Highland League: Brora Rangers edge Clach as Turriff United and Banks o’ Dee chalk up 5-0 wins

Aidan Wilson struck deep in stoppage time after Ross Logan had just cancelled out Ross Draper’s early headed opener.

It’s a result which lifts Brora top of the table on goal difference, with fifth-placed Clach sitting seven points behind.

Morning leaders Formartine’s game against Deveronvale was postponed, opening up the chance for Brora to take top spot on goal difference, still with one game in hand.

Brora’s 4-1 weekend win against Buckie Thistle, thanks to a Shane Sutherland treble and a Wilson strike, kept the Sutherland team firmly in the hunt.

The changes to the starting XI were Caley Thistle loanee Sam Thompson and forward Aidan Wilson coming in for Max Ewan, who was sent off on Saturday, and Craig MacKenzie.

Conor Gethins’ Clach had not been in action since beating Lossiemouth 2-0 on December 27, with a run of weather-induced postponements leaving them training but not playing games.

The Lilywhites recently snapped up Conor MacPhee from Strathspey Thistle, a versatile performer who came through their youth ranks, with forward Ross Logan doing likewise, arriving from Rothes earlier this month. Both began the night on the bench.

The hosts wasted no time in taking control with a goal inside five minutes.

Tony Dingwall whipped in a free-kick from the right flank and ex-Inverness and Elgin City man Draper headed home his first Brora goal since joining the club in October.

Clach did show signs of recovery and soon bit back with attacks without finding a way to goal.

The Merkinchers almost found themselves two down on 22 minutes after goalkeeper Cammy Mackay launched a clearance all the way on to in-rushing Sutherland, but Mark Ridgers was alert and pulled off the save to deny him.

Lilywhites number one Ridgers came to the rescue again when an in-swinging Alex Cooper corner was arrowing into the net, but the ex-Caley Jags man dived to push the ball clear.

Troy Cooper’s shot towards half-time was held by Mackay as a rare first flash of intent from the Inverness side.

Brora’s Tony Dingwall limped off with an injury just before half-time, being replaced by Jordan MacRae.

The home team’s loud appeals for a goal then came to nothing when MacRae knocked the ball into the net, but he was flagged offside.

Ridgers continued to keep his team in it when he tipped wide a low swerving shot from Caley Jags loanee Thompson in the first attack of the second period.

Clach were almost level when James Anderson smartly laid the ball on for Greg Morrison, but he put too much height on his effort and it flew over the top.

Substitute Craig Lawrie then stung Mackay’s gloves with a decent drive from the left flank as they continued to ask questions.

Yet like a bolt from the blue, a searing strike from Sutherland from a sharp attack flashed wide of goal as fans waiting for the net to bulge for a second time.

Logan headed home the late leveller for Clach from an Anderson cross to spark away delight but there was time for Wilson to steer home a late clincher for the Cattachs.

This Saturday, Brora host Keith, while Clach are in Aberdeen to tackle Banks o’ Dee.

Banks o’ Dee 5-0 Lossiemouth

Banks o’ Dee moved up to sixth position in the Breedon Highland League with an emphatic 5-0 victory over Lossiemouth at Spain Park.

Sam Pugh fired Dee ahead before second half goals from Pugh, Joe McCabe, Magnus Watson and Jack Brown put the game beyond the Coasters, who had not played in 32 days and remain in 17th position.

The home side started with intent and opened the scoring in the 10th minute.

Ashton Leiper’s cross was nodded back across goal by Zack Stephen. Lossiemouth managed to clear the ball but only as far as Pugh, who volleyed into the far corner.

Lossiemouth looked to react and won a corner in the 22nd minute, but Matthew Duncan punched away the danger.

Harry Craig then unleashed Watson between the Lossiemouth defenders, but Stuart Knight made himself large and blocked the shot.

Dee burst into life at the restart and quickly ended the contest with a flurry of three goals in six minutes.

Lewis Lorimer galloped down the wing and delivered a deep cross which was finished by Pugh in the 46th minute.

McCabe delivered Dee’s third in the 49th minute, nodding home from Pugh’s corner.

Watson was then next in line to find the net for the home side, turning in Lorimer’s cross in the 52nd minute.

Banks o’ Dee continued to push forward were rewarded with a fifth in the 82nd minute, when substitute Brown scored with a curling effort from the edge of the box.

Rothes 0-5 Turriff United

A hat-trick from Murray Cormack helped Greg Moir make a winning start as Turriff United manager against Rothes at Mackessack Park.

Moir was appointed on December 28 but had to wait a month for his first match in charge because of postponements.

Cormack’s treble and a brace from Miller Keir ensured Moir’s Turra tenure began with a victory.

He said: “I’m really happy, especially with the first half, there was a really good intensity about our play and some moments of quality as well.

“There are things we can work on, but there were a lot of good signs within that performance.

“I’ve got such high expectations for Murray, he’s a very good player who I think suits playing in the central area behind the striker.

“Predominantly he’s played wide, but in a central position he causes so many issues because he’s a powerful runner and a good finisher.

“I’m delighted with Murray, but it’s probably what I expect from him.”

Match action

Pre-match there was a minute’s applause in memory of lifelong Rothes supporter Dennis Logan, who died recently.

Turriff threatened early on, but the Speysiders wasted a great opening in the 17th minute when the unmarked Jonathan Bain volleyed wide from close range after good play by Jake Thomson on the right flank.

A minute later United punished their hosts for that profligacy by taking the lead in spectacular fashion as Cormack’s right-footed thunderbolt from 25 yards flashed into the top right corner.

Four minutes later Cormack struck again with an excellent low finish from the edge of the box into the bottom left corner.

Turra got their third three minutes shy of half-time when Keir prodded the ball into the net from eight yards after his first effort had been blocked by Owen Alexander.

In the 53rd minute Cormack completed his hat-trick by tucking a penalty into the right corner of the net after Ruairi Duncan had tripped Sam Garnham.

Three minutes later Scott Robertson’s diagonal pass picked out Keir on the right side of the box his finish was clinical to round off the scoring.

Rothes remain 10 points adrift at the bottom of the Breedon Highland League and are without a win in 42 matches going back to November 2024.

Boss Ronnie Sharp said: “We’re giving away cheap goals all the time and we don’t look like putting teams under pressure.

“We weathered the storm early on and were getting into it, but once Turriff scored we were on the back foot.”

Meanwhile, Formartine United v Deveronvale was postponed due to North Lodge Park being waterlogged.

[Source: Press and Journal]