Huntly Manager Dave McGinlay was thrilled by the 1-0 win against Buckie Thistle and struggled to hide his delight at the development of his side in the past few months.

He said: "It is only three points in the big scheme of things, but it is a massive three points against the team that have been champions for the last two years.

"It is only good if we take it further, but that puts us back in the mix and it was massive for us. I can't say how proud I am of every single one of my players."

A man of many clubs as a player, McGinlay is now in his second stint with the Christie Park Club.

He added: "I tinkered with the team and there were so many outstanding performances it would be wrong to single out anyone.

"We are generating a new team and this was a game where we had to be resolute at the back.

"Buckie created a number of chances in the first half, playing diagonal balls into the box and we won headers or our goalkeeper saved them. Had they scored first there would have been a different reflection on the game, they are champions."

For Buckie Thistle manager Gregg Carrol the focus is simply on keeping the players working hard until their luck turns as he hopes his side can returns to winning ways in the weeks ahead.

He said: "We are going through a bad spell just now where things are not happening for us and you just have to keep it going.

"We have to get our heads down and get on with it, it is as simple as that. There is no point in moaning about it. These things happen in football and I have seen it 100 times."

A GOAL by Barry Somers in the first half was enough to ensure Huntly took all three points from their trip to Buckie's Victoria Park.

The result leaves the Buckie Faithful pondering a dip in form in which their team has picked up just one win in its last six league games and just one point from a possible nine at home.

Trouble for Buckie, but Somers was quick to deflect the limelight away from himself after a hard-working team performance. The former Keith, Formartine United and Inverurie Locos player said: "It doesn't matter who is scoring as long as we can grind out a win and play well. It wasn't just me who helped get the win- The whole team did from Neil Hastie in goal right up to Andrezej Kleczkowski and David Booth up front."

Somers selected the Huntly goalkeeper for particular praise adding: "We all thought Hastie would be out after picking up an ankle injury. He got it strapped up before the game and passed a fitness test and played really well.

"There have been times this season where we've struggled against lesser teams so if we can build on this performance it will help.

"It was great to get a goal. Victoria Park has become a lucky ground for me. I've score four goals in the last three games I've played there. It's good to get any goal, especially a winning one."

Both teams came into this game off the back of disappointing Scottish cup results, Looking to get their league campaigns back on track.

Mark Chisholm lead Buckie Thistle out for the first time in the absence of the transfer listed Michael Morrison, but it was not to be his day. The Jags had the edge in the opening quarter of the game, but were restricted to a number of half-chances by a hard working Huntly side.

Brothers Donnie and Hamish Munro both went close for Buckie but it was to be the Black and Golds who make the breakthrough in the game.

With 23 minutes on the clock Michael Fyfe swung a cross into the near post area where it was met by Somers, breaking from his customary position in midfield, and he guided a header past Kevin Main.

Somers went close again minutes later but he was to play an important role in the other box as Buckie began to look for a leveller. After Craig MacMillan clipped the top of the crossbar with a header from his cross, captain Chisholm opted to try his luck when getting on the end of a Zander Sutherland cross, but Somers was on the line to nod to safety.

In the Second Half Buckie Thistle pressed a Huntly defence which was happy to soak up the Home team's pressure and look to snatch a second goal on the counter attack.

Chisholm had a second effort cleared off the goal line while Graeme Stewart and Lewis Mackinnon were both thwarted late on by the goalkeeper of Neil Hastie as Huntly held on to claim all three points.

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