Leaders Fraserburgh beat Lossiemouth 3-1 to move three points clear at the top of the Breedon Highland League.
With second-placed Buckie Thistle being out of action the Broch took full advantage to move clear at the summit with both sides having 11 games left.
Logan Watt and Scott Barbour gave the Buchan side a two-goal lead inside half an hour, but Lossie to their credit battled back with Ryan Farquhar’s spectacular finishing giving them hope.
But Sean Butcher’s late strike made the points safe for Fraserburgh.
Visitors make quick start
Fraserburgh made the perfect start by taking the lead after three minutes.
Barbour found save on the right and rolled the ball across the face of goal and Liam Archibald’s attempted clearance bounced off Watt and trundled into the bottom left corner.
A couple of minutes later Barbour played a one-two with Paul Young, but his cross-cum-shot was blocked.
The Broch had started strongly, but gradually Lossie played their way into the contest and got into the faces of the visiting players.
After 20 minutes the Coasters showed their threat on the counter-attack with Ross Morrison breaking clear and finding Ross Archibald on the right.
Archibald found Ryan Farquhar who spun neatly away from Kieran Simpson, but Bryan Hay got across to block the shot.
Shortly after Ross Archibald’s cross from the right caused a scramble in Fraserburgh’s six-yard box, but eventually they managed to clear.
In the 28th minute the league leaders doubled their advantage. Referee Kevin Buchanan awarded an indirect free-kick on the edge of the area for high feet, although the incident appeared to be inside the box.
After Grant Campbell’s little touch Barbour’s strike was deflected into the left corner.
Lossiemouth had been disciplined in their shape during the first period, but other than a couple of forays they offered little in the final third.
Coasters respond
The second half continued in much the same vein as the first with the Broch penning their hosts in.
But just shy of the hour Lossie pulled a goal back and it was a spectacular strike.
A ball in behind forced goalkeeper Paul Leask to come out of his area and head the ball clear.
But it dropped for Farquhar who hit a first time volley from 35 yards and lobbed the backtracking Leask.
In response for Fraserburgh Ryan Sargent’s cross from the left was headed narrowly over by Watt.
Lossie’s goal had knocked the visitors out of their stride and the hosts’ tails were up.
But on 72 minutes Fraserburgh sub Sean Butcher slashed a volley over the bar from 18 yards after a lightning quick counter-attack down the left by Barbour.
Then another sub Paul Campbell headed straight at Oliver Kelly from Barbour’s looping cross from the left.
Lossie were right in the game until the 90th minute when Ross Aitken, Paul Young and Barbour combined on the right to teed up Butcher and he finished low into the left corner from 12 yards.