Buckie Thistle manager Graeme Stewart was thrilled to narrow the gap at the top of the Breedon Highland League.
The Jags beat Inverurie Locos 5-1 at Harlaw Park to move to within one point of leaders Fraserburgh, who drew with Turriff United.
Buckie have won 15 league fixtures in succession and Stewart said: “I don’t know the last time anybody won 15 league games in a row.
“Hopefully we keep it going, we know we’re not going to win the rest of the games we’ve got this season.
“If we do it would be a miracle, but hopefully we can prolong the run as long as possible.
“We’re coming good at the right time – but we’d rather be top, we’d rather be in Fraserburgh’s position.
“We’re on a good run of form but we’d rather be top, but we’ll chase them as much as we can.
“Turriff got a great result that we probably didn’t see coming and we’re delighted with that.”
On the victory against Inverurie, Stewart added: “I’m delighted, we played well and deserved to win quite comfortably.
“It got a bit sticky in the second half, but I think the first half is as well as we’ve played this season.
“The quality showed in the end and Andy MacAskill was outstanding. He’s playing as well as I’ve seen him in a Buckie shirt.”
Jags start on top
It was the visitors who had the first effort at goal in the third minute when Andy MacAskill had a shot from 20 yards which was saved by Andy Reid at full stretch.
For Locos Kieran Shanks was almost presented with an opening in the 21st minute.
The striker robbed Sam Morrison of possession, but as he raced towards goal Jack Murray came across and made a perfectly timed intervention.
Two minutes later Buckie took the lead after an excellent move.
Kevin Fraser’s neat reverse pass found Sam Urquhart in space on the right side of the area and his low delivery was tapped home by Max Barry at the front post.
Minutes later Reid did well to block Sam Pugh’s swerving strike from 30 yards, but it was 2-0 in the 28th minute.
Hamish Munro found Murray on the left and his low centre was turned home from close range by Marcus Goodall, who was totally unmarked.
Inverurie response
Locos started the second half knowing they needed the next goal if they were to mount a comeback and they got it on 58 minutes.
Jamie Michie’s free-kick from the right enticed goalkeeper Kevin Main off his line, but the custodian didn’t get to the ball and Ryan Broadhurst rose highest to head into the unguarded net.
But in the 71st minute Thistle restored their two-goal lead with their first decent attack of the second period.
Goodall found Barry on the left and he picked out MacAskill on the edge of the area and he jinked past James Connelly and fired into the bottom right corner.
Buckie added a fourth in the 83rd minute when Scott Adams’ cross from the left wasn’t dealt with and Urquhart finished from 12 yards.
In the 89th minute MacAskill added further gloss to the scoreline, sending a superb 20-yard free-kick into the top right corner.
Frustration for Railwaymen
The sides meet again in the GPH Builders Merchants Highland League Cup on Wednesday.
Inverurie boss Richard Hastings said: “It’s a sore one to take, it’s certainly not the result we wanted at all.
“We started off poorly and I think we could look at all five goals, I don’t think we made them work for the goals.
“It’s our own defending and decision-making and will at times which let us down.
“I have to give credit where it’s due, in terms of second balls and things like that, Buckie won the battle.
“The only time we matched them was when we got the goal back in the second half.
“All of a sudden the spirits were up and people were wanting to do that little bit extra, but we need that at 0-0.
“That’s the disappointing thing, anyone can play at 2-0, we needed that at 0-0 and we need to tidy up the defending.”
