Buckie ended their season on a high with a superb away win at Mosset Park last night to consolidate seventh place in the Highland League table.
Clinical first-half goals from attackers Kai Ross and Chris Angus gave the Jags a 2-0 interval lead and another Ross goal in 73 minutes finished Forres off.
Former Forres forward Ronnie Dunbar was an interested spectator at Mosset Park having flown in from his home in New Zealand on Tuesday night to see his club’s final home game of the season.
And there was no shortage of attacking intent from both teams with the home side the first to threaten in the fifth minute when Chris Blackett shot high and wide from 12 yards out.
Shaken by the near-miss Buckie quickly responded and took the lead in the seventh minute when the unchallenged Kai Ross beat goalkeeper Stuart Knight at his near post with a fierce 10-yard drive.
An entertaining game swung from end to end and and Forres could have levelled five minutes later, but Craig McGovern’s close-range effort at the back post flew high over the crossbar.
Back came Buckie again and a long-range Jay Cheyne drive sailed over the top without troubling Knight.
The home side were then awarded a free kick just outside the box on the angle but Drew Howard’s curling shot was dealt with confidently by Jags stand-in goalkeeper Darren Strong.
A great exchange of passes at the other end between scorer Ross and Chris Angus ended with the former forcing a good diving save from Knight on the half hour.
Two minutes later Angus really should have doubled Buckie’s advantage but again Knight blocked the forward’s eight-yard drive with his legs.
Sixty seconds later it took a brilliant diving save by Strong to stop Lee Fraser from grabbing a back-post equaliser.
Buckie doubled their advantage with the last kick of the first half when Stuart Taylor’s cross picked out Angus who lashed his shot low past Knight on the half-volley from 12-yards for his 20th goal of the season.
Chris Blackett came close to pulling one back, but once again Strong was on-hand to turn his close-range shot round the post for a fruitless corner kick.
And it was game over in the 73rd minute when Buckie made it 3-0. Ross scored his second goal from four yards after an Angus pass.