Buckie Thistle 2-3 Clach

Clach put a dent in Buckie Thistle’s title hopes with an injury time winner from the penalty spot at Victoria Park.

Jack Murray looked to have rescued a point for the home side on 94 minutes with his own conversion from 12 yards, but Clach hit back immediately to earn their own spot kick, and Connor Bunce kept his cool to slot home the winner.

Sam Morrison returned from illness and replaced Hamish Munro in the back four, the only change from the team who beat Fraserburgh in midweek.

Thistle earned an early free kick just outside the right of the penalty area, but Murray’s effort went tamely over.

Lyall Keir was then played through by Josh Peters, but his poked effort from a tight angle was saved by Daniel Rae.

Peters hesitated when clean through a minute later and was crowded out, then Jack MacIver’s low drive from 16 yards was well held by Rae.

Buckie went in front three minutes later, Max Barry played a good one-two and burst into the penalty area, his shot was blocked but fell kindly for Keir to fire home from eight yards.

Peters rifled another effort high and wide six minutes later.

Sam Morrison went into the book on 29 minutes, body checking Lewis Mackenzie after a superb piece of skill from the visiting forward.

Three minutes later Clach levelled, a high ball from the right was headed back across goal by Calum Black and debutant Calum MacLeod poked the ball low beyond Tom Ritchie at the far post.

Peters then flashed a shot across goal after racing onto a MacAskill through ball.

Barry drove inside and fired a shot over the crossbar from 22 yards right on half time and it remained all-square at the break.

Joe McCabe did well to get on the end of a floated cross from Jack Murray on 57 minutes, but his header went well over.

Jags made their first change a minute later, with Scott Adams coming on for Jack MacIver.

MacAskill’s floated pass then found Murray to the left of the six-yard area, but his hooked effort was deflected behind for a corner.

Sub Adams went on a good run across the penalty box and brought a fine save from Rae with a low shot from 12 yards, before Murray produced another good stop from Rae with a rising drive from just inside the penalty box.

Mackenzie broke clear for Clach at the other end and his stinging shot was well saved by Ritchie, then Buckie quickly countered and Adams’ cross to the far post found Keir, but he couldn’t sort his feet out and the chance went begging.

Buckie went to three at the back with Marcus Goodall replacing Ryan Fyffe 14 minutes from the end, as the home side searched for a winner.

It was Clach who took the lead in the 81st minute, Mackenzie racing clear with the home side claiming for offside and slotting the ball low past Ritchie.

The drama wasn’t over and four minutes into injury time, Keith Mason was judged to have handled Adams’ low shot in a goalmouth scramble and Murray confidently slammed the penalty low into the left corner.

Three minutes later Mackenzie broke into the right of the area and was pushed over by Morrison for another penalty. Bunce fired the spot kick into the bottom left corner to win it for the Inverness men.

Jags boss Graeme Stewart said it was a “poor performance and poor result” for his side, but insisted it’s still all to play for:

“We said to the players that we can’t get too excited over the recent victories and likewise we shouldn’t get too down after this result.”

Nothing is won or lost today, there’s still a long way to go.”

“We were pushing for the winner at the end and left our defence exposed, but it’s in our nature to go for the three points.”

Buckie Th: T. Ritchie; J. McCabe, S. Morrison, J. Murray, R. Fyffe (M. Goodall 76); S. Pugh (c), M. Barry; A. MacAskill (L. Harvey 85), J. MacIver (S. Adams 58), L. Keir; J. Peters. Subs not used: S. Knight, E. Storrier, L. Mackinnon, C. Ramsay, H. Munro, D. Wood.

Scorers: L. Keir (19), J. Murray (90+4 pen)