Champions Buckie paid for missing a handful of glorious chances when Allan Hale hammered home Broch's winner 60 seconds from the break.

Fraserburgh's leading scorer could have doubled his ally from the penalty spot in the 75th minute, but goalkeeper Darren Strong made amends for upending Hale in the box by diving to his left to palm the ball to safety.

But to complete Buckie's misery captain Mark Chisholm was sent off for a rash challenge on Peter-Alexander Bruce in the third minute of stoppage-time.

Thistle's title race is run but man of the match, Fraserburgh captain Russell McBride, was delighted his side made amends after lying down meekly to Cove Rangers in its last Bellslea outing.

McBride said: "If Buckie had taken those early chances we would have been dead and buried.

"But Buckie just didn't seem to be on their game while we just clicked and it definitely made it easier for me to come back into the starting line-up after three months out with a knee injury.

"We looked really solid. Courtney Cooper is only 16, but plays with an old head on young shoulders and Bryan Hay seems to play well when he has someone like me alongside to speak to him during the game.

"Bryan is a quiet lad who doesn't say much but with guidance on the pitch he can be a terrific player."

The 32-year-old former Elgin City defender added: "We rose to the challenge today, but I always raise my game when playing against any team in green and white hoops.

"Buckie have set the bar, they have won the league two years in a row and it feels great to have beaten the champions"

Buckie captain Mark Chisholm claimed his late sending off was harsh and said: "Peter had knocked the ball away when I body checked him, it was a late challenge but there was certainly nothing malicious about it.

"Perhaps the referee was influenced by the crowd as it was right in front of the stand.

"But we should have been out of sight in the first 20 minutes when we missed loads of chances but if you fail to take them it's always going to come back and bite you.

"Missing those chances was not good enough and we know it, sometimes they go into the back of the net for you and sometimes they don't.

"I always knew the Broch were going to get a chance and although it was a scrappy goal, teams have been taking their chances against us in recent weeks although I don't think we've been playing badly."

In the early stages Shawn Scott shot over from six yards and his strike partner Martin Charlesworth passed up three glorious chances to open the scoring for Buckie.

The visitors paid the price for those missed opportunities a minute from the break when Scott Barbour picked out Hale unmarked at the back post and he hammered the ball low past Darren Strong from six yards.

In the 75th minute the home side was awarded a penalty kick when Hale was bundled over by the Buckie Thistle number one, but Strong made amends for his misdemeanour by diving to push away Hale's penalty kick.

Chisholm's last-gasp red card for a late challenge only added insult to injury for the champions.

Report Dave Edwards, Press & Journal