Buckie Thistle started their pre-season fixtures with a defeat to Strathspey Thistle at Seafield Park.

Gaffer Lewis Mackinnon will be disappointed to start his reign with a loss, but there were plenty positives to take from the performance, despite the three errors which cost Jags the game in the end.

Gordon McNab had the first decent attempt at goal, firing just wide of the left post for the home side on eight minutes.

A good run by Lyall Keir then set up Jack MacIver and his rasping drive just cleared the crossbar from 30 yards.

Former Elgin City forward Dylan Lawrence got in behind the visiting defence on 21 minutes, but Josh Race's effort from his cutback didn’t trouble Stuart Knight.

Buckie took the lead on 27 minutes, MacIver’s floated cross finding Innes McKay at the far post, and after his header was brilliantly saved by Euan Storrier, Keir converted the rebound from close range.

James McShane levelled five minutea later with an audacious effort from 40 yards after the visitors lost the ball in midfield. His superb strike flew over Knight and into the corner of the net for the equaliser.

Sam Pugh and Andrew MacAskill came on at half time for Dale Wood and Lyall Keir.
The home side threatened again on 52 minutes, but Knight did well to hold Race’s cross from the right.

Strathspey went in front on the hour mark after another mistake in the visiting defence, the ball given straight to Lawrence who lobbed the stranded Knight from outside the penalty area.

McKay was unlucky not to equalise with a powerful header from MacIver’s floated corner that smacked off the face of the crossbar on 75 minutes.

MacIver then curled in a fine strike from 25 yards that Storrier parried away well, before Knight came out quickly to smother from Lawrence.

Sub Sam Pugh curled a superb shot against the crossbar from the edge of the area, with Fraser Robertson heading the rebound over from 15 yards.

Storrier made another great save from MacIver, then MacAskill rifled a shot over from 30 yards as the Jags pushed for an equaliser.

More hesitation in midfield cost the visitors late on though, as the home side broke and McShane slotted in his second and Strathspey’s third.

There was still time for the impressive Marcus Goodall to pull one back in injury time, but the Grantown Jags held on for the win.

Buckie Th: S. Knight, J. McCabe, S. Morrison (c) (H. Munro 80), R. Fyffe, I. McKay; M. Goodall, D. Wood, F. Robertson; J. MacIver, L. Harvey, L. Keir (A. MacAskill 46)

Sub not used: L. Mackinnon
Scorers: L. Keir (26), M. Goodall (90+2)