BUCKIE TURN ON STYLE TO SWEEP ASIDE LOCOS

No sign of title tension at Harlaw Park as table toppers Buckie Thistle remain on course to defend their crown with a 4-0 victory at Inverurie Locos.

A Donnie Munro double plus goals from Lewis MacKinnon and Shawn Scott, gave the champions victory and all but ended Locos faint hopes of contending for the title.

Locos went for broke with three up front but it was Buckie who were the aggressors from the start.

Midfielder David MacRae fired over and Martin Charlesworth volleyed wide early on.  Then Munro was inches away when he lashed the ball just past the post after a neat move and MacKinnon's header was cleared off the line by Jamie Michie.

The pressure was building and Munro found the net on 33 minutes when he picked up Scott's layoff and drilled the ball through the legs of goalkeeper Andrew Reid.

It could have got worse for Locos as Charlesworth clipped an effort past the far post and then Paul Napiers's cool attempt with the outside of his boot flashed past the upright.  Michie forced Thistle goalkeeper Kevin Main to tip over but Locos were fortunate only to be one down at the interval.

It was not long before the scoreline reflected the Jags' dominance, however, as it was 2-0 on 54 minutes when MacKinnon planted a header from Napier's free kick.  It was three just four minutes later when Munro grabbed his second, drilling home MacRae's low cross at the back post.

Locos looked buried but Nicky Gordon went close to pulling one back when he volleyed over from close range.

But Jags forward Scott made it four on 77 minutes when he pounced on a loose ball to find the bottom corner to round off a stylish win.

Report by Michael Gannon, Press & Journal