Friday night football served up a Christmas cracker at Princess Royal Park as Buckie Thistle netted a late winner after being given a severe test by a determined Deveronvale side.
Both teams set a frantic pace from the off with Vale’s Horace Ormsby being denied by a fine Jack Murray challenge while at the other end Tom MacLennan curled a dipping effort just over the crossbar from 30 yards.
Buckie opened the scoring ten minutes from the break when Harry Noble was deemed to have handled an Andy MacAskill free kick and from the resulting spot kick MacAskill sent Sean McIntosh the wrong way.
Four minutes later Vale were level when Noble’s flighted corner kick to the near post was pushed into his own net by Buckie keeper Balint Demus.
Scott Adams should have put Buckie in front ten minutes after the restart when he was left with a clear shot on goal but squared the ball and the chance was lost.
With 63 minutes played a poor challenge by Sam Pugh on Matt Jamieson saw both dugouts and players on the field clash with the outcome being a red card for Vale manager Craig Stewart, a yellow for Buckie manager Graeme Stewart and Pugh receiving a booking.
Buckie claimed the points with a winner eight minutes from time when Marcus Goodall got three opportunities to find the target from eight yards with the last one beating McIntosh to find the target via the inside of the post.
The win means Buckie moved to within one point of leaders Brechin City who drew 4-4 against Banks o’ Dee.
Forres Mechanics 1-0 Lossiemouth
Forres Mechanics edged a 1-0 victory over Lossiemouth at Mosset Park to pick up three vital points thanks to an injury time header from Lee Fraser. After an even opening period, Lossiemouth had a series of chances in a frantic five-minute spell.
Stuart Knight was forced to make a fantastic save down to his right when Ross Elliot and Ryan Stuart combined before the former saw his header kept out.
Elliot was denied by Knight again two minutes later, before Adam MacLeod drilled a ball across the goal with no takers.
Liam Archibald had a chance when Knight took a heavy touch but skied over from 25 yards, before Lossie keeper Logan Ross was tested by Ben Barron’s 25-yard volley.
The Lossie fans thought they had taken the lead when Niall Kennedy’s powerful long-range effort was turned an inch wide by MacLeod on the hour mark.
Ross in the Lossie goal made a stunning fingertip save on 72 minutes to turn Craig Mackenzie’s well-hit 20-yarder over the top.
The Can-Cans were wondering how they hadn’t gone ahead five minutes later when a combination of Logan Ross and last-ditch defending kept out close range efforts from Ben Barron and Ethan Cairns.
Forres Mechanics FC 1 v 0 Lossiemouth FC
Lee Fraser with a late winner for the Cans ⚽️ pic.twitter.com/1eBwUpB2QC
— ForresMechanics F.C. (@TheCansOfficial) December 23, 2022
Lossie had a chance to win it late on but MacLeod didn’t get enough on his chip and was denied by Knight.
Into added time and, after a series of corners, the winner came for the Cans – courtesy of centre-half Lee Fraser’s header from five yards.
Ethan Cairns almost put the cherry on the cake a minute later but his effort was tipped over by Logan Ross, who was unfortunate to be on the losing side.