Formartine United manager Stuart Anderson says they won’t get carried away despite their fine start to the season.
The Pitmedden side came from behind to defeat Brora Rangers 2-1 at North Lodge Park on Saturday.
The victory leaves Formartine second in the Breedon Highland League having amassed 16 points from their first seven fixtures.
Boss Anderson said: “It’s very pleasing, we’ve had a tough schedule with five games in 15 days but the fitness levels were great.
“When you’re at home you want to win your home games and thankfully we’ve done that.
“In terms of stuff off the ball we got that right more often than not which we’re delighted about.
“We changed the shape a bit because of personnel, we’ve got a lot of experienced players missing so to get the win is very pleasing.
“We’re pleased with our start, but there’s still a lot more to come.
“It’s only August, we need to keep working. It’s a new group and a young group so we’ll keep working and see where it takes us.
“It’s early days and we won’t get carried away with results.
“We lost at Brechin and we didn’t get carried away and it’s the same with this win.”
Action at both ends
Brora took the lead with the first opening of the encounter when Ryan Spink was adjudged to have tripped Andrew Macrae after the attacker had played the ball across goal.
Once referee Scott Donohoe had pointed to the penalty spot Tony Dingwall’s effort was saved by Ewen Macdonald low down to his left.
But Macrae was first to react and rolled home the rebound.
Formartine responded well with Julian Wade heading over from Aaron Norris’ fine cross before Scott Lisle tested goalkeeper Ruardhri Nicol with a left-footed drive.
In the 38th minute Jonny Smith made a superb headed clearance on the line to keep out Colin Williamson’s flick from Dale Gillespie’s corner.
Three minutes shy of half-time United equalised with Tyler Mykyta playing a corner short to Mark Gallagher on the right and his pinpoint cross was headed home by Matthew McLean at the front post.
Before the half was done Jordan MacRae headed inches over from Gregor MacDonald’s left-wing cross.
In the 58th minute Formartine forged ahead with Wade crossing from the left for Lisle to head beyond Nicol.
On 74 minutes it could, and perhaps should, have been 3-1. Wade capitalised on a short back-pass but with Lisle waiting in the middle for a tap-in he failed to pick him out.
After that Brora cranked up the pressure. Mark Nicolson headed just over from Max Ewan’s cross and then Gillespie skipped through two challenges and cracked a shot off the crossbar from 25 yards.
Ross Gunn and Nicolson both went close with headers in the dying embers, but despite late pressure the Cattachs were unable to equalise and slipped to their first Highland League defeat of the season.
No complaints from Cattachs
Boss Craig Campbell added: “We’re disappointed. I don’t think we deserved to take a lot out of the game, albeit we missed two or three decent chances from set pieces.
“On another day you could take them and get something out of the game.
“But I’ve got no complaints I don’t think we deserved anything from the game.
“I felt we were a little bit flat and didn’t get the ball moving with the tempo that we have been.
“I don’t think we created enough good opportunities, the one time we did move the ball with a right bit of tempo and movement we cut them open and got the penalty.”
