Fraserburgh beat Clachnacuddin 6-2 with a clinical display of finishing at Grant Street Park.
Scott Barbour and Logan Watt both bagged doubles, while Sean Butcher and Ryan Sargent were also on target in another Broch goal-fest with Harry Nicolson and Lewis MacKenzie replying for Clach.
Fraserburgh manager Mark Cowie said: “We are playing well just now and we were ruthless.
“We went 2-0 up early on and that settled us but then we gave away a cheap goal, which we could have defended better.
“But then we got another with a wonder strike from Logan, it gets us into a good position at half time.
“When we scored again early in the second half you think we’d be comfortable but again a lapse at the back and we lose another cheap goal.
“But we finished strongly with Scott and Logan wrapping it up.
“That’s nine (against Deveronvale) and a six and there is a seven in there as well (against Inverurie Locos). Our forward players are definitely clicking now, hopefully it continues for a while.”
The Broch boss had a special word for Scott Barbour, and added: “He’s had a tough start by his own admission.
“He changed a couple of things in his pre-match routine and it’s paid dividends.
“Last week he was unplayable, this week again he was unplayable. It’s not just his goals, he probably assisted two or three, he’s bringing others into play.”
Broch start on front foot
With a strong wind at their back the visitors took the lead in the fifth minute. Butcher beat Daniel Rae in the Clach goal with sizzling free kick which flew into the top of the net.
The Broch doubled the lead five minutes later. Scott Barbour’s in-swinging corner ended up in the back of the net despite desperate attempts by Clach defenders on the line to keep it out.
But the Lilywhites got one back in the 18th minute. Nicolson side-stepped his marker and drilled a 20-yard shot into the corner of the net.
The Broch, however, didn’t take long to restore their two-goal advantage. The Clach defence failed to clear their lines from a corner in the 21st minute and when the ball fell to Watt on the edge of the box he volleyed high into the net.
Clach made the worst possible start to the second half when Sargent scored from the penalty spot after being taken down by Nicolson.
The home side got another one back in the 59th minute. Calum Ferguson set up Lewis MacKenzie and the winger coolly placed the ball beyond Broch keeper Joe Barbour.
Fraserburgh were on target again in the 70th minute, Butcher chested down a cross for Scott Barbour to make it 5-2.
With a right footed shot from 1 yard into the bottom right corner of the net after Scott Barbour passed the ball to him to make it 2-6 Broch (90) #theBroch @leagueHighland pic.twitter.com/gLZT22uuKa
— Fraserburgh FC (@FraserburghFC) September 2, 2023
Watt helped a Scott Barbour shot over the line in stoppage time as the Broch added a sixth goal.
Clach manager Jordan MacDonald said: “The goals we gave away were ridiculous, teams are not having to work hard.
“We were 2-0 down out of nothing and 3-1 down in 20 minutes. We gave ourselves opportunities to get back in the game, but we shot ourselves in the foot straight away.
“The goals we lost were just embarrassing. There is no hiding place for us now.”
Banks o’ Dee 1-1 Lossiemouth
Lossiemouth manager Frank McGettrick praised goalkeeper Cameron Farquhar after he helped them earn a 1-1 draw with Banks o’ Dee at Spain Park.
The Aberdeen outfit took the lead with 20 minutes played when Lachie MacLeod headed home Magnus Watson’s right-wing cross.
But the Coasters reponded in the 72nd minute when Ross Paterson released Brandon Hutcheson on the left and Ross Morrison finished his cross first time.
With 10 minutes left referee Lewis Brown awarded Dee a penalty after deciding Liam Archibald had felled Darryn Kelly, but custodian Farquhar got down to his right to turn away Mark Gilmour’s spot-kick.
Lossie boss McGettrick said: “Cammy’s penalty save was a good one, I thought it was a soft penalty, but thankfully it didn’t cost us.
“Over the piece I think we deserved a point because the boys put in a great shift and defended well.”
The Coasters included trialist striker, Henry Jordan, in their side.
McGettrick added: “He plays for the RAF and he was recommended to us so he’ll train with us and can play as a trialist.
Team lines… pic.twitter.com/r1p0MBoK2P
— Lossiemouth FC (@lossiemouthfc) September 2, 2023
“We played him up front and it was a tough ask for him, but he showed up well and we’ll see how he gets on over the next few weeks.”
Banks o’ Dee co-manager Josh Winton said: “We weren’t clinical enough, even though we didn’t take our chances we were hoping to keep a clean sheet which we didn’t manage to do.
“Mark takes a lot of penalties after training and he normally slots them away so he’s disappointed. It feels like two points dropped.”
