Clachnacuddin defeated title challengers Buckie Thistle 3-2 with an injury time winner from the penalty spot at Victoria Park.
Jack Murray looked to have earned the Jags a late point from the spot three minutes earlier, only for Sam Morrison to foul Lewis Mackenzie in the area and Connor Bunce slotted home the winner.
Clach boss Conor Gethins said: “Our defensive shape was superb, they gave us everything they could and that’s all we can ask of them.
“I’ve just said to Connor Bunce that big players handle pressure and he’s a big player for us.”
Buckie started well and after passing up early chances for Josh Peters and Jack MacIver, they took the lead on 19 minutes.
Lyall Keir slammed the ball home from eight yards after the initial effort from Peters was blocked and fell kindly for the Jags youngster.
Clach levelled in the 32nd minute, a high ball from the right headed back across goal by Calum Black for Calum MacLeod to poke the ball beyond Tom Ritchie at the far post.
Lewis Mackenzie put Clach in front nine minutes from time, springing the offside trap on the right flank and racing clear to slot low past the advancing Ritchie.
The drama wasn’t over and on 94 minutes Murray netted the equaliser from the spot, after Keith Mason was judged to have handled when sliding to block a Peters shot.
Three minutes later Mackenzie was pushed to the ground by Morrison and Bunce placed the spot-kick into the bottom left corner to win it for the jubilant visitors.
Jags manager Graeme Stewart described it as “a poor performance and poor result” for his side, but insisted it’s still all to play for.
He added: “As we said after the recent wins, we can’t get too excited over those and we shouldn’t get too low after this result. Nothing is won or lost today.”
Formartine United 2-2 Lossiemouth
Lossiemouth battled their way to an unlikely draw at Formartine United but the Coasters had to resist a late onslaught to claim their point.
Formartine manager Stuart Anderson said: “It is frustrating but at the same time you can’t expect to score three or four goals every week to win a game of football.
“I’m sure Lossie will be delighted, I thought they defended brilliantly and their work-rate was outstanding, but for us the frustration is that we’ve conceded two goals.”
It took a brilliant diving save from Lossie keeper Cammy Farquhar in the 27th minute to keep out a brave diving header from United’s on-loan Aberdeen striker Aaron Reid.
The game needed a goal and it came for the home side in the 38th minute when Paul Campbell chested the ball down and fired a low drive past Farquhar from 15 yards.
Lossie levelled in the third minute of first-half injury-time when Jared Kennedy’s deep free-kick picked out Brandon Hutcheson at the back stick and his half-volley flew into the far corner of the net.
In the 52nd minute Lossiemouth turned the game on its head when Ross Morrison ran onto Ryan Farquhar’s raking pass and held off a challenge before brilliantly clipping the ball under the diving Macdonald on the angle from eight yards.
Formartine equalised in the 63rd minute, Julian Wade’s cross picked out Adam Emslie and he tucked it away from six yards.
Lossiemouth Frank McGettrick said: “I think we were definitely worth a draw, we defended well and scored two good goals and on the break we were very good.
“We were put under a lot of pressure as Formartine are a top side with so many quality and physically well-built players in their side.”
Brechin City 3-1 Wick Academy
Brechin City picked up three valuable league points after overcoming a stuffy Wick Academy team with a 3-1 win at Glebe Park.
All of the goals came in the opening 45 minutes with the visitors opening the scoring after just seven minutes when Jack Halliday played a perfect pass to Gordon MacNab who fired home a crisp right-foot drive.
City were back on level terms after 19 minutes when Matthew Wright rose to head home a Luke Strachan delivery and a further two goals from Ewan Loudon just before the interval wrapped up the points for City.
Despite the victory, it was by no means one of City’s most accomplished performances as manager Gavin Price acknowledged at the end of the 90 minutes.
“I was really disappointed with the way we started the game and the way we defended and if I’m being honest, it was our two strikers who got us out of jail,” he said.
“Although we went in at the interval 3-1 in front I was far from happy with the way we had performed.
“We made a couple of changes at the break and I was pleased with manner in which the players reacted.”
Wick manager Gary Manson said: “I felt we were well in the game right up until the death.
“I am really proud of the boys considering we came down here last year and suffered a heavy defeat.
“ It was much more evenly balanced this time round and the players can be pleased with the way they performed.”
Fraserburgh 3-0 Nairn County
Fraserburgh overcame a spirited Nairn County side in a match of few clear-cut chances.
Jamie Beagrie’s early header was added to late on by record goalscorer Scott Barbour and Joshua Hawkins’ first strike for the club.
Broch assistant manager James Duthie said: “We started the game well, went ahead and controlled possession but lacked a killer instinct in the final third.
“Second half there wasn’t much in it, but we finished the game strong after a tough game on Wednesday night.
“I’m delighted for young Joshua to come on and score his first goal for the club and young Callum contributed as well.
“I thought the back four were excellent, limiting Nairn to few chances. I can’t remember Joe Barbour having much to do and I’m delighted with the clean sheet.
