League leaders Fraserburgh kept their title hopes alive with a narrow but thoroughly deserved 2-0 victory over managerless Formartine United at North Lodge Park in Pitmedden.
Broch boss Mark Cowie said: “I thought that we were really strong in the first half when Formartine seemed to have got a wee lift from recent things that have happened.
“But we managed to pin them back and they didn’t create much while we created three or four good chances in that first half.
“When we went 2-0 up I think that was a fair reflection on the play, then Joe Barbour pulled off an unbelievable save – the most important thing tonight was getting the three points, and we did.”
In the 25th minute the deadlock was broken by Fraserburgh when Sean Butcher bulleted a header from a Lewis Davidson cross from the right high past the helpless Macdonald.
Broch doubled their advantage 11 minutes later when Formartine failed to clear a corner kick and Ryan Sargent was on hand at the back post to tuck the ball away from six yards.
Three minutes later Smith saw his 10-yard angled drive rebound off the inside of the post and Joe Barbour grabbed the ball just as Scott Lisle connected with the rebound.
Then keeper Barbour got a fingertip to a superb Smith 30-yard free-kick to tip the ball onto the top of the crossbar and from the resultant corner kick he brilliantly parried a Stuart Smith net-bound header.
With seven minutes to go Fraserburgh were reduced to 10 men when Lewis Davidson picked up his second yellow card of the night.
United caretaker-manager, defender Stuart Anderson, said: “I felt that we definitely improved in the second half when we hit the bar twice, we also hit the post earlier and had two one-on-ones we could have done better with.
“I don’t think there was much in the game though they were a wee bit more streetwise than we were but our lads did all I asked of them and I’m happy with that.”