The Highland Leagues "match of the day" kicked off in glorious sunshine, the Jags starting line-up had a couple of changes from last weeks friendly win against Edinburgh City, in came Good and Bruce who was joined up front by Charlie Brown, making his first appearance against his old club.

The Jags started brightly, forcing a few corners in the opening few minutes of the match.  Forres were dealt a blow after six minutes when Bremner was forced to leave the field, injured in a collision with one of his own players, he was replaced by Main.

The "Can-Cans" almost took the lead in 15 minutes when Wardrop hit a shot from the edge of the box which hit the side netting.  Buckie then created several chances in response, Forres keeper Knight saved well at the feet of Brown and Bruce should have scored but missed with his header from five yards.  Charlie Brown must have thought that he had opened his account for the Jags minutes later when he rounded Knight and shot at goal only to see the ball being cleared off the goal-line by a defender.

Forres went ahead in 26 minutes, a long diagonal ball into the Buckie box saw Hamilton lose the tussel for the ball and a cross into the box was bulleted home by a header from former Jags favourite RYAN GREEN.

Buckie  then came close to levelling the score, Napier tested Knight from 20 yards then the Forres keeper again did well to block Browns volley at the back post .

Charlie Brown should have put the Jags level five minutes before half-time but headed over from the penalty spot from a Hamilton cross.

                                HALF-TIME 1-0

The Jags were level two minutes into the second half, Brown picked up the ball on the half-way line and immediately passed to Hamilton who drove down the wing, his great cross was narrowly missed by Bruce but Napier collected the ball at the back post and crossed for JAMIE SHEWAN who sent a header looping over Knight and into the net.

Forres then had a spell of pressure in the next ten minutes and forced several corners, play was now swinging from end to end in an ever exciting match.

Buckie replaced Macrae with Neill and Napier with Low.

Some great play by Buckie should have seen the Jags take the lead, good passing saw Brian Neill drive into the box and play a great pass across the goal but there were no takers, then Calder, who along with Whyte had an impressive game in midfield for Forres tried his luck from the edge of the box.  Shewan then slipped but Main saved well when a goal looked certain.

Bruce could have put Buckie ahead but hit the ball over the goal, a shout from a team-mate would have alerted him to Knight rushing out of his goal and a lob from the edge of the box would have scored.

Into the last 10 minutes Good headed over from eight yards when it looked certain he would score and Forres themselves could have scored, in particular from a free-kick from 20 yards which narrowly missed the goal.

SUMMARY -- A match that the Jags could have won on chances created, in saying that, this 1-1 draw could easily have ended up 5-5, not a great match for passing football but a game with lots of effort from both sides, loads of excitement and missed chances.  A  good advert for  Highland League football and certainly worth the admission money.

Best for Buckie was CHARLIE BROWN who ran all day against his former team and who is already a big favourite with the Jags fans.

On the positive side the Jags can perhaps look at this as a point gained (the score in the corresponding fixture last season was a 5-2 loss), next up is ROTHES AT HOME NEXT SATURDAY in the Challenge Cup (kick off 3.00pm). 

Buckie's team was: - MAIN, SHEWAN, DUNCAN, DAVIDSON, GOOD,  SMALL, HAMILTON, MACRAE, BROWN, BRUCE and NAPIER.

SUBS: - NEILL, LOW and ROBISON (all used), EDMOND AND URQUHART.