Buckie switch weekend fixture

BUCKIE Thistle’s weekend visit to Strathspey Thistle has been switched to their own Victoria Park.

Jags will now host the Grantown side on league business on Saturday, with the scheduled Seafield Park venue covered in snow and ruled unplayable.

Gary Hake’s men will also be on home duty on Wednesday, a rearranged Aberdeenshire Shield first round tie against Fraserburgh which fell victim to the weather last week.

Manager Hake says strong characters and a tougher mentality is needed in his camp to end their poor run of home form.

Jags are struggling to win on their own Victoria Park pitch this season, a fact underlined by last Saturday’s 4-1 home loss to title chasers Formartine United.

It is form which has puzzled manager Hake, who is desperate to add to his squad due to a growing injury and suspension list.

Hake brought in one new face this week, defender Stephen Jeffrey on loan from Formartine, and is on the trail of two more mystery players.

But he is concerned about recent defensive lapses and second-half slumps which have cost his side results, particularly on home soil.

"I can’t put my finger on the home form, whether it’s down to the mentality of the players or a bit of nervousness creeping into our game," he said.

"It’s been the same old story of playing some great stuff in the first half and then pretty poor in the second half. The heads go down when we go a goal down and we don’t seem to have that bit between our teeth."

See Northern Scot print version for full story.