BUCKIE BACK ON TOP AS THEY TAKE CONTROL IN TITLE RACE

Buckie Thistle returned to the top of the Highland League thanks to goals from Robbie Brown, Zander Sutherland and Hamish Munro.

Jags now lead champions Cove Rangers by three points, both clubs have four games left to play, but the Victoria Park club is now the favourite to take its first title in 52 years.

Huntly brought back Mark Gray, Simon Scott and Myles Brownhill after that shock 3 - 1 home defeat at the hands of Fort William last weekend, while Jags recalled defender Chris Angus in place of suspended captain Kevin Small, with Robbie Brown taking the captain's armband.

Colin Robertson had an early opportunity to open the scoring for the home side, but the winger was off balance and he was unable to reach Michael Ewen's crossball inside the six-yard box.

However Buckie Thistle opened the scoring in the seventh minute when the ball rebounded off of Russell Guild into the path of Brown and he sent a beauty high past the motionless Ross Bremner from 20 yards.

Six minutes later Steve Bruce had the ball in the Huntly net again, but he was clearly offside as he got a touch to Ian Murray's feed, but the Jags were not to be denied as 60 seconds later Sutherland spotted giant home goalkeeper Bremner off his line and from 40 yards wide on the left he brilliantly lobbeed the ball up and over the stranded number one.

In the 25th minute, new Huntly manager John Teasdale made a tactical change when he took off forward Michael Ewen and replaced him with Michael McGinlay, son of former Scotland international John McGinlay.

Three mintes later Bruce almost made it 3-0 when he ran on to a Graeme Stewart threaded pass, but he pulled his angled drive just wide of the upright.

A minute after the restart Robertson passed up a great chance, but once again he failed to connect with a tempting ball into the Buckie six-yard box.

Buckie secured the points in the 62nd minute when Greame Stewarts's ball back into the box found Munro and from 10 yards he guided the ball up and over Bremner to make it 3-0.

McGinlay's 78th minute 20-yard free kick for Huntly was well parried by Kevin Main in the Buckie goal.

Report by Dave Edwards, Press & Journal