Graeme Stewart felt Buckie Thistle produced their best performance of the season in their 2-0 win away to Brora Rangers.
Following a goalless first half, strikes from Jack Murray and Josh Peters proved decisive for the Jags to give them an eight-point lead at the Highland League summit.
Although second placed Brechin City have three games in hand, the result keeps the Jags’ momentum going with just six games of their campaign remaining.
Stewart said: “I think that’s maybe our best performance of the season so far. I think Brora are a top team – with us and Brechin I think we are the three best teams just now.
“I was disappointed at half-time to not be winning, but we showed a bit of character and a bit of fight to get the two quite early goals.
“They never troubled us in the second half which is a testament, because they are a quality team.
“We have a really hard run in – I think it’s all top half teams we are playing bar one.
“There are a lot of good teams in the Highland League and no easy games any more.
“I hope we do it this year, but if we don’t we will come back again. That’s how much faith I’ve got in this team. We will keep going until we get some silverware.”
The Jags started with intent, with an early Peters strike across goal forcing Millar Gamble to get a crucial touch to deny Urquhart a sight of goal, while an Andy MacAskill corner was flashed over by the head of Murray.
Brora began to settle into the game but Buckie continued to pose the greater goal threat, with a breakaway leading to an opportunity for Peters on 20 minutes, however the former Elgin City forward shot straight at Logan Ross.
At the other end Dale Gillespie was next to try his luck from similar distance, with the Brora skipper striking wide of target.
Shortly afterwards the home side created their closest opening of the first period, with Gillespie’s cross finding the head of Gamble, whose effort flashed narrowly over.
At the other end Peters was thwarted for a second time after he got in behind Gamble, and on this occasion he got a stronger connection on his effort however Ross was once again equal to it.
It was Buckie who once again started the second half on top, and they broke the deadlock just four minutes after the restart when MacAskill’s corner picked out Murray to guide home a header which crept inside Ross’ far post.
Just as the home side were looking to find a way back into the game they gift-wrapped the Jags a second however. Gregor MacDonald’s attempted passback only served to present Peters with a clear run at goal, with the forward making no mistake with a composed finish past Ross.
At the other end, Balint Demus had to show good reflexes to palm away an Ali Sutherland effort following Ewan’s cutback.
In the dying stages, Ross showed excellent reactions to deny Max Barry a third goal when he went clean through on goal.
Brora boss Ally MacDonald said: “It was a disappointing result – I don’t think we got to the levels we can.
“I don’t think we can argue with the result, they deserved to win the game. But the manner we lost the game was quite frustrating.”
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