Banks o’ Dee reinforced their title credentials with a clinical display of finishing – including a Hamish MacLeod goal within 30 seconds – in a 6-1 victory against Lossiemouth at Grant Park.
Dee came in from the cold after a month’s lay-off to move into second spot in the Breedon Highland League table, four points behind Brechin City with a game more played.
Dee co-manager Josh Winton said: “It’s been a long lay-off since we last played so to start the game with the early goal was very pleasing.
“We’ve been guilty of being wasteful in the past, so we are looking to be more clinical and the guys certainly did that.
“I don’t think many teams will come here and score six goals as they are a well-organised team.
“We spoke about it before the game about trying to put a little run together, that’s the first one of the new year ticked off so we’ll see how we go.”
Winton had no complaints about either penalty decision, he added: “Both of them looked like penalties to me, I thought the referee (Stuart Randall) had an excellent game.”
Hamish MacLeod gave Dee the lead with one of the fastest goals of the season after a Lachie MacLeod effort was parried by Lossie keeper Cammy Farquhar.
Dee doubled their lead on the half hour mark when skipper Kane Winton drilled the ball home from 15 yards.
It got worse for Lossie in the 34th minute when Winton was fouled by Lossie defender Dean Stewart and Garry Wood converted the resultant penalty.
Lossie were thrown a lifeline three minutes later when they were awarded a spot-kick of their own. Ryan Stuart was bundled over by Darryn Kelly and Niall Kennedy made no mistake from the spot.
Full time in Lossiemouth, an emphatic victory ✅ pic.twitter.com/0DA5gZPpqR
— Banks o' Dee FC (@banksodee_fc) January 13, 2024
But a disastrous start to the second half by Lossie resulted in two Lachie MacLeod goals in the opening two minutes, the first one from an acute angle and the second a neat finish past the Lossie keeper.
An own goal in the 86th minute, following a Mark Gilmour corner, rounded off a miserable afternoon for the home side.
Lossie boss Frank McGettrick said: “Banks o’ Dee were worthy winners. We gifted them goals. They are a strong physical side. We knew how they were going to play and we didn’t deal with them well enough.
“After half time we lost two goals within two minutes. You are looking at 6-1 but we gifted them about five goals.
“We could have had 10 defenders but if you make mistakes like that you know it is going to cost you goals against a quality side.””
Forres 0-2 Deveronvale
A first-half double from Ryan Park saw Deveronvale record their first away league victory of the season at Mosset Park.
The front pairing of Jack Mitchell and Park caused problems for the home defence continually and it was no surprise when the former set up the latter to score the opener after 12 minutes with a close-range finish.
Mitchell was again the provider as Vale doubled their advantage just after the half hour as Park collected a through ball to fire low beyond Lee Herbert from 18 yards.
Forres created good openings in both halves but couldn’t convert any of them with the nearest being a Craig MacKenzie effort that hit the post.
Vale manager Craig Stewart said “Jack Mitchell and Ryan Park were excellent but what is also pleasing is we showed a different side to our play in the second half when we had to dig in as Forres threw bodies forward.
“It wasn’t backs to the wall defending but as a unit we were superb and won most things in the air.
“We showed great game management and across the board we didn’t have a bad performer with another clean sheet to throw into the mix.”
Forres manager Steven MacDonald said “We played well, especially in the first half, and to go in two goals down was hard to believe.
“But you have to take your chances and the fact we didn’t score any of them was really gutting especially as they were really good ones.
“To make things worse the goals we lost were soft which on a difficult pitch gave Vale something to build on.
“Even then I still thought we would come back and get something.
“Had we got one it would have given everyone belief so overall it is really disappointing we lost as we played well.
“Credit to Vale as they worked really hard but we gave them the incentive by gifting goals and it was a hard one to take.”
Turriff United 3-1 Wick Academy
Turriff United followed up on their excellent 5-1 win against Clachnacuddin to record a comfortable 3-1 victory against Wick Academy.
Turra boss Warren Cummings said: “Overall it was a good day apart from the disappointment of not keeping a clean sheet.
“We felt we could get joy down the left side through Murray Cormack who did well.
“Reece McKeown is a bundle of energy and has quality. He is now adding goals as well, long may he continue his form.
“Our captain Dylan Stuart was unfortunate getting ill before the Clach game and unable to play.
“He is very professional and understood my decision to stick with the team that won that game.
“It’s full credit to our groundsman Ellis Duguid for putting in a power of effort on the pitch after the horrible conditions we’ve had lately.”
Turriff took the lead in the 32nd minute in a build up involving the impressive Cormack and Callan Gray. Centre forward Ewan Clark was on hand to fire in off the post after being blocked with his first attempt.
Right at the start of the second half a diagonal pass came through to McKeown who beat Graeme Williamson with a looping header.
McKeown netted again midway through the half when he was sent through by Liam Strachan and fired an unstoppable effort past the Wick goalkeeper.
The Scorries for their efforts got a consolation goal with a header from Ross Gunn in the dying embers.
Wick manager Gary Manson said: “It’s a fair result, it was a reasonably well worked goal from us right at the end but Turriff were better on the ball.
“We matched them for effort but they looked more composed and comfortable on the ball
“Turriff are a good side. For us it’s about trying to get points on the board and it won’t be easy with games against Brechin, Fraserburgh and Brora coming up.”
