Manager Graeme Stewart hailed Lyall Keir as an “outstanding talent” after he helped keep Buckie Thistle’s title challenge on track.
The 20-year-old attacker netted both goals in the Jags’ 2-0 win against Formartine United at Victoria Park.
Victory means Buckie are seven points behind Breedon Highland League leaders Brechin City, but crucially have two games in hand and also play the Hedgemen next Wednesday.
In the last couple of months Keir has been a regular fixture in the Buckie side and has delivered some important goals.
Stewart said: “Lyall’s an outstanding talent. He started the first game of the season away at Clach and it was tricky and with hindsight I shouldn’t have done that.
“It’s hard to explain that to him, but it probably knocked him back a bit. We still knew he was going to be massive for us not just this season, but for the next few seasons.
“He was getting frustrated not playing, but I told him to bide his time and his chance would come. He’s some player, he’s got it all really.”
Reflecting on the win against Formartine, Stewart added: “I thought we were superb.
“After a hard game on Saturday where we didn’t get the result we’d hoped for (draw with Inverurie Locos) we needed a reaction.
“We looked full of energy and aggression against a top team, I’m delighted and I think we deserved to win quite comfortably.
“We’re relaxed about things and we know if we keep winning we’ve got a good chance (of winning the league).”
Fast start from Jags
Buckie broke the deadlock on 10 minutes when the Formartine defence failed to clear Andrew MacAskill’s ball into the box and Keir reacted quickest to volley home from eight yards.
Soon after United could have equalised when Julian Wade outmuscled Dale Wood before shooting wide from close range.
In the 16th minute Keir could have scored again after intercepting goalkeeper Ewen Macdonald’s pass, but the visiting custodian redeemed himself with a good save.
Early in the second period Jags goalkeeper Tom Ritchie did well to smother the ball before Wade could get a shot away as he bore down on goal.
Ritchie also held a long range drive from Lewis Duncan before Buckie doubled their lead on 66 minutes.
Sub Marcus Goodall – a first half replacement for Max Barry, who limped off with a thigh injury – did well to head the ball onto Josh Peters, whose knockdown set up Keir on the left side of the area and he finished calmly.
In the closing stages Formartine sub Aidan Combe almost set-up a nervy finale. The winger played a one-two with Wade, but Ritchie made a fingertip save to ensure he kept a clean sheet.
Formartine remain fifth in the table and boss Stuart Anderson said: “Buckie deserved the win. There’s disappointment at the goals we lost from our point of view.
“We didn’t ask Buckie enough questions going forward, but in saying that we had two or three good chances and if we take them it’s a different game.”
Huntly 1-1 Keith
Keith goalkeeper Craig Reid scored a dramatic injury-time equaliser to earn his side a 1-1 draw at Huntly.
Reid’s late equaliser stretches the Maroons’ unbeaten run to eight games.
There was panic in the visiting goalmouth after 30 seconds when a Craig Gill header back towards his own goal was tipped over the bar by Craig Reid.
It took either side 25 minutes to register a shot on target with Lewis Crosbie cutting inside forcing Reid to save low.
Jake Stewart found the side-netting before half-hour mark after the home defence failed to deal with a Connor Killoh throw.
Craig Gill saw a shot blocked inside the Huntly box after 34 minutes but the Black and Golds broke quickly upfield on the counter but Ryan Sewell’s shot was over the bar.
Gavin Elphinstone looked to carve out an opening three minutes from the break going on a run before firing low past the far post.
Keith thought they had taken the lead in the 71st minute through a Lewis Coull header but the flag was up for offside.
It would take the Maroons 75 minutes to register a shot on target but Elphinstone’s low effort was comfortably saved.
With two minutes remaining, Huntly took the lead when Robbie Foster put the opposing defence under pressure before firing low for his 14th of the season.
But in injury time, Keith threw everyone forward at a corner and goalkeeper Craig Reid rescued a point with an overhead effort against his former side.
Brora Rangers 1-0 Clachnacuddin
Brora Rangers returned to winning ways with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Clachnacuddin at Dudgeon Park.
Clach posed an early threat, with Brora goalkeeper Logan Ross doing enough to put Lewis MacKenzie off as he looked to meet a Connor Bunce cross at the near post.
Brora were denied an opener on seven minutes when Tom Kelly’s floated delivery was met by the head of Jordan MacRae, but Michael Miele was equal to the effort.
Paul Brindle was next to threaten when he did well to carve out a shooting opportunity on the edge of the box, but his strike drifted just wide.
Brindle had another chance on 31 minutes when he was released by a Gregor MacDonald cutback, but he could not keep his close-range effort down under pressure from Miele.
Opener arrives
Brora were not to be denied just a minute later with Martin MacLean exchanging passes with Tony Dingwall which released the midfielder to send a sublime low finish into the corner with the outside of his foot.
Clach remained a threat with Bunce’s delivery just evading the run of MacKenzie at the far post.
The Cattachs were forced into a half-time substitution, with Ali Morrison withdrawn following a heavy first half knock and replaced by Alex Cooper.
Brora looked to build on their lead in the second period, with Ali Sutherland shooting over the bar from distance, while MacRae came close with a header which sailed marginally over.
GOAL for BRORA!!
Martin gets the goal. His second of the week.
🔴1-0⚫️ pic.twitter.com/qr8lq7catt— Brora Rangers (@brorarangers) March 20, 2024
Clach were denied an equaliser on 59 minutes when Bunce struck a sweet strike which looked destined for the bottom corner, only for Ross to make a superb save to tip the ball wide.
Bunce was once again denied by Ross just a minute later, this time with a glancing header which was parried by the on-loan Ross County goalkeeper.
Clach continued to push, with Millar Gamble making a crucial block to deny MacKenzie a sight at goal, while a deflected Jamie Young effort from distance brought out another stop from Ross.
Dingwall was denied by Miele in the dying stages as the hosts pushed for second goal, however the home side held out for the victory.
Forres Mechanics 1-2 Fraserburgh
An added-time goal from substitute Logan Watt secured a hard-fought three points for Fraserburgh against Forres Mechanics at Mosset Park to move them up to second in the Breedon Highland League.
Scott Barbour fashioned the first chance of the match for Fraserburgh on 17 minutes when he turned neatly on the edge of the box and fired over from 12 yards.
He created the second on the half hour mark when he clipped the ball through to Ryan Sargent, but he was denied by Corey Paterson in the Forres goal.
The first chance for the hosts came 10 minutes before half-time when a Craig Mackenzie corner was nodded by Sam Nixon into the arms of visiting keeper Joe Barbour.
And the Can-Cans had a golden chance to take the lead on the stroke of the break when Mackenzie played Sam Gordon through but his rushed finish went wide.
FULL TIME
A late winner for the visitors gives them all 3 points.#monthecans pic.twitter.com/cM4hRnrgew
— Forres Mechanics F.C. (@TheCansOfficial) March 20, 2024
Aidan Sopel went close to scoring from 30 yards with a powerful strike – but his effort was tipped onto the post by Paterson.
The breakthrough came for the visitors on 65 minutes when Scott Barbour was left unmarked to nod a cross in from inside the six-yard box.
The Broch seemed comfortable – but when Calum Frame was up-ended in the area eight minutes from time Craig Mackenzie did the rest from the penalty spot to level the scores.
There was still time for the visitors, though, and when keeper Paterson misjudged a cross sub Logan Watt bundled in to grab the points for the Broch in the 91st minute.