Mark Cowie felt Fraserburgh rediscovered their true colours after coming from behind to defeat champions Buckie Thistle 3-1 at Victoria Park.
Prior to kick-off Buckie were presented with the Highland League flag in their first home league fixture of the campaign, with Fraserburgh following up with a guard of honour for the champions.
It was the Broch who were celebrating come full time however, after goals from Aidan Sopel, Scott Barbour and Kieran Simpson overturned Marcus Goodall’s opener for the hosts.
Buckie finished the game with 10 men, following Darryl McHardy’s dismissal midway through the second half.
With the Broch having taken just a point from their opening two matches, Broch boss Cowie was thrilled to get their first league win on board against the Jags.
Cowie said: “I thought we deserved it, I don’t think you can take that away from us.
“In the first 15 minutes or so Buckie were better, but after that we took a good hold.
“Going forward we caused a lot problems and got our two goals, and it was good to get the third one because Buckie have a bit of a history of scoring late.
“Hopefully that kick starts our season. We got a true picture of Fraserburgh. Everybody gets excited when Fraserburgh, or the other top sides lose.
“It irks you a wee bit, because we don’t like losing. We’ve had a bad start, we are not shying away from it, but we know what we are capable of.”
Buckie made a flying start on 14 minutes when Goodall capitalised on a loose ball in midfield before ghosting past Bryan Hay down the right channel, and unleashing a low drive which nestled in the far corner of Joe Barbour’s goal.
Fraserburgh levelled through Sopel on 29 minutes, when the forward capitalised on a misunderstanding in the backline to loft a fine finish over Mark Ridgers, who had advanced to the edge of his box.
The Jags were punished for further sloppy defending, as the Broch turned the game on its head on 40 minutes. A free-kick broke loose in the box, with Barbour reacting quickest to turn the ball past Ridgers at the far post.
Only Ridgers denied the visitors a healthier lead before the interval when Broch skipper Willie West unleashed a venomous strike from 18 yards, with the goalkeeper pulling off a sublime save to tip the ball on to the crossbar.
The visitors continued to pile on the pressure, with Buckie’s night turning from bad to worse with 21 minutes remaining when McHardy was shown a red card by referee Duncan Nicolson for a foul on Barbour who was bearing down on goal.
Fraserburgh tied up the points with nine minutes remaining when Sopel was tripped inside the box by substitute Kevin Fraser, with Simpson stepping up to fire the penalty past Ridgers.
Buckie boss Lewis MacKinnon said: “We started well, got the goal, and I liked what I was seeing. For whatever reason, sloppiness crept in.
“Whether that was forced on us by Fraserburgh upping their game, or ourselves with loose passes, we left ourselves open.
“It wasn’t good enough. You learn a lot from defeats, so there are a few things to address and work on.”
Clachnacuddin 0 – Nairn County 2
Nairn County got their first Highland League victory of the new season, recording a 2-0 derby win at local rivals Clachnacuddin.
Matthew Wright’s first half goal gave the Wee County the interval advantage and an unlucky Josh Meekings own goal wrapped it up for the visitors late on.
Clach manager Conor Gethins made just one change to his starting XI, with Lewis Mackenzie replacing Scott Davidson, after two wins from two.
Nairn boss Ross Tokely – whose side began their season with a defeat to Brechin on Saturday – brought Andy Greig and Gary Kerr into his starting team, with Angus Dey and Ben Barron named as substitutes.
The first chance was carved out by Clach and it took a timely Kenny McKenzie challenge to block a drive from Troy Cooper.
As Nairn hit on a counter attack on 20 minutes, two perfectly judged Lewis Mackenzie tackles kept the visitors out, before Kerr almost met an Alan Pollock cross with a diving header.
Meekings then directed a header on target for the Merkinchers, but on-loan Ross County defender Ali Morrison cleared it off the line for Nairn.
However, the deadlock was broken on the half hour mark when forward Wright was unmarked as he raced through and smashed an unstoppable shot past Joe Malin in the Clach goal.
On the cusp of half-time, Nairn keeper Dylan Maclean pulled off a fine stop from Cooper to keep his team ahead.
Allan MacPhee, with three goals already this season, attempted a drive from the edge of the box for the home side on 72 minutes, but his effort inched just beyond Nairn’s right post.
With 13 minutes left, a whipped in ball from the right was diverted into the net by Clach defender Meekings as he tried to clear it.
Nairn came close to making it three with a few swift chances – Pollock’s header off the crossbar was the best of the bunch.
Deveronvale 2 – Huntly 2
Huntly fought back from being two goals behind with just eight minutes remaining to earn a point after two Jack Mitchell goals had given Deveronvale the advantage in Banff.
