Fraserburgh secured a crucial victory in their pursuit of the Highland League title as they defeated Brora Rangers 2-0 at Dudgeon Park.
Mark Cowie’s side inflicted a quickfire double on the Cattachs through Willie West and Ryan Sargent, with their lead never looking under threat thereafter.
The result takes the Broch a step closer to the title, with the league leaders only five games away from the end of their season.
Brora were able to call upon goalkeeper Lenny Wilson again, after he served the only-match of his reduced suspension following a successful appeal of his red card against Buckie Thistle.
The hosts started brightly, threatening on four minutes when Jordan MacRae shrugged off the advances of Bryan Hay before seeing his low effort blocked by the feet of Joe Barbour.
Fraserburgh began to make advances however, with Scott Barbour sending a shot over on the turn from the edge of the box.
The Broch took the lead from a set-piece on 13 minutes however when Barbour’s corner was nodded goalwards by Kieran Simpson, allowing West to flick it beyond Lenny Wilson.
It took the visitors just 90 seconds to double their advantage, with Barbour again the architect when he drilled a ball across the face of goal which set up Sargent to tap in at the far post.
Fraserburgh’s whirlwind start had knocked Brora off their stride, with the Cattachs struggling to breakdown their resolute opponents in their pursuit of a way back into the game.
An opportunity opened up for Sargent to make it three on 34 minutes, but his low drive from the inside left channel was well held by Wilson.
Lewis Duncan was next to try his luck with an effort from the edge of the area, which the youngster could not keep down.
Brora looked to threaten in the run-up to the interval, with Tony Dingwall unable to get enough of a connection behind his strike on the turn. The Cattachs twice tried their luck from free-kicks, with Gregor MacDonald seeing his effort blocked by the wall and Dale Gillespie sending a strike narrowly over.
Fraserburgh knew an early third after the break would kill off any hope of a Brora comeback, with Sargent again getting himself into another good position but taking a heavy touch as he bore down on goal.
Brora shook up their forward line just short of the hour mark, with Andy Macrae brought on to replace Jordan MacRae.
The Cattachs struggled to provide service to their front players, although a Mark Nicolson cross from the right forced Barbour to scramble across his goal as it trundled towards his far post.
A burst forward by Tom Kelly led to a cutback for substitute Macrae, but his swivelled effort was blocked behind by the visitors’ defence.
The Broch defended impressively to snuff out Brora’s advances however, as they saw out for the points with relative comfort.
They were inches from netting a third in stoppage time when Barbour’s lofted effort came back off the bar, with Paul Campbell nodding the rebound over.