🟡 FULL TIME ⚫️
A tough, scrappy game. Not many chances to speak of and an injury time goal rubbing salt into the wounds pic.twitter.com/AvTlrqFPRG
— Nairn County FC (@NairnCounty) February 24, 2024
“We now move on to a tough run of fixtures with Brora, Buckie and Banks o’ Dee in the space of seven days.”
Nairn manager Steven Mackay said: “I thought at 1-0 down the game was in the balance and we could have gone on and got the equaliser, but the second goal kills the game stone dead.
“I said to the guys after the game when you come to places like this you have to take your chances.”
Inverurie Locos 1-0 Forres Mechanics
Inverurie Locos recorded a narrow home win against Forres Mechanics thanks to Lloyd Robertson’s low drive which saw them leapfrog Rothes and move up to 10th spot in the table.
The major talking point of the game was when Forres forward Shaun Morrison was shown a straight red card by referee Owen Lawrence for foul and abusive language.
Forres boss Steven MacDonald felt the decision by the referee ruined the game as a contest.
He said: “I had a good chat with the official at half time and told him my player had just shouted out it had been a shove with an expletive added.
“If anything I’m trying to encourage my younger players to be more passionate and show more aggression on the park because they are just young boys.
“It was nothing personal, it’s everyday language on a football field.
“I asked the referee if that’s what he and his colleagues are being taught these days in that if there is any swearing on the park, players get sent off.
“If he felt abused he’s in the wrong job. It’s a competitive league and if the referee felt he got respect after his decision he certainly didn’t.
“The whole crowd said it had spoiled the game and it was a disgraceful decision.”
Winning boss Dean Donaldson said: “We’ve been looking for winning goalscorer Lloyd Robertson to score more like that. He has it in his locker and it will give him a lift.”
On Aidan Wilson, who has joined Locos from Rothes on a three-year deal, he added: “Aidan just wants to shoot and score goals. He got himself into a good position late on and their goalkeeper blocked.
“He will probably never have to work so hard as he will with Locos with the strikers we already have on board and the pressing game we play.
“He will have to do that if he wants to play but we will allow him to settle in for the rest of the season.”
🎥 MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
Action from a tight game yesterday.
🚂🔴⚽⚫ pic.twitter.com/5cv4Wkm3Qk
— Inverurie Loco Works FC (@InverurieLocos) February 25, 2024
Huntly 7-0 Strathspey Thistle
Huntly recorded their highest win over Strathspey Thistle, scoring seven without reply at Christie Park.
It was also a record win for manager Colin Charlesworth since taking over who was delighted to see his side bounce back from their 6-0 defeat at Fraserburgh.
Angus Grant scored five and set up another in our seven-nil win over Strathspey Thistle.#highlandleague pic.twitter.com/CXrXEsDvuh
— Huntly Football Club (@huntlyfc) February 25, 2024
Angus Grant netted five to take his total for the season to 13 goals. An Owen Loveland own goal and a Ryan Sewell strike completed the scoring.
On Grant, Charlesworth said: “That’s a statement from him. Andrew Hunter was missing and we needed our strikers to step up.
“Angus’s goal return since I came in has been sensational and it’s difficult to get them both on the park but when one goes out and one steps up like that it’s a good headache to have.”
Keith 2-1 Rothes
Keith stretched their unbeaten run to four games with their first win over Rothes since August 2018.
The result moves the Maroons up to 14th place in the table, the Speysiders slipping to 11th.
A penalty from 19-year-old Lewis Coull and a late Mikey Taylor header earned Keith the points against the visitors who had eight players missing and had recently retired Bruce Milne back in action, wearing the captain’s armband.
Maroons manager Craig Ewen said: “We were delighted to win what was a hard-fought local derby.
“As the pitch got heavier, there wasn’t a lot of football played to be honest, but we’ve hit a wee bit of form in terms of results.”
In keeping with the previous week’s goal-less draw, the first half produced no goals, but Keith took the game to the visitors after the break.
A Ryan Robertson drive from inside the box cannoned back off the crossbar, then a Craig Gill 20 yarder flew just over the bar.
The deadlock was broken in the 62nd minute when dangerman Taylor was upended inside the box, and young Coull converted the penalty with aplomb.
However, it was all square 15 minutes later when substitute Kenzie Shepherd scored direct from a corner kick to get his side back into the game.
The winner came with eight minutes remaining, a free kick flying into the danger area and the ever-alert Taylor headed home his fourth goal of the season at the back post.
Rothes manager Richard Hastings said: “I’m not making excuses, but it’s a fact we came here without eight players who would normally have played.
“With Michael Finnis out we gave Bruce Milne the call and he’s happy to return until the end of the season.
“It was a tight game and despite the result there were positives to take in terms of what I’m trying to get the guys to do.”
Meanwhile, Turriff’s home match against Deveronvale was postponed after failing a pitch inspection.
Read Callum Law’s match report and all the reaction from Banks o’ Dee and Brora Rangers’ 2-2 draw at Spain Park by clicking below.