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WATCH: Four of the goals including Jack Murray's dramatic Buckie Thistle winner in a Highland League cracker at Christie Park


By Craig Christie

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A pulsating Highland League encounter from start to finish saw Buckie Thistle just edge out hosts Huntly.

Match report and goal highlights below.

Jack Murray was Buckie's matchwinner at Huntly. Picture: Beth Taylor.
Jack Murray was Buckie's matchwinner at Huntly. Picture: Beth Taylor.

In their final match before taking on Celtic in the Scottish Cup, Jags looked ragged in the first half and were fortunate to be drawing 1-1 at the break.

Angus Grant missed a glorious chance for Huntly after five minutes, failing to turn in Alex Thoirs' precision cross inside the six-yard box.

A minute later Grant did put the home side in front, capitalising on a handling error from Jags keeper Stuart Knight in letting the ball slip from his grasp to allow the Huntly front man an empty goal to fire into.

Hamish Munro denied Grant a second with a vital block as Buckie were carved open yet again on 10 minutes.

Josh Peters tested home keeper Fraser Hobday at the other end, before a defensive mistake by Buckie's Sam Morrison let in Andy Hunter whose firm drive was well parried by Knight on 16 minutes.

Buckie were at sixes and sevens at this stage, and when Grant and Hunter linked up in their box on 20 minutes, a low drive by Hunter scraped narrowly past.

Hobday did well to turn over Scott Adams' 30 yard blast but from the resulting corner kick on 30 minutes, Darryl McHardy's hooked volley looped over the keeper and ricocheted into the net for Buckie's equaliser.

Dale Wood then forced a good save out of Hobday, while at the other end was inches away from connecting with Lewis Crosbie's tempting right wing centre.

More sloppy play at the back by Buckie was punished by Crosbie who set up Grant for a low effort, again just off target.

Jags were fortunate to go in at half time all square and may well have faced the wrath of manager Graeme Stewart.

Joe McCabe replaced Morrison at the break and Buckie looked more of a force in the second half, taking the lead seven minutes in.

McCabe's through ball saw Max Barry shrug off his marker and cut across the defence and keeper Hobday before burying a low drive into the corner of the net.

The match became bad-tempered, with McHardy and Ross Still booked for their part in a mass jostle in the centre of the field.

Buckie manager Graeme Stewart then entered the field and was promptly shown a red card by referee Harry Bruce.

The visitors were on top at this stage but couldn't quite kill off the game, and Huntly made them pay.

Home sub Brodie Allen took a pass in the Buckie box, shaped to shoot and did a 180 degree turn before planting a low shot past Knight to level on 84 minutes.

But Buckie are famed for their late rescue acts and they did it again with less than three minutes left.

A corner from the left led to a scramble and centre back Jack Murray was perfectly placed to rifle a drive into the roof of the net for his 11th goal of the season - and three precious points for Buckie.

Huntly: Hobday, Connelly, Clark, Fraser, Jack (Heslop 72), Crosbie, Still, Thoirs (Wallace 78), Murray (Sewell 72), Grant (Allen), Hunter. Subs: Foster, Gauld, Craig, Evans, Morrison.

Buckie: Knight, Murray, Morrison (McCabe 46), Munro, McHardy, Wood, Pugh, Barry, MacIver (Keir 76), Peters (Harvey 76), Adams (MacAskill 60).

Referee: Harry Bruce


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