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Brora boss bemoans defensive lapses as Banks o’ Dee take the points in seven-goal thriller

Ally MacDonald frustrated at poor defending in 4-3 loss at Spain Park

Lachie Macleod scored twice for Dee
Lachie Macleod scored twice for Dee

Brora Rangers boss Ally MacDonald was left frustrated by his side’s poor defensive display following their 4-3 loss at Banks o’ Dee.

Jordan MacRae scored a second half hat-trick for Brora but it proved to be in vain as Highland League Cup finalists Dee edged a seven-goal thriller at Spain Park.

MacDonald said: “Coming down here and scoring three goals and losing the game hurts.

“We’re gifting goals to these teams. They don’t really have to work for their goals and it is something we need to get better at.

“We can’t be coming to places like this and scoring three goals and not winning.”

Hamish Macleod finished off a well-worked goal to give Dee a half-time lead before a flurry of goals followed in a frantic second half.

Jordan MacRae equalised for Brora two minutes after the break but Lachie MacLeod restored Dee’s advantage in the 65th minute.

MacRae grabbed his second of the game six minutes later to restore parity but Brora were on level terms for less than a minute as MacLeod struck again to make it 3-2 to the home side.

Jordan MacRae’s hat-trick was in vain for Brora. Image: Sandy McCook/DC Thomson

Matthew Wallace doubled Dee’s lead five minutes from time before MacRae completed his hat-trick for Brora to set-up a grandstand finish but the home side held on to take a valuable three points.

‘Defensive lapses have to stop’

Victory takes Dee up to 12th place in the Highland League with four league matches remaining while Brora stay in fourth, one point ahead of champions Fraserburgh, who beat Lossiemouth 3-0 on Friday.

MacDonald was pleased with his side’s attacking display in Aberdeen but the Brora boss is growing weary of watching his side struggle to keep a clean sheet in matches.

He insists the erratic defensive lapses which cost them dear at Spain Park have to be eradicated at the club.

He said: “We want to play football and score goals but there are two sides to the game and we need to better at the other one.

“We got the equaliser and look like the team going to go on and get the next one then gift a goal. We get it back to 2-2 then gift another one.

“It’s frustrating. Individual errors at times, collective errors at times, it is things we know we are much better at and it is happening too often.”

  • Saturday’s league game between Rothes and Huntly was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch at Mackessack Park.

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