Buckie Thistle are just one win away from claiming their first Highland League championship since 1958 after they recorded a 2-0 success at Rothes last night.

Buckie had the best of the opening exchanges but the first real chance came in the 18th minute when a Mark Dougal flick-on saw Franny More rise to head the ball just over the bar from seven yards.

Twenty minutes into the game, a great David MacRae pass down the inside left channel saw Charlie Brown hit a low shot on the turn.

The Rothes goalkeeper Ricky Horne did well to get down and block with his left hand.

Horne was tested again just two minutes later.

Buckie moved the ball from right to left finding Zander Sutherland on the wing and his audacious effort from 35 yards was tipped out of the postage stamp corner by the goalkeeper.

However Rothes were not just there to make up the numbers.

From an Ian Macrae ball, More once again rose and his header had to be tipped over the bar by Kevin Main.

The best chance of the first half saw Martin Charlesworth race away from Barry Massie but with just the goalkeeper to beat, his effort was blocked by Horne's right foot.

Three minutes before half time another good move from Buckie involving MacRae and Sutherland culminated in Charlesworth turning to shoot from eight yards out Dougal managed to deflect the ball behind for the Jags' sixth corner of the half.

However Buckie grabbed the opener they craved on 53 minutes.

A corner kick fell to Graeme Stewart in the box and although he scuffled his shot goalwards, the ball bounced three times before finding the bottom corner of the net to send the large travelling support wild.

The home side was reduced to 10 men when a through ball appeared to strike Kevin Shortreed on the arm 35 yards from goal.

It went from bad to worse for the Speysiders as they were punished by a second Buckie goal directly from the free kick.

Zander Sutherland's powerful effort took a nick off the end of the Rothes wall and that was enough to wrong-foot Horne between the posts as the ball crashed into the net.

Report form Press & Journal