Boss Graeme Stewart used his squad well, with substitutes Keir, MacIver and Andrew MacAskill all impressing from the bench as the home side scored four times in the second half to seal a crucial win.

Vale went ahead in the 12th minute, Jack Mitchell delivering a cross from the right flank for Cameron Angus to tuck home from close range.

Buckie forward Josh Peters hobbled off shortly after, but his replacement Keir made an instant impact by heading low into the net after Scott Adams headed Joe McCabe's towering header back across the face of goal.

Max Barry then curled in a dangerous corner from the left that missed everyone in the area and bounced just wide of the far post.

Barry was soon involved again, playing Marcus Goodall in behind on the right with a superb pass, Goodall’s dinked cross bouncing behind off the top of the crossbar.

Right on half time, Adams did well to pounce on a loose ball in the penalty area and was brought down by the advancing Sean McIntosh. Murray sent the Vale keeper the wrong way from the penalty spot for his 21st goal of the season.

Visiting captain Harry Noble fizzed a free kick just over the crossbar from 30 yards in the 47th minute.

Keir grabbed his second of the afternoon on 65 minutes, firing into the net to make it three-one after great work from McCabe to cut the ball back from the byline.

MacAskill then delivered a cross from the same area and Sam Pugh rifled a half volley just over the bar from 12 yards.

Max Stewart curled another Vale free kick just wide of the left hand post, before Keir set up MacAskill at the other end and his shot was parried away by McIntosh.

MacIver made it four with the goal of the match six minutes from time, curling a tremendous free kick in off the underside of the crossbar from 22 yards.

Noble delivered a dangerous cross from the left for Vale four minutes later, but no one was able to get on the end of it for the Banff side.

Keir almost bagged his hat-trick with a low drive from the edge of the penalty area that just crept past McIntosh’s right hand post.

Barry did grab goal number five in injury time after MacAskill and Keir combined to put him clean through on goal, the midfield maestro slotting low home from 14 yards.

There was still time for MacAskill to turn his man and set up MacIver to fire in a sixth with a deflected shot that went in via a despairing lunge from Innes McKay.

A superb result in the end for Buckie, who showed great stamina and energy to finish the game with three goals in the last ten minutes to match Brechin’s scoreline against Forres.

On to Monday night and the visit of Strathspey Thistle the first of another three games in five days to finish the league campaign.

Buckie Th: T. Ritchie; J. McCabe, S. Morrison, J. Murray, C. Ramsay; S. Pugh (c), D. Wood; M. Goodall (A. MacAskill 64), M. Barry, S. Adams (J. MacIver 77); J. Peters (L. Keir 14)

Subs not used: S. Knight, E. Storrier, L. Mackinnon, L. Harvey, R. Fyffe, H. Munro

Scorers: L. Keir (20, 65), J. Murray (45+3 pen), J. MacIver (84, 90+6), M. Barry (90+3)