Two goals in injury time from substitute Sam Urquhart snatched a vital victory for Buckie Thistle at Seafield Park.
The win helped the Jags move them seven points clear at the top of the table, having played two games more than second-placed Brechin City.
A dogged defensive display from Strathspey looked like earning the home side a point until Urquhart’s late intervention.
Jags boss Graeme Stewart had faith that his side would eventually make the breakthrough.
He said: “To be honest, I wasn’t too animated on the sidelines. We did miss a lot of chances, but I was calm and always thought we’d get the goal.
“The most important thing was the three points.
“You obviously want to win more comfortably, but if I’m going to put a positive spin on it, it shows character that we kept going as some teams would have given up and accepted the draw.”
On match-winner Urquhart, he said: “Sam has had a lot of niggles throughout the season, but he’s stronger and fitter now and, when he’s fit, he’ll score goals for fun.
“We took a gamble leaving out Jack Murray and it almost didn’t pay off.
“He gives us balance as a left-footed centre half, and he’s very good on the ball.”
Joe McCabe came closest to an opener for the visitors when he headed powerfully over the bar from Andy MacAskill’s corner on five minutes.
Kyle Macleod then stung the palms of James Kendall with a searing volley from the left side of the penalty area.
MacAskill missed a great chance to put the home side ahead just before the break, but his penalty was well saved low to his left by Kendall to keep the scores level at the interval.
The home custodian made another good save from Sam Pugh on 62 minutes, before Max Barry volleyed a great chance wide from 10 yards after good build-up play down the left flank.
Buckie finally made the breakthrough in injury time, MacAskill feeding Barry and after his cross was headed goalwards by Peters, Kendall saved well only for the rebound to be poked low home by Urquhart from eight yards.
Urquhart then ran through to fire home his and Buckie’s second to seal all three points.
Strathspey assistant manager Mike Rae was proud of his charges.
He said: “I can’t fault the effort from the players and I’m delighted we ran them as close as we did.
“Something we’ve worked on since Robert (MacCormack) and I have come in is being competitive, and making sure we’re staying in games for as long as we can.
“We certainly did that and I’m very proud of the boys today.”
Turriff United 0-3 Wick Academy
Wick Academy ended a three-month wait for three points by beating Turriff United 3-0.
Academy boss Gary Manson was thrilled and relieved to get the win.
He said “The longer the run went on the harder it was becoming to break the cycle of bad results.
“The win was a welcome tonic especially as were down to the bare bones and even had to change our team pre-match as Grant Campbell felt unwell and could only manage the last 15 minutes or so from the bench.
“It was as makeshift team as Chris Angus also helped us out so fair play to the boys who I am so proud of.
“I said to them before the game we need maximum effort and to a man everyone was immense.
“The first half was short of quality, but we asked them at half time to try and up their game and maintain the organisational levels and, from 10 minutes into the second half, we dictated the play to deserve the victory.
“We did need a great stop from a penalty by our keeper Graeme Williamson to keep our one goal lead, but we kicked on from there.
“This was a really good win scoring three goals, keeping a clean sheet and you couldn’t argue that we didn’t deserve it.”
After a goal-less first half the game burst into life on the hour mark as Max Foster fouled Jamie Flett in the box with Richard Macadie slotting home from the spot.
United were handed a lifeline they didn’t take after 67 minutes as Williamson saved Ewan Clark’s spot kick following a foul on Jordan Cooper.
Five minutes later Mark Macadie headed home number two from close range following a corner.
Wick made it three with nine minutes remaining as Rhys Clark fouled the excellent Gordon MacNab in the box and he made no mistake with the penalty to spark scenes of joy from the Wick players.
Todays teamlines are as follows. pic.twitter.com/pyhKAI9RuI
— Wick Academy FC (@WickAcademyFC) April 8, 2023
Turriff manager Dean Donaldson said: “It was the poorest we have been for a long time, constantly giving the ball away and the goals we lost were preventable.
“The whole team have to be disappointed with their performance as they have let themselves down and they know that.
“It will be interesting to see whether they have the character to bounce back and lift themselves for next week as to be honest we didn’t particularly cope with being favourites to win on the day.”
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