Buckie Thistle boss Graeme Stewart played down the significance of their victory against Fraserburgh at Bellslea.
The Jags retained their 100% record in the Breedon Highland League with a 3-1 win, secured courtesy of Andrew MacAskill’s brace and Josh Peters’ counter.
With both sides aspiring to win the league, it is an important early-season victory for Buckie.
But boss Stewart said: “It’s three points, it’s nothing more than that. You can lose the league in the first two months, but you can’t win it.
“We keep going because there are massive games coming up where we’ll need to be at our best.
“It’s just three points and we won’t know how important they are until March and April.
“We had a gameplan which worked. We had most of the ball first half and created chances.
“We took two and we knew it would be difficult in the second half.
“With the wind and playing downhill, Fraserburgh are very direct, which I like – it’s difficult to defend against.
“But I thought we defended brilliantly.
“You don’t come here and win often. It’s one of the hardest places to come in the Highland League, so I’m delighted.”
‘No fluency’
Broch manager Mark Cowie added: “First half playing against a strong wind we were doing OK and it was quite scrappy.
“But in the space of five minutes we lost two cheap goals, which turns the game on its head.
“Second half we put on the pressure, but nothing was falling for us and it was a bit scrappy with no fluency to it.
“Buckie were a bit better at winning second balls and a bit sharper across the frontline.
“It’s three games into the season and I think folk are getting carried away with things.
“We’re three points behind Buckie and there’s a long way to go.
“Once we hit March we’ll start worrying about where we are and what we need to do.”
MacAskill makes the difference
The opening exchanges were scrappy, but in the 25th minute the Broch almost forged ahead.
Kieran Simpson’s long ball into the Buckie box was allowed to bounce and broke for Ryan Sargent, who volleyed over from close range.
Two minutes later, Thistle punished the miss by taking the lead.
Paul Young tackled MacAskill, but the loose ball broke off Simpson, who slipped, which allowed Kyle MacLeod space on the right.
He calmly picked out MacAskill in the box to blast past Joe Barbour from eight yards.
In the 31st minute, the Jags doubled their advantage, when, after a spell of possession, Dale Wood swung a cross in from the left and MacAskill ghosted in at the back post to head into the top left corner.
On the stroke of half-time, Wood tried his luck from 25 yards, but Joe Barbour was equal to the effort.
The next goal was always likely to be critical and the Broch looked to get it on 48 minutes when Greg Buchan stung goalkeeper Stuart Knight’s palms from 20 yards.
In the 54th minute, Simpson’s high ball released Scott Barbour, but as the striker went to pull the trigger Buckie’s Joe McCabe got back in to make an excellent sliding block.
Midway through the second half, Fraserburgh captain Willie West looped a header wide after Simpson sent a corner back into the danger area.
On 70 minutes, Knight made a good save down to his right to turn away sub Logan Watt’s strike from the edge of the area.
Three minutes from time, Broch sub Connor Wood met Watt’s corner, but his glancing header rebounded off the right post.
On 89 minutes, Buckie put the seal on their victory when Max Barry’s low ball in from the left found MacAskill.
His strike from 15 yards hit the inside of the left post and rolled across goal, with sub Peters on hand to force the rebound home.
In the first minute of injury, Fraserburgh netted a consolation when Watt’s cross from the right was glanced on by Jamie Beagrie and Butcher forced the ball in from virtually on the goal-line.
Tensions stoked
Things ended on a sour note with both sets of players involved in a melee at full-time – which seemed to be sparked by an altercation between Bryan Hay and Barry.
Stewart added: “What I was told was that Bryan Hay aimed a punch at Max Barry. If that’s true it’s very disappointing and he’s let his club down.
“But it might not be true – Max has said it is and I believe Max.
“I didn’t see it, but if a punch has been aimed at Max, it’s disappointing.”
Cowie said: “I’m not sure what’s happened. It’s two teams hoping to be in the run-in for the title and one team has got something over the other one.
“Things spill on to the park and we all get emotional. The end of the game isn’t the best time to do anything.”
Teams
Fraserburgh (4-1-2-1-2) – J Barbour 6, Aitken 6 (Laird 78), Hay 6, Simpson 6, West 6, Campbell 7, Buchan 6 (Watt 63), Young 7; Butcher 6, Sargent 6 (Beagrie 78), S Barbour 6 (Wood 63).
Subs not used – Davidson, Cowie, Bolton, Flinn.
Buckie Thistle (4-2-3-1) – Knight 7, McCabe 7, McHardy 8, Murray 7, Ramsay 7, Pugh 7, Wood 8, MacAskill 8, Goodall 7 (Peters 78), Barry 7, MacLeod 7.
Subs not used – MacKinnon, Fyffe, MacIver, Munro, Keir, Adams, Storrier.
Referee – Lewis Brown 5.
Man of the match – Andrew MacAskill.
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