Buckie Thistle boss praises Banks O' Dee but says Jags should still have won
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BUCKIE Thistle boss Graeme Stewart feels his team should have beaten Banks O' Dee but was full of praise for the visitors who he believes deserve to be considered Highland League title contenders.
"They've just drawn with us at home so they should be thought of as that," he said.
"There are five or six teams who feel they should have a chance of winning it and they are probably one of them."
"I don't think we played that well today. Probably only three players would get pass marks but we should still have won that game.
"It was a tough test. Overall we probably deserved to win it but fair play to them, I thought they were good.
"They will cause every team problems because they are strong and physical, and I like how they play."
Buckie had to twice come from behind against the Highland League newcomers to draw 2-2.
Lachie Macleod put the Aberdeen side 1-0 ahead three minutes before half-time when he latched on to a quickly taken free kick to score.
Buckie levelled in the 65th minute when Josh Peters was alert to head home from close range.
However, the visitors restored their lead within two minutes when Darryn Kelly headed home from a free-kick.
Defender Jack Murray headed Buckie level again with 14 minutes remaining.
Banks O' Dee were reduced to 10 men when Alastair Stark was shown a second yellow card in the 85th minute for a foul on Scott Adams.
And they went down to nine men soon after when Magnus Watson was forced off with an ankle injury, with manager Jamie Watt having moments earlier made his third and final change.
The Jags came close to a winner in the first minute of added time when Joe McCabe headed the ball against the bar from a corner.
Stewart added: "Today was disappointing as we should have got the three points. We probably won't play that poorly individually or collectively again this season."
