Boss Graeme Stewart praised Buckie Thistle for keeping themselves in contention to win the Breedon Highland League title after defeating Keith.
The Jags beat the Maroons 3-0 at Kynoch Park in a game that was hastily rearranged following a postponement on Saturday due to a waterlogged pitch.
Stewart’s side – who return to action tomorrow when Brora Rangers visit Victoria Park – are six points behind leaders Brechin City, but have two games in hand.
After their last outing, a 0-0 draw with Deveronvale on March 30, Stewart declared their title hopes were over.
But on this occasion he said: “We’re back in it – I was maybe premature with what I said previously.
“We’re capable of winning all our games and I think we have to. That’s the pressure, but we’re more than capable.
“However, Brora are a top team who have won a cup and they’re more than capable of coming to Buckie and getting a result.
“We’ll need to be at our best, but we’re back in it and glad to be.”
Reflecting on the display against Keith, Stewart added: “I thought we played well. It probably shows we’re a different team when we get a break.
“We’ve not had a game for more than a week. We’ve shown how good a team we are, Keith are on a great run and hadn’t been beat since February 3.
“They defended really well in the first half and looked like they would frustrate us, but the quality shone through in the end.”
Adams gets ball rolling
In the early stages Keith goalkeeper Craig Reid made good saves to thwart Scott Adams and Max Barry, but just after the half hour mark Buckie broke the deadlock.
Jack Murray’s neat pass found Adams and he weaved his way into some space at the edge of the area and his shot deflected off Lewis Coull on its way past Reid.
Four minutes into the second half Thistle’s second goal arrived.
Initially the visitors were appealing for a penalty when Adams went down in a challenge with Michael Taylor at a Jack MacIver corner.
But Murray retrieved the loose ball on the left flank and crossed for centre-back partner Sam Morrison to head home from close range.
Just before the hour mark Marcus Goodall cracked a shot against the left post, but the Jags netted their third in spectacular fashion with 10 minutes left.
Joe McCabe looked to be trying to cross from wide on the right, but his powerful delivery flew over Reid and into the net.
Fine run over
The result ends Keith’s 10-game unbeaten run.
The Maroons are at home to Brechin tomorrow and manager Craig Ewen said: “It’s disappointing, we’ve lost our unbeaten run with a whimper.
“We didn’t turn up and were second best all over the pitch. There’s no hiding from that, but we’ll knuckle down and go again.
“Buckie controlled long spells of the game and there’s no complaints from my side. We need to pick ourselves up and go again.”
Forres Mechanics count cost of missed chances as Rothes snatch draw
Rothes and Forres Mechanics shared the spoils after a 1-1 Moray derby draw.
Forres looked to have bagged a well-earned win through Shaun Morrison’s goal, but Rothes levelled seven minutes from time through Charlie MacDonald.
Forres had the first big opening on 13 minutes when Ben Kelly’s lashed effort was parried away by Sean McCarthy and Shaun Morrison’s reaction header on the follow up drifted inches wide.
Rothes responded with a chance of their own a minute later when Jake Thomson slipped in Greg Morrison and he knocked a yard past the post with a quickly-taken effort.
Thomson as the creator again just after the half-hour mark when his ball across the face found the stretching Gary Kerr at the back post, but he could only hit the side netting.
Morrison could have put Forres ahead before half-time when he met Craig Mackenzie’s cross from the left, but his tame effort rolled wide.
The same man should have scored twice in the first five minutes of the second period. His first chance came on 48 minutes when McCarthy denied him initially, a scramble ensued and he hit the side netting from a yard out.
The second chance was even more clear-cut as he raced through on goal, rounded McCarthy, but placed his finish agonisingly across the face of goal and out for a goal-kick.
Morrison turned provider on the hour mark, teeing up Ben Kelly who fired a yard wide from the edge of the box.
Forres’ centre-forward was back in the limelight on 75 minutes – this time for the right reason. When Calum Frame teed up him up, Morrison hammered high into the centre of the goal to give Forres a 1-0 lead.
Morrison should have doubled his and his side’s tally just minutes later, again going one-on-one, but making the angle too tight and skying his effort.
Forres were made to pay for their missed chances on 83 minutes when a Rothes corner made it all the way through to the back post where MacDonald scrambled in an equaliser.
The Speysiders almost won the game a minute from time when a great effort from Jake Thomson flew just wide.
Watch: Highland League Weekly – Fraserburgh v Brechin City and Banks o’ Dee v Huntly highlights
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