Fraserburgh boss Mark Cowie was pleased with how his men fought back from two goals down to secure a 2-2 draw with Formartine United, but was disappointed with how they started the game.
The Broch were 2-0 down after former player Aidan Combe netted twice in the first-half at Bellslea, before Josh Bolton pulled one back for the home side 10 minutes before half-time.
After a scrappy second-half, Willie West scored in the 83rd minute to clinch a draw, meaning Fraserburgh have picked up four points over two festive games against Formartine, following last week’s 1-0 win.
After Friday’s 2-2 draw, the reigning Highland League champions move into third in the table, overtaking Brora, while Formartine remain four points behind in fifth place.
Cowie believes four points is a good return against the Pitmedden outfit – and was glad to pick up a point on Friday, but the manager was disappointed with the way in which his side kicked off proceedings at home.
The Broch gaffer said: “We wanted to win the game and we were pushing at the end to get it, but we shot ourselves in the foot by going 2-0 down.
“It was a mix of Formatine being very good and us being very bad for the first 35 minutes, they put under the cosh and we found ourselves behind.
“But credit to our boys we got ourselves back in it and then in the second-half we had the wind against us and not playing our favourite way, but we still put in a performance.
“I’m proud of them, but I’ve told them, when we’re playing the top teams in this league, we can’t gift them a 2-0 head start – you have to start from the word go and defend properly.
“But if you say to anybody before the season starts that you’d get four points against Formartine, then you’d take it, so we have to be pleased with it.”
Formartine start well at Bellslea as Fraserburgh have to fight back
After early chances for Fraserburgh’s Scott Barbour, it was the away side who took the lead with less than 10 minutes on the clock at Bellslea, as Combe came back to haunt his former club, burying a low effort beyond keeper Joe Barbour to make it 1-0.
Broch boss Cowie was forced into making an early change, as Bolton came on to replace Sean Butcher in the 19th minute, after he was struggling from an earlier knock.
In the 23rd minute, and much to the dismay of the Bellslea crowd, referee Joel Kennedy had no hesitation in pointing to the spot as Formartine’s Scott Lisle was brought down inside the area.
Crawford stepped up for the penalty which was saved by Barbour, but after a number of Formartine players tried their luck with the rebound, Combe was the one to find the back of the Fraserburgh net – for the second time.
At the other end, Fraserburgh responded immediately and had a glorious chance to pull a goal back when Paul Young unleashed a strike from inside the box, but United keeper Ewen Macdonald made a superb save to push it round the post.
The Broch did pull a goal back, though, as Bolton scored when the ball landed at his feet after keeper Macdonald parried Logan Watt’s cross back into the danger area.
In the second-half, Fraserburgh went close to pulling level, but MacDonald made a super stop to keep the score level as he saved a snap-shot from inside the box, before a Formartine body cleared another chance off the line.
It looked like Formartine were going to hold on for the three points, but Broch skipper West smashed the ball into the back of the net in the 83rd minute to earn his side a share of the spoils.
However, the home side ended the game with 10 men as Young was sent off.
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