Ally MacDonald says he’s happy to keep playing for Brora Rangers when required after returning to the side in their victory against Deveronvale.
This season the Cattachs player-manager has spent the majority of his time in the dugout.
But for Saturday’s 3-0 success at Princess Royal Park MacDonald made seven changes to the Brora side, including bringing himself into central defence.
The 35-year-old joked: “I’ll be dropped next week I think!
“Colin Williamson is struggling with a couple of things and it’s important we’ve got players who can come in and do a job.
“Thankfully I was able to do that, we’re happy to keep a clean sheet. I need to ensure I’m ready whenever called upon.
“I still enjoy playing, but the role of manager is the role and I’ve got players who are better than me now so I’m happy to be at the side.
“But if I have the chance to come on and help the boys then I’ll try to do that.
“We know we’ve got quality and depth. It’s just a case of getting everyone up to speed because we’re going to be playing Saturday and Wednesday for the rest of the season.
“Everyone that came in against Deveronvale did well so that was good.”
Brora are unbeaten in 12 Breedon Highland League games, they are 18 points behind leaders Brechin City, but have five games in hand.
MacDonald added: “We need to keep trying to tick games off one at a time and see if we can put pressure on the teams above.
“We know where we want to be, but all we can do is keep trying to take care of every game and then go again.”
Early opener
The deadlock was broken after only three minutes when Kyle MacLeod evaded the Vale offside trap and was tripped by recovering defender Kyle Dalling inside the box.
Tony Dingwall’s attempt from the spot was saved by goalkeeper Sean McIntosh down to his left, but the rebound fell for Dingwall to score.
The Banffers almost levelled on six minutes as Jamie MacLellan headed Harry Noble’s cross from the left wide.
But the Cattachs were controlling things and McIntosh made good saves to deny MacLeod, Dingwall and James Wallace.
However, the second goal arrived just shy of the half hour mark. Matthew Strachan crossed from the left and MacLeod’s looping header found the top left corner.
Gregor MacDonald went close either side of half-time with a free-kick from 25 yards and a curler from the edge of the box.
Midway through the second half Vale threatened again with Ryan Park nodding over from Innes McKay’s left-wing delivery.
At the other end Dingwall wriggled clear inside the box and was again repelled by McIntosh.
With quarter of an hour left, the lively Dingwall shot over from 18 yards when off balance with an empty net to aim at after MacLeod beat Aaron Hamilton and McIntosh to the ball.
As time ticked down Brora sub Alex Cooper’s 15-yard drive was deflected inches wide.
But in the 90th minute the visitors got their third when sub Jordan MacRae headed home from Cooper’s corner.
Goal frustration
Deveronvale have won once in their last nine games and the nature of the goals they shipped frustrated boss Craig Stewart.
He said: “Brora were excellent, but it’s disappointing for us to lose a goal in three minutes to a penalty.
“I’ll be interested to see it back and see if it was offside, at the time it looked offside.
“After last week (5-1 defeat to Huntly) and then losing an early goal it would be easy for the players to think ‘here we go again.’
“Sean McIntosh probably thought the second was past the post and the third was from a corner which is disappointing.
“Outwith that we defended well and if we’d held it at 0-0 we would have had more to play with.
“It was a good second half. I’m disappointed we didn’t get a goal and also disappointed with the goals we lost because I thought our backline was good, which is unusual to say when you get beat 3-0.”