A goal from Ryan Sargent gave Breedon Highland League champions Fraserburgh a 1-0 win against Brora Rangers at Dudgeon Park.
In a fiercely-contested affair Sargent’s second half strike was all that separated the sides with the result moving the Broch – who are third in the table – five points clear of the fifth-placed Cattachs, who have three games in hand.
Victory also extends the Buchan side’s unbeaten league run to 16 games and this was also their third successive win at Dudgeon Park.
Brora made one change to the side defeated by Buckie Thistle last weekend with Colin Williamson replacing Mark Nicolson in central defence.
Fraserburgh regulars Bryan Hay and Paul Young were both on the bench with captain Willie West deputising for Hay at centre-back and Logan Watt took Young’s place in midfield.
Early openings
The home side had the first effort after 16 seconds but Andrew Macrae’s strike from 20 yards cleared the crossbar.
Broch goalkeeper Joe Barbour was worked for the first time on six minutes. Max Ewan found Tony Dingwall on the left side of the area, but Barbour made a good save at his near post.
From Dale Gillespie’s corner which followed Millar Gamble headed wide.
In the 11th minute the visitors had their first chance with Kieran Simpson’s ball in behind releasing Ryan Sargent in the inside left channel but his effort from 10 yards drifted just wide.
The game became cagier after that with Brora having slightly better possession but neither team creating too much.
A poor clearance from Joe Barbour almost gave Tony Dingwall a chance while a tempting Tom Kelly cross from the right found no takers in the middle.
As the interval approach Brora goalkeeper Logan Ross did well to hold a powerful half-volley from the edge of the area from Marc Lawrence.
Game in the balance
Fraserburgh had the first attempt of the second period but Connor Wood lifted his shot over from 17 yards after a neat lay-off from Watt.
In the main it continued to be tight with both defences doing an impressive job of shackling the opposition forwards.
Just after the hour mark Gillespie skipped away from Watt and teed up midfield colleague Martin Maclean, but his drive from 20 yards looped into the hands of goalkeeper Barbour.
In the 64th minute Simpson met Scott Barbour’s corner with a powerful header which was straight at Ross.
Midway through the second half Broch goalkeeper Joe Barbour appeared to injure a hamstring when making a clearance.
Initially he carried on, although in discomfort, with Simpson taking goal-kicks.
On 71 minutes Brora had the ball in the net but were denied by the offside flag.
Dingwall capitalised on a slip from Ross Aitken and his low ball across from the left was forced home by Andrew Macrae only for the celebrations to be cut short.
Three minutes later Fraserburgh went ahead, a long put forward by Joe Barbour saw Colin Williamson miscue his header and Sargent raced in on the left side of the area to fire beyond Ross for his eighth goal in five games.
That was goalkeeper Barbour’s last involvement with youngster Sam Inglis taking his place.
As time ticked down Brora had a half chance when Andrew Macrae latched on to Maclean’s knockdown, however, he screwed the shot wide.
With a minute of the 90 remaining there was a scramble inside the Broch box from a Gregor MacDonald corner but Maclean fired over.
Then in stoppage time Inglis made a smothering block to deny Millar Gamble from a MacDonald free-kick.