campbell said: “I thought it was quite a professional performance from us. I stressed to the boys beforehand Clach are quite a young team, but they try to play football the right way, they’re hungry and they’ve made it difficult for teams this season.
“We knew it would be a tough task, but the boys handled it well and carried on their good form, so I’m delighted.
“We’re fully aware we can’t afford anymore slip-ups, so we need to keep putting performances in and getting the victories. We’ve got a run of fixtures where we need to be looking to win them all, then obviously we’ve got Fraserburgh to play, and Brechin, around the Christmas period.
“If we can keep getting results until then – you never know in football.”
Campbell also hailed keeper Joe Malin’s “incredible achievement” of recording his 150th Brora clean sheet in just his 289th club appearance.
Jordan Macdonald felt his eighth-place Clach team weren’t brave enough to play their game against the champions, who he thinks are the best side the Lilywhites have met so far.
He said: “We didn’t play well at all, we didn’t get the ball down.
“Brora are the best team we’ve played this season and in the first 15 minutes we done ok – we got the ball down and we passed it – but after that, as soon as the first goal went in, there was only going to be one winner.
“We stood off and let Brora play and they punished us. It was just a bad afternoon.
“We just didn’t play well at all, but Brora were excellent.
“Not great for us, but we go again.”
Nairn winner ruled as over the line by officials in controversial ending
A controversial goal two minutes into stoppage-time from Nairn County’s Dylan Mackenzie saw Strathspey Thistle defeated 2-1 at Seafield Park.
The Jags deservedly took an 18th minute lead when Kris Duncan held the ball up well before laying it off to Craig MacKenzie, who rifled home from 25 yards.
Nairn were level in the 66th minute when Scott Davidson’s free-kick from just outside the box was tipped on to the crossbar by Strathspey keeper Robbie Donaldson and veteran striker Conor Gethins was lurking to nod the ball home.
Then, with a draw looming, Dylan Mackenzie’s effort for the Wee County was deemed to have crossed the line by the officials after coming down off the bar.
Nairn assistant Michael Rae admitted his side were fortunate to take all three points, saying: “We scored right at the death and, to be honest, it probably wasn’t deserved.
“Strathspey were the better team in the first half when we weren’t at the races at all, but we made a couple of personnel changes in the second half, that seemed to help us and we were the better side after the break.
“We will take the win and the three points. Despite the nature of our very late winning goal, that’s all that matters.”
Charlie Brown felt his side had been mugged, and said: “I think that we were robbed by that last-gasp goal as we had played really well and created a lot of chances, but unfortunately we didn’t take them.
“I think there was a bit of confusion between the referee and his linesman at that late winning goal. The assistant ran up towards the half-way line with play carrying on, then he stopped and put his flag up.
“Unfortunately, in the last four of five games the breaks appear to be going against us, but that’s what happens when you’re near the bottom of the table.”