Mark Cowie insists Fraserburgh can still retain the Breedon Highland League title after dropping points against Forres Mechanics.
The Broch drew 1-1 with the Can-Cans at Mosset Park which leaves the champions seven points behind leaders Buckie Thistle and second-placed Brechin City, having also played a game more than the Hedgemen.
Cowie said: “We need to show more fight to defend the title. But we’re not out of it.
“I’m not going to say at the start of November ‘Fraserburgh are out of the league race.’
“Don’t get me wrong, it’s firmly in other teams’ hands, but we’ll keep going.
“We’ve won one trophy this season, we now need to kick on and try to win more, but playing like that we won’t win trophies, we need to be better.
“There was a lot I was disappointed with. We don’t move the ball quick enough, we don’t help each other.
“A lot of stuff is half-hearted, there’s no conviction just now and I don’t know why because we’re on a good run.
“I can’t put my finger on it and we need to get to the bottom of it because we’ve got a lot of big games coming up.
“I can’t fault Forres, they deserved their point and we didn’t merit taking anything more than a point.”
Progress for Can-Cans
For Forres, who are seventh in the table, this was another impressive result, particular having been beaten 7-0 and 5-0 by Fraserburgh last season.
With a number of players missing striker Lee Fraser was deployed in central defence and performed superbly as the Can-Cans earned a point.
Assistant manager Stephen Maclean said: “We’re delighted with the point against the champions. We’ve been talking to the boys about how it’s more important than just a point in the league.
“This will hopefully give us the belief that we can compete against the top teams in the division.
“We’ve had a wee run playing Formartine, Brora, Buckie and now Fraserburgh with Brechin to come.
“We’re hoping to take more points off the top six and getting that first point will hopefully really help us.
“Lee was outstanding. I said to him after the game I spent 20 years trying to make playing centre-half look difficult and he stepped in and made it look easy.”
Batty’s crucial intervention
That the game was completed was thanks in no small part to Fraserburgh community coach Claire Batty.
Assistant referee Andy Stephenson suffed a suspected Achilles injury five minutes prior to half-time and was unable to continue.
But after an appeal to the crowd Batty – who has completed the SFA’s refereeing course – stepped forward to run the line.
Maclean added: “Fair play to Claire, I wouldn’t have done it, but she did.
“We didn’t know what was going to happen and what decisions she would be allowed to give and what she wouldn’t.
“But the referee (Kevin Buchanan) explained to us at the time and again at half-time and well done to Claire.”
Cowie said: “If Claire hadn’t stepped up the game wouldn’t have gone ahead so fair play to her.
“It takes a bit of guts to do what she did, fair play to Claire. She was probably our best performer on the day.”
Broch strike first but pegged back
In the early exchanges home goalkeeper Stuart Knight did well to repel a Greg Buchan free-kick and Paul Young’s strike from 12 yards.
But the custodian was powerless to prevent the Broch taking the lead after half an hour as Can-Cans captain Martin Groat glanced Scott Barbour’s free-kick from the right into his own net.
Six minutes later Shaun Morrison sent Ben Barron through and with goalkeeper Joe Barbour off his line the striker lobbed onto the roof of the net.
At the other Knight made a good save from Jamie Beagrie’s header.
Forres equalised on 65 minutes. Morrison did well initially to find space on the right side of the area and his low shot was parried by Barbour.
But Morrison was first to get on to the loose ball and squared for Barron to tap home from close range.
Fraserburgh tried to turn the screw. Sean Butcher was flagged offside when netting with a header, Knight made a fine stop to keep out Kieran Simpson’s header and a poor touch let Zane Laird down when presented with a sight of goal.
For Forres, Callum Johnston fired just wide from 14 yards and an excellent last-ditch intervention from Ross Aitken denied the hosts in the dying embers.
