Fraserburgh edged out Formartine United 1-0 in a hard-fought Breedon Highland League encounter at North Lodge Park.
There was little between the sides during an absorbing 90 minutes but Jamie Beagrie’s first half strike gave the Broch the points.
Victory for the Breedon Highland League champions – who are currently fourth in the table – takes them four points clear of United, who are fifth.
Injury prevented Formartine’s new signing Paul Campbell from making his debut against the club he left last week.
Fraserburgh’s new signing Josh Bolton started on the bench.
Frenetic start
The game started at a high tempo with both sides looking to utilise the pace they had in the final third.
United goalkeeper Ewen Macdonald denied Scott Barbour from a tight angle early on.
At the other end Julian Wade was almost presented with a clear sight of goal, but Broch goalkeeper Joe Barbour was out quickly to smother.
After quarter of an hour one of Matthew McLean’s long throw-ins found Wade inside the six-yard box but his touch towards goal was straight at Barbour.
At the other end Sean Butcher headed over from a Scott Barbour corner.
Chances were at a premium but Fraserburgh made the breakthrough on 35 minutes.
Scott Barbour’s inswinging corner from the right wasn’t cleared and Beagrie hammered the loose ball into the roof of the net.
As half-time approached the Broch tried to find a second.
Ryan Sargent’s strike from a Barbour corner was blocked and when the ball was recycled back to Barbour on the left Willie West headed the cross over at the near post.
Next goal key
Five minutes into the second period Sargent found Butcher on the left side of the area, but Macdonald got down well to parry the low strike to safety.
Formartine remained a threat, however, with Johnny Crawford looping a header over.
The next goal was always likely to have a significant bearing on the contest, but the evenly-matched nature of the contest meant clear-cut opportunities were hard to come by.
Midway through the second period Fraserburgh’s Ryan Cowie replaced Sean Butcher and made his comeback four months on from dislocating his kneecap.
Shortly after a McLean long throw broke for Crawford at the edge of the box, but his blast towards goal was blocked.
In the 70th minute Sargent’s knockdown inside the area gave Scott Barbour a chance 12 yards out, but Macdonald made a superb block.
Heading into the final stages the contest remained finely balanced with Formartine committing more bodies forward in search of an equaliser.
With a couple of minutes of normal time left a McLean cross eventually broke for Aaron Norris, but his strike from just inside the box whistled narrowly over the crossbar.
Despite Formartine’s best efforts they couldn’t conjure an equaliser in the closing stages.
Deep into injury time Fraserburgh almost added a second but Paul Young’s angled drive was tipped over by Macdonald at full stretch.
