Highland League leaders Brechin City made it seven wins in a row after a 2-0 win at improving Inverurie Locos.
Dean Donaldson’s Locos pushed the champions all the way at Harlaw Park, but Brechin boss Gavin Price was delighted to depart with all three points, which kept them four points clear of second-placed Banks o’ Dee, having played a game less.
He said: “It’s a fantastic three points for us from what was a really tricky fixture.
“Inverurie are a good side who put us under pressure for stages of the game
“As a team we were disciplined defensively and I felt we deserved to win, but we needed to be more clinical.
“I’m delighted with the manner of the substitutions coming on to give us fresh legs and in terms of closing the game out.”
Price had words of praise for forward Marc Scott, who provided the cross for the first goal and netted the second.
He added: “Marc has been fantastic since coming to the club. He has a really good all-round game and is a pleasure to work with.
“He gives me everything.
“We also have to thank (goalkeeper) Jamie McCabe. He didn’t have a lot to do, but made a great save to keep us a goal ahead at half time.”
Inverurie Locos boss aggrieved at two goals conceded
The opening goal came in the third minute with Logan Johnstone allowing Scott to put in a perfect cross. Danny Handling was unmarked and, from close range, he stooped to head past Zack Ellis.
Locos fought back and a fine move ended with Jay Halliday in space at the edge of the box, but he was denied by an acrobatic save from McCabe.
Brechin doubled their lead in the 65th minute as Scott latched onto a McCabe kick before driving down the right and beating Ellis at his near post.
Home manager Dean Donaldson believes there were offside doubts about both of Brechin’s goals.
He said: “We have to do better with the cross for the first, but with both goals the flag could have gone up.
“Brechin sat in after that, but they are the best team in the league.
“I think we played well overall and had good spells in the game, but we’re still trying to find ways of breaking through.
“We’re a bit light. We’re bringing on young players, while the Brechin changes see players coming in who have previously been on full-time contracts.”
Banks o’ Dee bounce back to beat Deveronvale
Banks o’ Dee kept up their challenge with a 4-1 win over Deveronvale at Spain Park.
Vale had started the better of the two sides and Jamie MacLellan opened the scoring after seven minutes when he rifled an 18-yard shot low beyond Daniel Hoban.
Dee were level after 18 minutes, however, when Kane Winton found the target from eight yards.
Two further first half goals in five minutes, following some poor Vale defensive play, saw Dee’s Hamish Macleod fire home off the underside of the bar before Ethan Cairns made it 3-1.
MacLennan could have pulled one back early in the second half, but shot over from close range before Dee substitute Lachie Macleod completed the scoring two minutes from time after Sean McIntosh had produced four fine stops to deny the home strikers.
Manager Josh Winton was pleased with the response to going behind.
He said: “We kicked on from conceding early and played some good stuff with the only disappointment being that we didn’t score a few more of the chances that we created – especially in the second half – but it was still good to score four times.
“We know the quality that our wingers have and Chris (Antoniazzi) and Hamish (Macleod) were both excellent on the day and we now kick on with the games that are now coming thick and fast.”
Vale ‘need to start producing the goods’
Vale assistant Richard Davidson believes his side shot themselves in the foot by showing some poor defending.
He said: “I think we woke them up by going ahead as they then went direct and played off the second balls, with us making some individual poor choices, which cost us two goals – while you could also argue that we didn’t defend the set-piece at the first goal either.
“The ball didn’t stick for us upfront to get our midfielders up to support the strikers and if that doesn’t happen it becomes a very long pitch to gain an advantage.
“We need to start taking on board what we are learning as there is improvement.
“We can’t go along the whole season saying it is a learning curve – we now need to start producing the goods.”
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