League champions Buckie Thistle moved up into fourth place in the table after seeing off a spirited Fort challenge.

Jags' manager Gregg Carrol said: "We dominated the first half with the wind at our backs and went in 3-0 up. Fort passed the ball, especially after the break when they continued to play good football and Sean Ellis certainly made a difference when he came off the bench at the break.

"Dave MacRae was immense for us in the middle of the park on a day when both sets of players deserve great credit for trying to play good football in terrible conditions.

"Fort manager Danny Conlon added: "Buckie had the strong wind in their favour in the first half. When we were only 1-0 down after 35 minutes I was fairly happy.

"If we had managed to hold on until the break only a goal behind we would have had a wee chance in the second half as we hit the bar twice in the second period."

The champions opened the scoring on the quarter hour mark with a super Shawn Scott volley from a Mark Chisholm flick-on and the home side doubled their advantage in the 37th minute, Chisholm stabbing the ball over the line after Fort goalkeeper Stewart Gray had dropped Bob Duncan's swirling free kick at his feet.

After the break Fort's half time substitute Ellis's 40-yard free kick cannoned off the face of the crossbar. In the final minute Buckie substitute Lewis MacKinnon made it 4-0 with a towering header from Zander Sutherland's corner.

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