Doubles from Josh Peters and Lyall Keir inspired Buckie Thistle to a magnificent seven-goal salvo against Deveronvale at Princess Royal Park.

Harry Noble put Vale in front early on, but Fraser Robertson levelled with his first Jags goal, before three goals from Peters, Joe McCabe and Jack MacIver in an eight minute spell put the visitors in command at the break.
Peters’ second and two from Keir rounded off the scoring as Thistle found their shooting boots in some style.

Manager Mackinnon restored Darryl McHardy and Fraser Robertson to his starting line-up, with Cohen Ramsay and Marcus Goodall dropping to the bench.

Keir had a good run across the penalty area in the opening minutes, but Ethan Hopkinson did well to hold onto his low cross.

Vale went ahead on 14th minute, Ben Hermiston getting in the behind on the right flank and his cutback was swept into the left corner by Harry Noble from 16 yards.

Buckie responded within three minutes, a scramble in the penalty area saw the ball take a couple of deflections before Robertson knocked it into the far corner of the net for the equaliser.

The visitors scored an excellent second just before the half hour mark, Innes McKay threading a superb long pass in behind the home defence and Peters slotting the ball first time past the advancing Hopkinson.

Two minutes later a great delivery from Andrew MacAskill to the front post was flicked high past Hopkinson into the far corner by Joe McCabe.

Jack MacIver made it four on 37 minutes, pouncing on a defensive error to race clear, round Hopkinson and slot the ball into the empty net.

McHardy then tried his luck from 40 yards out, fizzing a low drive wide of the right hand post just before half time.

McCabe did well to get a header in from MacAskill’s cross on 47 minutes, but it was easily gathered by Hopkinson.

MacAskill had a clever lobbed effort drift just wide from a drop ball on the edge of the penalty area, then Peters grabbed his second on 55 minutes, firing home goal number five from close range after McCabe flicked on MacIver’s corner from the right.

Peters soon missed a chance to complete his hat-trick, shooting straight at Hopkinson from Keir’s low cross.

Keir made it six in the 59th minute, latching onto MacAskill’s through pass to dink the ball over the advancing keeper and into the net.

Gaffer Mackinnon made several changes on the hour and seventieth minutes, introducing Kevin Fraser, Sam Morrison, Cohen Ramsay, Craig Cormack and Marcus Goodall.

Cormack saw a header well blocked from another excellent MacIver cross, then at the other end Cameron Angus fired a decent ball across goal without any takers from the home side.

Two minutes from time Keir was played through on goal and he rounded Hopkinson before producing an excellent finish from a tight angle for his second and Buckie’s seventh of the afternoon.

Keir almost completed his hat-trick when he got in behind again late on, but he drove his effort just wide of the far post.

An impressive display from the Jags, producing a great response to an early setback to go on and record a thumping victory over their local rivals.

Two home fixtures next up this week, bottom side Strathspey Thistle visit Victoria Park on Wednesday night, before league leaders Brechin City make the trip north on Saturday.

Buckie Thistle: M. Ridgers, J. McCabe, R. Fyffe, D. McHardy (S. Morrison 60), I. McKay (C. Ramsay 70); J. MacIver, S. Pugh (c), F. Robertson (K. Fraser 60), L. Keir; A. MacAskill (M. Goodall 70), J. Peters (C. Cormack 70).

Subs not used: H. Fitzgerald, H. Munro, D. Wood.

Scorers: F. Robertson, J. Peters (2), J. McCabe, J. MacIver, L. Keir (2)