Inverurie Locos 0-2 Buckie Thistle

Goals in each half from Scott Adams and Darryl McHardy gave Buckie Thistle a hard-fought victory over Inverurie Locos at Harlaw Park.

Manager Graeme Stewart returned from a work trip to America and he made one change to the team that lost to Aberdeen in midweek, Sam Morrison returning to the back four in place of Ryan Fyffe.

Josh Peters bagged a hat-trick in the two sides’ recent Aberdeenshire Shield clash, and he flicked an effort over the crossbar from a Scott Adams cross on ten minutes.

Darryl McHardy then fired a decent strike a yard over the crossbar from the edge of the penalty area.

Locos were starting to look threatening, and a surging run from Logan Johnstone saw him bring a fine save from Stuart Knight from 18 yards, Knight also saving the rebound from Greg Mitchell.

Mitchell then got in behind on the right from a Nathan Meres through ball, but his cross went tamely into the side netting.

The visitors went in front on 26 minutes, Peters’ flick on sending Scott Adams clear and he slotted the opener low into the far corner from 15 yards.

Meres continued to cause problems for the home side and one sublime touch saw him get down the right flank, but he was crowded out by the Jags defence.

Myles Gaffney headed an early second half chance tamely wide for Locos.

Jack MacIver then did well to play Max Barry through on goal, but Zack Ellis blocked his blasted effort from 12 yards.

Goalscorer Adams took a knock and was replaced by Lyall Keir on 56 minutes.

Keir then set up MacIver on 63 minutes, his stinging low drive from the right of the penalty area was superbly saved by Ellis.

Ellis continued to deny Jags a crucial second, producing another excellent stop to tip over McHardy’s curling free kick from 22 yards.

The Locos keeper, however, could do nothing to prevent McHardy powering a header low home from MacIver’s corner from the left for Buckie’s second on 66 minutes.

The visitors were well on top now and Keir brought another fine save from Ellis at his near post after racing onto a through ball.

Cohen Ramsay and Marcus Goodall replaced McHardy and Peters with ten minutes remaining, before Sam Pugh blasted a great effort just past the right hand post from 25 yards late on.

The win takes Buckie up to third place, after Huntly and Banks o’ Dee drew at Wick and Forres respectively.

Wick Academy are the visitors to Victoria Park on Saturday, for what will be Jags’ first home fixture since 30th September.

Buckie Th: S. Knight; J. McCabe, S. Morrison, J. Murray, D. McHardy (C. Ramsay 80); S. Pugh (c), D. Wood; J. MacIver, M. Barry, S. Adams (L. Keir 56); J. Peters (M. Goodall 80).
Subs not used: E. Storrier, R. Fyffe, H. Munro, L. Mackinnon, J. MacLeod.

Scorers: S. Adams (26), D. McHardy (66)