Angus Grant saw an eight-yard effort cleared off the line by Jayden Goldie midway through the first half as the visitors probed for the opener, with Vale goalkeeper Ethan Hopkinson diving at the feet of Grant shortly afterwards to deny a certain goal.
Vale started to grow into the game as the half progressed, though, with Rogan Read heading just over from 10 yards following fine wing play from Mitchell, who had switched from the left flank to the right wing.
Mitchell again caused problems with a shot which was blocked a minute from the break, and as the game entered first half stoppage time, Vale struck.
Huntly failed to clear a free-kick, and when the ball broke to the wideman, he blasted an unstoppable 18-yard shot beyond the helpless Jack Robertson.
Hopkinson came to his side’s rescue again with a fine stop to deny ex-Vale winger Callum Murray nine minutes into the second period, but it was the home side who grabbed a second goal on the hour mark.
Ben Hermiston did well to win the ball on the right and his cross was brilliantly back-flicked beyond Robertson into the bottom corner by Mitchell.
Sam Robertson pulled one back for Huntly with eight minutes remaining with a 16-yard volley – his fourth goal in three games – before Brodie Allen fired low beyond Hopkinson with the game deep in stoppage time.
Brechin City 2 – Inverurie Locos 0
Brechin City kept pace at the top of the Highland League table following a 2-0 victory over Inverurie Locos at Glebe Park.
The home side enjoyed the bulk of pressure and possession in the opening 45 minutes, and they should have taken the lead in the 26th minute when they were awarded a penalty after Fraser Macleod had been upended in the box by Locos defender Mark Souter.
But Ewan Loudon fired the spot-kick narrowly past the post.
However, they made the breakthrough 12 minutes into the second half, when Brad McKay sent a header into the path of Loudon, who took a couple of paces before unleashing a right-foot drive past Locos keeper Zack Ellis.
Inverurie were furious with the goal, claiming that Loudon had used a hand to control the ball, but their protests were waved away by referee Scott Leslie, with Greg Mitchell being booked for continuing to argue.
Shortly afterwards, Logan Johnstone was also booked following an off the ball incident with Loudon.
It was one-way traffic towards the Locos goal and it was no surprise when City doubled their advantage in the 68th minute when Dayle Robertson slotted home a couple of yards from goal.
The visitors’ misery was compounded in the 75th minute when substitute Reuben Skea was sent packing after picking up a second yellow card.
Brora maintain perfect start as Banks o’ Dee leave it late
Brora Rangers made it three wins out of three by defeating Forres Mechanics 4-1 at Mosset Park.
Max Ewan opened the scoring for the visitors in the 21st minute but Mark McLauchlan restored parity five minutes later.
Mark Nicolson headed Brora in front two minutes into the second half before substitute James Wallace volleyed home the third after 66 minutes.
Wallace made it 4-1 seven minutes later after slotting home from a Tony Dingwall pass.
Brora will look to continue their perfect start when they host Formartine United on Saturday.
Banks o’ Dee left it very late as they defeated Keith 2-1 at Kynoch Park in a dramatic encounter.
The game was goal-less at the break but Nathan McKeown put the Maroons in front with 20 minutes to go.
Michael Philipson equalised for Dee in the 88th minute and then had the chance to win the game from the penalty spot a minute later but was denied by Keith goalkeeper Craig Reid.
Dee then won a second penalty in injury time and this time Mark Gilmour was thwarted by Reid but Lachie Macleod slotted home the winner on the rebound in an action-packed finale.
The result leaves Keith still looking for their first point of the season while Dee have seven points from their opening three fixtures.
Turriff United chalked up an impressive 2-1 victory against Formartine United at North Lodge Park.
Reece McKeown fired Turra into an early lead with only four minutes on the clock but Dominica international Julian Wade got the hosts back on level terms in the 32nd minute.
Callan Gray popped up with the winner for Turriff in the 82nd minute.
Lossiemouth picked up their first victory of the season with a 3-2 win against Rothes at Grant Park.
Brodie Christie gave Lossie the lead in the 34th minute but Jake Thomson levelled for the Speysiders before the break.
Brandon Hutcheson put the Coasters back in front only three minutes into the second half.
Rothes were reduced to 10 men when Charlie MacDonald saw red but they levelled in the 73rd minute through Owen Alexander.
Lossie were not to be denied with Hutcheson netting the winner with three minutes to go.
Wick Academy picked up their second win from three matches by defeating Strathspey Thistle 2-1 at Harmsworth Park.
Marc MacGregor broke the deadlock for Wick in the 23rd minute before Gary Pullen doubled the advantage on the stroke of half time.
James McShane reduced the deficit in the 54th minute but Gary Manson’s men held on for the three points.
The Scorries welcome Deveronvale to Harmsworth Park this Saturday, while Strathspey are at home against Forres.
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