Buckie Thistle moved to the top of the Breedon Highland League on goal difference thanks to 5-1 win at Keith with Josh Peters netting a hat-trick for the Jags.
The victory moved Graeme Stewart’s side above Brechin City at the top of the table but the Glebe Park side have a game in hand.
Sam Urquhart passed up a great chance for the visitors in the 10th minute when, with only Craig Reid in the Keith goal to beat, he fired over the top from eight yards out.
But in the 19th minute Keith grabbed a shock opener when Buckie failed to clear a long free-kick and Liam Duncan calmly placed it under the advancing Balint Demus from 10 yards.
Buckie equalised on the half hour mark when Peters was sent sprawling in the box and Andy MacAskill stepped up to send Reid the wrong way from the penalty spot.
Just before the break a delightful chip from Max Barry played in Peters but once again the former Elgin City and Hibs striker was just wide of the upright with his close-range effort.
Two minutes into first half stoppage-time the Jags went ahead when MacAskill brilliantly beat a couple of home defenders before playing in Peters who showed great composure to beat Reid at his near post.
Buckie made it 3-1 seven minutes after the restart when Peters took full advantage of a Connor Grant slip to run 40 yards, round keeper Reid and slip the ball into the unguarded net.
It was 4-1 in the 64th minute and again it was Peters who supplied a clinical 18-yard finish to complete his hat-trick.
Buckie’s fifth goal came in the 75th minute when Cohen Ramsay touched the ball home after it had rebounded off the inside of the post and ran along the goal-line.
Huntly 1-4 Fraserburgh
Fraserburgh extended their unbeaten run to ten games with a 4-1 win away to Huntly.
Huntly were playing their first game since October 15 as Callum Murray returned to the starting XI. Fraserburgh made one change from the side which defeated Rothes on Saturday bringing in Scott Barbour for Connor Wood.
The woodwork denied the hosts after six minutes with a Cameron Blacklock shot coming off the crossbar.
Midway through the half, a Fraser Hobday save kept out Kieran Simpson’s header. From the resultant corner from Scott Barbour, Paul Campbell headed over.
Three minutes later, Andrew Hunter flicked the ball on for Adam Morris whose low drive was tipped round the post by Joe Barbour.
The champions took the lead on 33 minutes when Paul Campbell played the ball on for Scott Barbour who fired low into the net for his 15th of the season.
Huntly levelled five minutes later, Ross Still was fouled as he played the ball, but Referee Duncan Nicolson played an advantage as the ball was played to Callum Murray who curled the ball into the far corner for his first goal for the club.
Eight minutes into the second half, Fraserburgh were awarded a penalty when Paul Campbell went down under a Lyall Booth challenge. Campbell sent Fraser Hobday the wrong way from the spot.
Broch further extended their lead on 61 minutes when William West headed in from a Scott Barbour corner.
Huntly went close with twenty minutes to go with Kyle Dalling shooting narrowly over. A powerful free kick from Kieran Simpson eight minutes later was tipped over by Hobday.
With seconds left of normal time, Hobday parried a Scott Barbour shot before Paul Young tapped into the empty net for his first league goal of the season.
With a left footed rebound shot from 11 yards into the bottom right corner of the net after Scott Barbour’s left footed shot was initially saved and Young was quickest to react to make it 4-1 Broch (90) #theBroch pic.twitter.com/fIHBUznLv5
— Fraserburgh FC (@FraserburghFC) November 2, 2022
Deveronvale 0-3 Formartine
Formartine United‘s recent run of good form continued with a comfortable three goal victory over a depleted Deveronvale outfit who battled well but rarely troubled visiting keeper Ewen MacDonald.
United made the perfect start when they went ahead in the fourth minute as Innes McKay brought down Julian Wade in the box and Jonathan Crawford slotted home the spot kick.
Cameron Angus headed just wide as Vale looked for an equaliser but it was the visitors who went two ahead on the quarter hour mark as Jonathan Smith fired a fantastic effort high beyond McIntosh from 25 yards into the top corner.
Matthew McLean’s long throws were causing the Vale defence problems and firstly Wade then Smith failed to get close range efforts on target.
Angus should have reduced the deficit just before the break when he was left with just MacDonald to beat but the keeper blocked the home striker’s effort from ten yards.
Five minutes after the restart a mistake in midfield from the home side saw Smith collect the ball 25 yards from goal and he advanced to fire the ball beyond the advancing McIntosh to finish the game as a contest.
Smith then headed over from a Daniel Park cross before Crawford was denied his second of the game by a smart stop from McIntosh.
Dane Ballard should have pulled one back for Vale but fired wide with MacDonald out of his goal as the game petered out with Formartine comfortably in the driving seat.
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