Buckie Thistle manager Graeme Stewart pleased with Jags' Highland League win at Formartine United but red card for top scorer Josh Peters puts a damper on the day
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BUCKIE Thistle picked up three crucial Highland League points on Saturday, but a red card for top scorer Josh Peters spoiled the day.
Peters scored what proved to be the winner in Jags’ 2-1 victory at Formartine United, adding to his hat trick in the 5-1 win at Keith in the previous match.
However, the former Elgin City striker was shown a second yellow card for an alleged dive near the end of the contest and will now miss Buckie’s league trip to Fraserburgh a week on Saturday.
Jags’ boss Graeme Stewart said Peters has protested his innocence in the matter, but he was thrilled to see his team beat a side which had won their last six fixtures in all competitions.
“Formartine have improved massively,” Stewart said. “It’s a credit to (manager) Stuart Anderson who has done a fantastic job since he’s come in.
“He has got them fitter and stronger and better organised, and he has signed some good players, so there’s a big improvement there.
“We knew how difficult a game it would be, yet we should have won more comfortably than 2-1 and I think anyone at the game would say that.
“In the first half we should have been three or four up, but missed a few chances, which has been a problem for us lately.
“Then we gave ourselves a problem by missing an open goal in the second half. Marcus Goodall, who was fantastic in the game, went round the goalie and he has under hit it and somebody cleared it off the line.”
Jags still led at the break through an Andy MacAskill strike and Peters’ 13th goal of the season made it 2-0 midway through the second half.
Jack MacIver got one back for United and Peters’ late dismissal sparked a late home onslaught which Buckie survived.
“We caused ourselves a few issues, and with Josh getting sent off it wasn’t any easier,” Stewart added.
“I can’t remember his first booking but I didn’t see him making a tackle. His second one was for diving in the box for a penalty.
“I believe him when he told me after the game that the boy definitely caught him, so I don’t think it should have been a second booking. We now lose Josh for the Fraserburgh game which is a massive blow because he’s been flying.”
Stewart said his assistant Lewis Mackinnon was the best player on the park at centre back, keeping Formartine danger man Jonny Smith very quiet.
He also felt Max Barry and Sam Pugh controlled the match in midfield.
“I was delighted with the win. These are the games you need to win, away from home against the teams in the top six. They can be so important come the end of the season and decide where you finish,” added Stewart.
There’s good news on the injury front for Jags as defender Sam Morrison could return for the Aberdeenshire Shield tie at Deveronvale a week tomorrow, while captain Kevin Fraser is back running with a view to a December comeback.
