Buckie Thistle came from behind to beat fellow Breedon Highland League title challengers Brora Rangers 4-2 in a thrilling and controversial clash at Victoria Park.
In difficult conditions the sides sitting second and third in the division served up a contest full of enterprising play and talking points.
The officials also played their part with the Cattachs taking issue with the part referee Joel Kennedy and his assistants played in three of the goals they conceded.
Brora took an early lead through Andrew Macrae and after Scott Adams had briefly restored parity Tony Dingwall fired the visitors in front again.
Andrew MacAskill’s penalty levelled proceedings after an hour before Mark Nicolson’s own goal and a strike from Josh Peters sealed the points for the home side.
The result means Buckie are behind leaders Brechin City on goal difference, although the Hedgemen have two games in hand.
Brora are 13 points behind the top two, but have four games in hand on the Jags and on two on City.
Early opener
In heavy rain and a swirling wind it was Brora who made the breakthrough after only eight minutes.
Dale Gillespie’s corner from the right came through to Martin Maclean at the back post and his low ball back across was flicked into the net by Andrew Macrae who was totally free inside the six-yard box.
The Cattachs were playing with the wind in their favour in the early stages which meant the majority of the game was played in Buckie’s half.
On 20 minutes Macrae had an opportunity to notch his second. Tony Dingwall’s pass gave him a sight of goal but after Jack Murray blocked Macrae’s initial effort was blocked the second strike was deflected wide.
Brora continued to look the more threatening with Jordan MacRae’s powerful drive from 25 yards held by goalkeeper Balint Demus at the second attempt.
But with their first decent opening Buckie equalised after half an hour and it was an excellent move, although Brora felt were was an offside in the build up.
The Jags played out from the back with Hamish Munro finding Joe McCabe on the right, he in turn found Max Barry who played a one-two with Andrew MacAskill.
Barry then sent the ball infield for Peters – who the visitors felt was offside – but linesman Will McKay didn’t flag and Peters rolled it across goal and although Marcus Goodall took a fresh air swipe Adams was coming in behind him to finish.
Parity was only restored for two minutes with Brora retaking the lead.
Cohen Ramsay lost the ball cheaply on Buckie’s left, Andrew Macrae capitalised by cutting the ball back along the edge of the area with Jordan MacRae’s dummy setting things up for Dingwall to fire into the bottom right corner.
Buckie were rattled for a few minutes after falling behind with Andrew Macrae and Jordan MacRae asking questions of the home backline.
As the interval approached Andrew Macrae headed a looping Max Ewan cross straight at Demus.
Next goal critical
The next goal was likely to have a big bearing on the outcome of the contest and both sides would have been eager to get it at the start of the second half.
With leaders Brechin winning at Wick a draw wasn’t really any use to either side.
Buckie had the first effort after the restart but Jack Murray’s volley sailed over the crossbar.
On 55 minutes Brora threatened with Tom Kelly’s cross from the right breaking back to Jordan MacRae and his volley looked to be destined for the right corner, but Munro was perfectly placed and made the block.
Dingwall was next to half a go for the Cattachs with a half-volley, but just after the hour mark Buckie equalised and again there was an element of controversy with the officials involved.
Peters found some space on the right side of the area but stumbled on the ball, he then went down as Ally MacDonald pressured him from behind.
Referee Kennedy pointed to the penalty spot, but the Brora players were incensed because initially linesman Paul Hendry appeared to flag for offside.
A melee ensued with Nicolson, Millar Gamble, Jordan MacRae and Murray all booked before MacAskill fired the spot-kick down the middle beyond the diving goalkeeper Logan Ross.
On 63 minutes the game was turned on its head with the Jags taking the lead. MacAskill found Adams on the left and his driven cross was turned into his own net by the unfortunate Nicolson at the near post.
Within three minutes Brora came within a whisker of equalising. Jordan MacRae’s superb lay-off gave Maclean a sight of goal but the midfielder’s shot from 16 yards trickled just wide.
In the 78th minute Buckie put the seal on their victory with a fourth but again Brora – with some justification – were unhappy with referee Kennedy.
Gillespie felt the whistler had blocked him off as he went to challenge Goodall in midfield and the upshot was Goodall had time to skip away and play a pass in behind for Peters.
The Jags striker cut in from the right past Nicolson and beat Ross with a low left-foot finish.
In the closing stages Ross made a fantastic save to tip over Kyle MacLeod’s header as Buckie looked for a fifth.
