Buckie Thistle increased their lead at the top of the Highland League table to three points but Brora Rangers made them struggle all the way for a hard-earned victory.

The visitors opened the scoring with a thunderous 25-yard Nigel MacKenzie free kick but within four minutes Jags levelled with a Davie MacRae spot kick before Martin Charlesworth's superb 54th minute goal secured the points.

Both sides finished the game with 10 men after a touchline melee involving several players ended with referee Michael McNab showing Buckie's Graeme Stewart and Brora's Robbie Stephen red cards.

Buckie manager Gregg Carrol was happy enough.  He said: "Brora could have taken a point, as they had one off the crossbar in the second half and had a goal disallowed for offside.

"In the first half we had three or four chances but we needed a little bit more composure in front of goal.  I had no concerns whatsoever at half-time, our play was good and our passing was quite sharp, especially after such a long layoff.

"Our final ball wasn't good enough in the first half, but we got the penalty which was a stonewaller.  When we lost Graeme Stewart our game was out of sorts and that was disappointing as up until then I thought we were comfortable and could have gone on to win by two or three goals.

"Martin Charlesworth scored a cracking goal and he has done really well since he came back into the side."

Carrol added: "Both dugouts felt the referee sent off the wrong player, when I asked to see him after the game he explained that he saw Graeme Stewart pulling another player away, but I stand by me view he sent off the wrong man."

Brora manager Andy Macleod said: "we deserved a draw at the very least.

"We needed a wee spark and Nigel MacKenzie's fabulous free kick gave us that but, unfortunately, we were unable to hang on the lead until half-time.  I didn't think it was a penalty although obviously I was quite a distance away.  The referee had a shocker and I think he sent off the wrong players.

"They had one or two chances in the second half but after that I think we had most of the play.  All credit to my players, they've had two weeks without a game but their fitness looked good.

"All we lacked was a bit of belief, Buckie are the champions and you would have expected them to dig in and hold on to their 2 - 1 lead and that's exactly what they did.

Brora shocked the champions in the 35th minute when MacKenzie's stunning 25-yard free kick flew high over Kevin Main into the top corner;  The Jags were level four minutes later, Zander Sutherland was brought down in the box by David McGruire and MacRae hammered home the resultant spot kick.

Nine minutes into the secondhalf Buckie secured the points when Charlesworth with his back to the goal, turned his man and fired an unstoppable drive past the helpless Steve Martin in the Brora goal.

In the 67th minute Sutherland and Brora's Stephen were involved in a tussle on the near touchline.  MacRae ran 10 yeards to join in and he was followed by two or three others, including Buckie midfielder Stewart who appeared to be acting as peacemaker.

After consulting his assistant, referee McNab sent Buckie's Stewart and Brora's Stephen for the early bath.

Shortly after McGruire saw his fierce 15-yarder come back off the bar and four minutes from time Brora substitute Gary Kerr had the ball in the net but the assistant had his flag up for offside.

Report by Dave Edwards, Press & Journal