PICTURES: The key moments from Buckie Thistle's title-deciding 2-0 loss to Brechin City
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TWO late goals ensured that Brechin City were crowned Highland League champions after a 2-0 victory over Buckie Thistle at Victoria Park on Saturday.
For the Jags – and the masses of fans who came to cheer them on – it was yet more heartbreak, adding to three cup final defeats in the last three campaigns.
MORE: Match report: Buckie Thistle 0 Brechin City 2.
A draw would have been enough to secure a first title since 2017, but goals from Ewan Loudon and Grady McGrath saw the title head south to Glebe Park.
Brechin will now take on Spartans across a two-legged play-off, with the winner to battle League Two's bottom club for a place in the SPFL for the 2023-24 season.
Below are the key moments from the match...
Pre-match excitement
The day started with plenty of positivity for Jags fans, who turned out in their numbers to back their side.
Brechin City also had a healthy support, with around nine buses travelling north from Angus.
A big chance for Buckie goes begging
Buckie Thistle started the better of the two sides at Victoria Park.
The first big chance came on the 12-minute mark, when Josh Peters raced through one-on-one when Hamish Munro's clearance was misjudged by the Brechin defence.
The former Elgin City striker beat the goalkeeper with his goal-bound effort, but his former City team mate Euan Spark denied him by clearing off the goalline.
More chances for the Jags, but game reaches half-time level
Josh Peters worked another good chance for himself on 26 minutes, before Sam Pugh had an effort from the edge of the box blocked away.
The Jags limited Brechin to very few chances in the first period.
Quiet second half, before Brechin take an 86th minute lead
Buckie Thistle would likely have been pleased with how the second half was going.
Brechin had all the territory and dominated possession, but were largely limited to threatening from set pieces.
That is until substitute Ewan Loudon stepped up and whacked City into the lead – via a deflection – with four minutes to go.
The goal sparked the first of two pitch invasions at Victoria Park from visiting supporters.
Brechin seal the win in the 95th minute before a second pitch invasion
With Buckie pushing everything forward, City caught them on the break as Grady McGrath slotted home in the 95th minute for 2-0.
The goal sparked a second pitch invasion from the travelling fans, with the full-time whistle following almost immediately afterwards.
The trophy lift
Brechin City got their hands on the much-coveted Highland League trophy.
Manager Andy Kirk lifted the title to a huge ovation from the City support.
General match action
More pictures from a competitive – if at times untidy – match are below.
