Brechin City chalked up their ninth successive win with a comprehensive 4-0 Highland League victory over Clachnacuddin at Glebe Park.
But with Fraserburgh and Buckie Thistle both winning, City’s faint hopes of landing the title came to an end.
City boss Andy Kirk was delighted with his side’s performance and insists their inaugural season in the Highland League will stand them in good stead for the next campaign.
He said: “This season has been a learning experience for everyone at the club.
“There are a lot of good teams in this league and a lot of good players and it’s been a real challenge.
“The experience we’ve gained this season both good and bad will make us better next season.”
It took City just five minutes to open the scoring as Marc Scott delivered an inch-perfect cross into the box for Michael Cruickshank, who blasted the ball past Clach keeper Daniel Rae.
The home side doubled their lead when Scott’s corner was headed home by David Cox.
The visitors should have pulled a goal back a couple of minutes into the second-half when they were awarded a penalty after an infringement in the box, but James Anderson’s spot-kick hit the post before being cleared.
City then sealed the points in the 57th minute when Hamish Thomson headed home a Cruickshank corner, with substitute Julian Wade adding a fourth goal with seven minutes remaining.
Keith beat Fort for second time in three days
Keith completed the league double over nine-man Fort William in the space of three days with a 3-1 win.
Captain Michael Selfridge led the way with a well-taken double, including a penalty, and top-scorer Przemyslaw Nawrocki also scored and had a penalty saved.
Maroons manager Craig Ewen said “We were pleased to win.
“At times we were good and at times it was like the good, the bad and the ugly.”
Despite forcing a string of corners, it took Keith until two minutes before half-time to break the deadlock, Nawrocki pouncing to slot home his 14th goal of the season.
Fort came back into the game after the break, levelling through Yves Zama with 62 minutes played.
The game changed eight minutes later when Matty Tough was bundled over inside the penalty area by Diste Cameara Sylla, earning the defender a red card.
Selfridge made no mistake with the spot-kick.
With two minutes left, Fort goalie Mateusz Kulbacki upended Nawrocki inside the penalty area, but redeemed himself by pulling off a fine save to keep out the striker’s spot-kick.
Barely a minute later, Selfridge sewed up the points, lashing the ball into the roof of the net for his eighth goal of the season.
Diakite Diallo was red carded for a nasty challenge on Kieran Yeats in the closing seconds.
Forres bounce back from loss of early goal to beat Huntly
Forres Mechanics came from a goal down to record a 3-1 win over Huntly and move up to 12th position.
Mechanics boss Steven MacDonald said: “The first half was worrying; Huntly were the better team and to be honest I was happy it was only 1-0 at half-time.
“I said at half-time it was our last home game and I wanted to send people home happy and thankfully we got a reaction.”
The visitors took the lead after nine minutes when Andrew Hunter held the ball up for Jack MacIver, who fired in low for his fourth of the season.
Forres drew level in the 54th minute when winger Allan MacPhee got the ball on the left channel before curling inside the far post for his sixth of the campaign.
The woodwork denied Huntly two minutes later when top scorer Gavin Elphinstone headed off the post after meeting a Hunter cross.
That chance proved crucial as MacPhee added his second with a great strike from a free-kick from 25 yards into the top corner.
The Can-Cans netted a third with midfielder Callum Johnston curling in from outside the area for his first goal since August 2019.
