BUCKIE THISTLE IN TOP FORM AS STRATHSPEY GET HIT FOR SIX

The Highland League champions took full advantage as some of the chasing pack faltered to extend their lead at the top of the table to two points with two games in hand on second-placed Keith.

Bucke manager Gregg Carrol was delighted his team got back to winning ways with an emphatic home victory.

He said: "Results certainly went our way but the margin of our victory could have been even greater had it not been for the brilliance of Willie Rigers in the Strathspey goal.

"We were strong all over and our movement destroyed them.  I played Martin Charlesworth and Andy Low up front and then brought on Shawn Scott in the second half.  I was delighted he scored his first goal back in a green and white jersey.

"Strathspey aren't a bad side but when we scored two quick goals it deflated them and when we're on top of our game we take a lot of stopping."

Strathspey Thistle manager Donly MacLeod said: "They were far too good for us.  We had six or seven players missing and we were overwhelmed by Buckie.

"It wasn't much of a contest.  We were a wee bit better in the second half but in the first 45 minutes they were all over us and we were lucky to go in only 3-0 down.

"They took their foot off the pedal after the break on a heavy pitch but we're not making any excuses.  We gave away some stupid goals due to basic errors."

The home side opened the scoring in the 25th minute with a thunderbolt 25-yard Andy Low free kick and on the half-hour mark Buckie doubled their advantage, Zander Sutherland's left foot in-swinging cross taking a deflection off Craig Ireland and trickling over the line.

Just before the break the points were secure when David MacRae's cross was nodded home by Low for his second of the afternoon.

Buckie added another in the 69th minute when second-half substitute Scott notched his first goal in his second spell at Victoria Park, by taking a Sutherland feed and beating Ridgers with a clinical finish.  It was 5-0 six minutes later with a looping header from MacRae and four minutes from time MacRae grabbed another at the second time of asking after his header had been blocked.

The Grantown Jags grabbed a crumb of comfort in stoppage time when trialist Jamie Mackay latched on to a long ball over the top and volleyed home.

Report from Press & Journal